Communication Best Practices: From Requirements to Delivery

1. Communication Best Practices: From Requirements to Delivery Presented by Fred Alsup falsup@alsup.com (214)824-6828

2. Why Communication? Have you ever felt • You didn’t understand your • Customers/Employees/Boss/Peers/Suppliers • Spouse/Relatives/Children/Friends • You weren’t understood • You didn’t ask the right question • You didn’t ask it in the right way • You let emotions rule rather than logic • You didn’t communicate confidence, calmness, or the most effective energy • You didn’t come to closure quickly enough or at all • A lot of time was wasted in meetings and conversations Fred Alsup

3. Why Communication? Have you ever • Repeatedly had meetings but didn’t seem to come to a clear understanding • Had a strained relationship because of misunderstanding • Communicated the right words but did not get the point across • Ended a meeting or conversation on a discordant note Fred Alsup

4. What is Communication? • Communication is Perceived as • 55% Physiology • 38% Tonality • 7% Words • Information received and stored in neural networks as • Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic • Olfactory, Gustatory • Communication Settings • One on One • One to Many • Formal and Informal • Face to Face • Telephone • Email • Asking Questions • Presenting Information Fred Alsup

5. Where/When Communication? • Business • Planning • Process Engineering/Reengineering • Projects: Requirements to Delivery • Training • Personal Consulting • Personal • Family and Friends • Volunteer Work Fred Alsup

6. Sources for Best Practices • Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) • Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) • Technology of Participation • Disney Model • Kano Model • Gender Research – Deborah Tannen Fred Alsup

7. Formula for Success • Right Folks, Skilled Communicator/Facilitator • Build Rapport • Project the Right Energy • Sequence Questions Properly • Ask Generic and Expert Questions Considering • Context • Hierarchy • Languages (of Expertise) • Personality Types • Present Proposals Considering • Control and Influence • Audience’s Success Criteria Fred Alsup

8. Building Rapport • WHY • Establish Trust • Establish Understanding • Lead Individuals or Groups • HOW • Match Voice Speed • Match Verbal Predicates • Match or Mirror Physicality and Energy • Match Brain Processing Speed • Ask Questions that Match Other’s Internal Experience Fred Alsup

9. Building RapportAccess Cues Visual Constructed Visual Remembered Auditory Auditory Constructed Remembered Feelings Internal Dialogue Other Cues Auditory • Touching Face • Touching Lips • Touching/Rubbing Fingertips Visual • Visually Defocused Fred Alsup

10. Building RapportQuestions and Access Cues • Visual • How does that look to you? • Do you see what I mean? • Auditory • Does that sound good to you? • Internal Dialogue • What do you say to yourself about that? • Feelings • How would you feel about that? Fred Alsup

11. Building Rapport Processing Speeds Fast Visual ▲ │ │ Auditory │ ▼ Slow Kinesthetic Fred Alsup

12. Projecting the Right Energy • Confidence • Calmness • Energy • Professionalism • Playfulness Fred Alsup

13. Introverts Best Information is Hidden Sensors Observe the Obvious Thinkers Make Decisions Based on Logic Judgers Like Structure, Closure Extroverts Show Their Best Intuitors Make Connections Feelers Make Decisions Based on Values Perceivers Like Freeform, Open to Possibilities Personality TypesFacilitating Communication Fred Alsup

14. Personality TypesFacilitating Communication • Introversion/Extroversion • Draw out the Introverts • Curb the Extroverts • Sensing/Intuiting • Sensors first – Observe the Obvious • Intuitors second – Make Connections • Judging/Perceiving • Perceivers first – Process Possibilities • Judgers second – Organize, Come to Closure • Thinking/Feeling • Balance Logic and Values Fred Alsup

15. HierarchyLanguage and Requirements • Executive • Language: $$$ • Requirements: Cost, Time Frame, ROI • Management • Language: $$$ and Things • Requirements: Summary Reports • Users • Language: Things • Requirements: Ease of Use, Everyday Needs/Wants Fred Alsup

16. Formula for Success • Right Folks, Skilled Communicator/Facilitator • Build Rapport • Project the Right Energy • Sequence Questions Properly • Ask Generic and Expert Questions Considering • Context • Hierarchy • Languages (of Expertise) • Personality Types • Present Proposals Considering • Control and Influence • Audience’s Success Criteria Fred Alsup

17. Communication Best Practices: From Requirements to Delivery • Requirements Gathering • Prioritization • Feasibility Analysis • Problem Solving • Initial Plan and Feasibility Presentation • Task Definition/Schedule Development • Project Plan Presentation • Project Partnerships • Communicating Progress • Acceptance Testing • Delivery Fred Alsup

18. Requirements Gathering • Roles • Customer, Supplier, Facilitator, Scribe • Hierarchy • Executive, Manager, Users • Language • Business and Technical • Personality Types • Process • Generic Questions • Intent, Evidence, Context • Expert Questions Fred Alsup

19. Communication Best Practices: From Requirements to Delivery • Requirements Gathering • Prioritization • Feasibility Analysis • Problem Solving • Initial Plan and Feasibility Presentation • Task Definition/Schedule Development • Project Plan Presentation • Project Partnerships • Communicating Progress • Acceptance Testing • Delivery Fred Alsup

20. Problem Solving • Roles • Supplier, Facilitator, Scribe • Hierarchy • Developers • Language • Technical • Personality Types • Process – Disney Model • Define the Problem • Generic and Expert Questions • Dreamer, Realist, Critic Fred Alsup

21. Recommended Reading List Fred Alsup

22. Reading List NEURO-LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING (NLP) “Introducing Neuro-Linguistic Programming” by Joseph O'Connor (Mandala, 1990) DISNEY MODEL “Tools for Dreamers: Strategies for Creativity and the Structure of Innovation” by Robert Dilts (Meta Publications, 1991) MYERS BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR (MBTI) “Type Talk: The 16 Personality Types That Determine How We Live, Love, and Work” by Otto Kroeger (Delta, 1989) GENDER COMMUNICATION “You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation” by Deborah Tannen (Ballantine Books, 1990) TECHNOLOGY OF PARTICIPATION “Winning Through Participation” by Laura Spencer (Kendall/Hunt Publishing, 1989) Fred Alsup