Professional Communications

1. Professional Communications

2. Why? • Typically you have a defined role in the technical arena • Why do you need to write ? • Share • Present and future • Peers and managers • Clients and users • Lecturers and students • Retain • Yourself, team, organisation • Represent • Yourself, team, organisation

3. Typical Artefacts Used Professionally • Proposals • Feasibility Studies • Technical Reports • User documentation • Progress Reports • Technical documentation • Presentations • Memos • Letters • Minutes • Emails • Wikis • Blogs • Discussion boards • Web site • Social media • CVs • Letters • Personal statements/essays

4. Key characteristics – Professional Writing • Clarity • Clear single meaning • Accuracy • Minor errors will not be forgiven – will cast doubt on the entire document • Comprehensiveness • Meet requirements completely – omissions will not be forgiven • Accessibility • Structure is important – headings are a map – tables of contents, figures, tables etc all are used as tools • Conciseness • Time is an important factor – verbosity is not welcome • Correctness • Grammar, punctuation, spelling – all important – messiness casts doubt on the entire document

5. Formal elements of a report • Communication (Letter) of transmittal • Title page • Abstract • Table of contents • List of illustrations • Executive summary • Glossary • Main Body • Appendices

6. Components of a Technical Report • Communication (Letter) of Transmittal • A statement of title and purpose of report. • A statement of who authorized the project and when • A statement of method used in the project or of the principal results, conclusion and recommendations. • An acknowledgement of any assistance you received in preparing the material. •  Title Page • Title • Name and position of author(s) • Name and position of principle readers/intended audience • Date of submission

7. Components of a report • Abstract • Short, self-contained capsule of the report • Executive Summary • One page extended summary of report contents • Intended for management • Glossary • Alphabetical list of definitions

8. Progress Report • Introduction • Purpose of report • Initial report • Brief background/overview of project, time period of project overall, your role, current status of project • Subsequent reports • Time period covered, current status of project • Work completed • Time period covered by report • Major tasks – level of achievement • Work schedule for next period • Time period covered • Major tasks • Expected outcomes • Special sections • As requested (e.g. reasons, recommendations, detail on specific aspects…)

9. Proposals • Audience • External or internal ? • How knowledgeable ? How involved ? Authority ? • Know the problem and context • Objectives • Use lots of visual aids • Figures, tables, charts, plans • Technical perspective • Management perspective • Time, resources, risk • Financial perspective • Same format as technical report

10. Typical Scenarios Technical Report Academic Paper • Your role • Expert • Audience • Professionals, managers and users with shared understanding of field • Aim • Presenting a case and drawing conclusions • Style • Clear, simple • Easy to search and read • Lots of examples • Purpose • To inform • To persuade • Currency, lifespan • Generally focus on current topics • Expire quickly • Your role • Learner/Contributor • Audience • Diverse range of those involved in academia + other areas • Aim • Exploring questions and issues in area contributing to and opening areas • Style • Contextualised, clear • Cohesive and coherent • Strategic use of examples • Purpose • To inform and share • To gain feedback for evolution • Currency, lifespan • May focus on topics of more age • Long lifespan

11. Presentations • Avoid! • Death by Powerpoint • Powerpoint Karaoke • Know the difference between Lecture and Presentation • Powerful Powerpoint Tips • http://connectingdots.typepad.com/ppt/

12. Presentation – things to think about • Difficult to retain spoken information • Attention Fluctuates • Coloured by presenter • Speaker can provide clarification • Be consistent • Think about the font • Can people see it ? • Don’t get carried away with visuals • Know your audience • Practice

13. Email • Useful Assumptions • The recipient (person you are emailing) potentially gets a lot of email • You need something from the recipient and plan on pitching it via email • You either • Do not know the recipient • They are is an acquaintance • They are your manager • Or they are a close friend/colleague and you’re asking for an unusual request. • Reader may mis-interpret what you say. • You need to construct an email that: • Will actually be read • Will actually be understood • Will not annoy the receiver • Does not take up too much time on the receiver’s end.

14. Email • Length • Keep email short and to the point • If you have more to say include it in an attachment • Assume that at some point it could be made public • Subject • Always include a subject • E-mail messages without a subject may not be opened • Subject contents • Keep the subject short and clear – avoid SPAM words • Greetings • Start the message with a greeting • Friendly but business like • Be wary of informal greeting prefer ‘Good morning’, ‘Good Afternoon’ over ‘Hi’ • Always include a greeting • Use first name if you have communicated with the receiver previously and he/she is at a similar level to you. • Use surname if the receiver is more senior to you and you have a formal relationship or if you have not communicated previouslye.g. Dear Mr CX, Dear Ms Y • Greetings are particularly important when you are in a management position.

15. Email • Purpose • Give clear indication of what the message is about in the first paragraph • Expand in the following paragraphs • End with what should happen next e.g. I will be in contact early next week with further progress report.e.g. Please respond with your comments by end of day. • Action • Any action that you want the reader to do should be clearly described, using polite phrases. • Subordinates should use expressions such as 'Could you...' or ' I would be grateful if...'. • Superior staff should also use polite phrases, for example, 'Please...' • Attachments • Make sure you refer, in the main message, to any attachments you are adding and of course make extra sure that you remember to include the attachment(s). • If you use an attachment, make sure the file name describes the content, and is not too general • Beware of SPAM file types (e.g. .exe, .pps) • Ending  • End the message in a polite way. Common endings are: • Best Regards, Regards  • Include your name at the end of the message. • Include contact details.

16. Email • Font matters • Don’t use CAPITALS • Format matters • Tone matters • Do not request read receipts • Keep it short • Keep it clear • Be careful with your CC • CC is for people not directly involved – do not need to act or reply – more an FYI • Never use bcc • Unless you are sending a batch email and privacy is factor (i.e. you can’t disclose email addresses to other correspondents) • Remember they will see the To and the CC • Remember to attach! • Reply All ??? • Think about it ?

17. Social Media/Web presence • Facebook • Think of it like someone visiting your desk • Be selective (friends, apps etc) • Limit time on Facebook • Think of your audience • You are creating a public presence so be careful • 17 people fired because of facebook postings • http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-fired-2011-5 • Same for Twitter • As if your boss can overhear you • Discussion groups • Be polite • Ask and respond appropriately • Blogs

18. General Comments • Know the purpose • Know your role • Know your audience • Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS) • Pay attention to ‘house’ style • Formality pays until asked for informality