technical communication chapter 7. effective communication transfers vital info provides a basis for...
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Technical Communication
Chapter 7
Effective Communication•Transfers vital info•Provides a basis for judging your
knowledge•Conveys your interest and competence•Increases the knowledge of others•Identifies to you the gaps in your
information•Allows you to carry out desired changes
Communication and Engineering•Must possess technical skills•Strong communication and teaming skills
lacking in entry-level candidates•Golden Rules of Communication for
Engineers:▫Brevity is best▫Using a shorter, simpler word is typically
preferable to a longer, more difficult word.
Minimal Time Decsion-Makers for Communication• Language using suited to audience?
▫ Do you know how to communicate effectively▫ Do you need to expand your communication skills
• What being said clear to readers?▫ Readers draw same conclusions you did▫ Words, phrases, ideas that lead to multiple
interpretations• Do you know your audience?
▫ Unique preferences, hidden expectations▫ Feelings about things being communicated
• Know how your audience perceives things?▫ Do all engineers see things the same way▫ Audience of non-engineers interpretations
Oral Communication Skills
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Formal and Informal Presentations• Formal
▫ Preset time and date Preparation needed
▫ May be made to: Colleagues Expert panels Design Competitions Conclusion projects Conferences Workplace
▫ Presentation software Handouts of slides
▫ Business attire
• Informal▫ Short▫ Preparation time less▫ Impromptu
Business context Technical meeting Meeting involving a
design team
Best Presentation Qualities•Give valuable info not have had otherwise
•Be in a form to be put into immediate use
•Motivate and inspire the audience to want to put the info to immediate use
Techniques Dealing with Nervousness• Breathing to avoid adrenaline overdrive
▫ Practice Square Breathing 7 seconds in, hold 7, 7 out, hold 7
• Visualize successful presentation• Tailor the talk to your strengths
▫ Use humor▫ Use props▫ Use your nervous habit▫ Use trivia
• Have presentation ready at least 1 day before
Preparation for Presentation• Identify purpose and
audience• Organize information• Gather information
needed to present• Create presentation
material with maximal audience impact
• Practice your presentation after it is prepared
Identify Purpose and Audience• Know your audience
▫ How many people?▫ How well do you know audience members?
Small audiences who are known, use names▫ What is the background of listeners▫ What are the expectations
Information, tone, level of formality▫ What does audience know about the topic▫ How long is your allotted time to speak
Organization of Presentation• Have a one-page summary
▫ Presentations longer than 5 minutes▫ Beginning of speech, let’s audience preview what is
coming ahead• Use the power of repetition
▫ “Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them”
• Provide written supplement▫ Helps audience focus on what you are saying▫ Not bogged down with writing presentation down
Organization of the Information• Introduction
▫ Who you are and why you did this• Need
▫ Why your engineering design needed• Solution
▫ You have the design that addresses the need, and here it is. Include major design features
• Bottom Line▫ Benefits and cost
• Conclusion
Gather Information Needed to Present• Information should pertain to 3 - 5 main points
• Use graphics, pictures and photos▫ Communicate a lot of info concisely
• Do not include too much or too little info▫ Approx 1 slide for every minute of speech
Do not exceed 30 seconds on 1 slide
Maximal Audience Impact in Presentation• KIS
▫ Keep It Simple
• Audience will remain with you▫ Accessible language▫ More than one way
the information is provided
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Maximizing Visual Impact• One central idea per slide
• Font size important
• Speaker may add details when needed• Orally identify/locate colors to help listeners• Use high contrast colors• DO NOT USE ALL CAPITALS• Graphs & Charts more effective than Tables
Maximize Visual Impact• The more a • Pointer needs• To• Be • Used• The worse • the slide
• Keep it Simple
Maximize Visual Impact• Try to be as brief as you possibly can in creation
of these PowerPoint slides because you do not want to overload the audience with unuseful information
• Cluttered slides are hard to read and cause the audience to focus their attention somewhere else (Kind of like what most of you are doing right now)
• Two clear understandable slides are better than one cluttered slide
Maximize Auditory Impact•Be an enthusiastic speaker
▫“There are no boring topics, only boring presentations.”
•Master your subject▫Read the audience, not your note cards
•Use pauses to your advantage
Kinematic Methods• Engages audience• Make sure everyone can
see a demonstration▫ Point out major
concepts and ideas• With direct engagement,
assist audience through step-by-step process▫ “Has everyone finished
this step.”
How would you like this in front of you at a ballgame?
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Practice, Practice, Practice
•Practicing presentations out loud allows for insight into technique
•Will know how long presentation goes•More familiar you become with a topic•Showing the audience you are familiar
with the topic will make them and you more confident in the subject
Getting Started• First 10 - 30 s critical• Introduce yourself and
topic• Establish level of formality• Establish tone• Interaction with audience
establishes rapport• Monitor audience during
Presentation Hardware• Know how the
equipment works beforehand
• Overheads• Ensure video
projection system is compatible▫ May bring your own
just in case
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How does this work!?
Written Communication Skills
Grammatical Issues• Each paragraph should address a single topic• Avoid cliches• Its and It’s
▫ Its = Denotes possession▫ It’s = It is
• Affect and Effect▫ Affect - Verb
To Influence▫ Effect - Noun
Result
The Audience
•Ask yourself▫“Who is going to read this, anyway?”
•Consider needs and perspectives of audience
•Technical material needs to be clear and concise
Technical Writing• Identifies the main
premise early on• Is clear, objective, and
economical• Follows a specific
format• Takes a problem-
solving approach
• Involves specialized vocabulary
• Incorporates signs, symbols, formulas, graphs, and tables
• Documents completed work
Unique Aspects of Technical Writing• Content
▫ Factual and objective• Methodical Construction
▫ Present most essential info first, followed by supporting statements
• Clarity• Objectivity
▫ Unemotional and unbiased• Importance in Workplace
Formats of Written Communication• Brief notes to a
superior peer• Hand-written
reminders• Informal reports• Memos• Formal reports• Visual presentations
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Formal Reports• Title
▫ Brief, clear, and appropriate introduction• Summary
▫ What was attempted, how accomplished, and what the implications are
• Table of Contents▫ Each heading listed found in report with page
number• Nomenclature
▫ List and define all symbols used in report
Formal Reports• Introduction
▫ State the motivation of experiment and background information
• Analysis▫ Begin with basic, general relationships and proceed
to specific formulas used in interpretation of data▫ All relevant mathematical steps presented
• Experimental Procedure▫ Schematic representation of experiment equipment
or simulation program
Formal Reports• Results
▫ Short, declarative statements of the results which summarize specific data presented in graphs or tables
• Discussion▫ Interpret results, what was expected, what was
unexpected, and what is of technical interest• Conclusions
▫ Concise statements that clearly communicate what results indicate
Formal Reports• References
▫ Author’s last name, then first and middle initial List coauthors with initials first
▫ Title of source quoted▫ Edition of source▫ Volume of source (if applicable)▫ City of publication (from source’s title page)▫ Publisher▫ Date of Publication▫ Pages references
Formal Reports• Example References
▫ Gomez, A.G., W.C. Oakes, and L.L. Leone. “Technical Communication,” Engineering Your Future. Edition 1, Okemos, MI. Great Lakes Press, Inc. pp. 151 - 180
▫ Serge, E., ed., Experimental Nuclear PhysicsI, 1st ed., Vol. 1, New York: Wiley, 1953,pp. 6-10
Formal Reports
•Appendices
▫Lengthy calculations and side issues not related to main theme placed here
▫Is the piece required as part of the investigation for the report? No = Appendix
Communication Checklists• Formal Report
▫ Title Page Title of Paper Course/Project Date Due Section Meeting Time Name
▫ References Initials for first name All necessary info
included References numbered in
text lines like this: [1]
• Checklists make sure you have included everything in the report that is needed
• Customized Checklists can be made for each communication format
Other Types of Communication
Executive Summaries• Assumes managerial perspective instead of
technical one• Presents simple facts and describes key elements
in non-technical language• Contains enough info for clear decisions
▫ Background of situation/problem▫ Cost Factors▫ Conclusions▫ Recommendations
Proposals• Address a specific need and describe the
problem at issue, define a solution, and request funding or other resources to solve a problem
• Request For Proposal (RFP) guidelines▫ What the proposal should cover▫ What sections it should have▫ When it should be submitted▫ To whom it should be sent▫ How evaluated with regard to other proposals
Proposal ABC Format
•A: Abstract▫Purpose▫Reader’s main need▫Main features you offer and related
benefits▫Overview of proposal sections to follow
Proposal ABC Format
•B: Body▫What do you want to solve and why?▫What are the technical details of your
approach?▫Who will do the work, and with what?▫When will it be done, and how long will it
take?▫How much will it cost?
Proposal ABC Format
•C: Conclusion▫Emphasize a main benefit or feature of
your proposal▫Restate your interest in doing the work▫Indicate what should happen next
Memos
•Convenient, relatively informal way to communicate the existence of a problem, propose some course of action, describe a procedure, or report the result of a test
•Must be carefully prepared, thoughtfully written, and thoroughly proofread for errors
Memos
•Introduction▫Summarizes memos purpose
•Conclusion▫Restates the main points and contains
recommendations
Title Format for Memo• To: name, job title
departmentorganization
• From: name, job titledepartmentorganization
• Subject: (or “Re:”) issue addressed in memo• Date: date• Dist: (Distribution) list of others receiving memo (if applicable)• Encl: (Enclosure) list of other items included (if applicable)• Ref: (Reference) list of related documents (if applicable)
•Use proper grammar▫Appropriate sentence structure,
subject/verb agreement, spelling, flow•Carefully proofread, edit, and spellcheck•Think about response before sending
▫Wait as long as possible before sending a response, even if you only have an hour
Email Cautions
•Never use when face-to-face dialog is needed
•Do not use when formal documentation is required▫Does not carry status of formal report
•Not as private as you think
Progress Reports• Attractive and easy to understand• Introduction
▫ Scope of work being done, purpose of the work, and any major changes that have been required
• Project Description▫ Completed phases, time taken to complete, and
phases to be completed• Summary
▫ Summarize main points of action and reiterate where you are along the road to completion
Problem Statements
•Explicitly states problem to be investigated and outlines course of action to be taken
•Correctly defining problem is vital▫Work with data you have already collected▫Consult contacts who have knowledge of
the problem▫Investigate the problem first-hand
Cover Letters•Sent along with resumes and transcripts
to potential employers•Introduces you to the company in a
conversational manner•Opportunity to communicate what you
have to offer to them•May open doors if written properly or
slam them shut if written poorly
Specifics in a Cover Letter• Date, your address and phone number, and the
name and address of the person to whom you are writing
• 1st paragraph▫ Introduction of yourself, reason you are writing the
letter, source of your information about the employer, and position for which you would like to apply
• 2nd paragraph▫ Brief resume description, hitting highlights
Specifics in a Cover Letter
•3rd paragraph▫“Current” information which may not yet
be appropriately included in your resume Courses taking, research involved in,
activities about to engage in•4th paragraph
▫Summary paragraph thanking reader “in advance” for consideration
Resumes•Sells you and your qualifications•Two main types
▫Skills Resume No significant work experience Highlights skills and talents to benefit the
potential employer▫Experience Resume
Highlights prior work experience relevant to job being applied for
Resumes• Many formats for resume, must include essential
information▫ Name▫ Address▫ Phone Number▫ Educational Background▫ Previous Employment▫ Extracurricular Activities
• Highlight key elements in BOLD• Have many people critique your resume and evaluate
all comments, tailoring to fit you
Resume Checklist•Information
▫Objective clearly stated▫Objective supported by education,
experience, activities, and honors▫Experience, education, and/ or skills
segment are effective▫Al activities, honors, and other data are
appropriate for the employment and the reader
Resume Checklist
•Organization▫Name and key headings stand out▫Information within each heading is ordered
from most to least important▫Experience segment is arranged to
highlight your strengths and career objective
Resume Checklist
•Style▫Language is simple, direct, and precise▫Noun phrases are consistently used to
describe experience, skills, and activities▫Parallel structure is used effectively▫Have no errors in grammar, punctuation, or
spelling (no typos whatsoever)
Thank-You Letters• Thank the individuals who interviewed you for
the position applied for
• Do not wait more than 48 hours to send
• Businesslike and concise
• May put you ahead of the competition
Thank-You Letter Contents• 1st paragraph
▫ Thank the interviewers for their time and reiterate your interest in working for their company
• 2nd paragraph▫ Briefly restate your qualifications▫ Address any positive qualities failed to mentioned
during interview
Thank-You Letter Contents• 3rd paragraph
▫ Close with a final thank-you▫ Express interest in hearing back from the
interviewer▫ May give specific timeframe to when you will follow
up with a phone call▫ Provide interviewer with phone numbers where you
can be reached and e-mail address• Additional Advice
▫ Personalize each Thank-You Letter▫ May open other doors or future opportunities