Polishing your communication skills

Donald R. WoodsChemical EngineeringMcMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada November 7, 2010

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Formal Technical Communication

Where I’m coming from..Developed problem solving approach to Technical

Writing course at U of WisconsinRequested to give shortcourses in two industries

where I worked: Distillers & British GeonDeveloped new course at McMaster University

1965Published over a dozen booksPresented over 300 workshops internationally

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Technical Communication

Def. The sharing of information using some medium on some occasion for the purpose of satisfying the needs of the audience.

Why important?1. Vital need throughout life.2. Vital skill for professionals

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Technical Communication

Functional EnglishObservations, dataNo imageryNo understatement, no play on

wordsNo moodNo gaps for inferencesNo mystery, suspenseAdds symbols, equations, figures

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Imaginative EnglishEmotionsWord imageryUnderstatement, play on wordsStimulate imaginationInferencesMysterySuspense

Technical CommunicationFormal communication:

written reports and oral presentations

Interpersonal communicationChats; convince clients; gather

information from process operators; team work; respond to concerns; meetings; assertiveness; listening; text messaging; e-mail

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Formal Technical CommunicationPretest for Formal Communication:How aware are you of how you communicateRate

1. it happens automatically. I don’t know how3. I can describe some of what I do5. I can describe most7. I can describe process and the quality of the product I produce

How skilled are you in communicating?1. Not skilled at all2. Some skill3. Average skill5. Better than average skill7. Very skilled

TIME 5 seconds each

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Technical Communication

Outcomes:1.Dozen key ideas about communication2.Goal: five criteria for an effective product3.Problem solving process of writing4.Four stages in writing:

Prewriting, writing, revising, delivery

5.Audience analysis6.Resume writing

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Twelve Key Ideas

1. Communication is a system; you, the sender, and the audiencedo together.

2. WHAT and WHY. There is a message and a purpose

3. WHAT. If the audience fails to get the message, it’s your fault.

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Twelve key ideas4. HOW The medium includes words, symbols,

numerals, body language, a handshake, facial expressions, shifting of the eyes, the quality of the paper, the binding, the overall appearance of the written material.

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Twelve key ideas

5. HOW. Words only have meaning in people.

Activity 2:a. A man is walking along, tears his sleeve on a rock and is dead within minutes.b.An open window, a gust of wind, water on the

floor, glass on the floor, Mary is dead.

6. We think in terms of our past experience.

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Twelve key ideas7. WHEN. The occasion.8. Use our problem solving skills to create effective

communications. Six stage process:

Engage, Define the stated problem, Explore, Plan, Do it,

Look back

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Twelve key ideas

9. A four-stage process is used for writing reports and giving a “speech”:

1. prewriting, 2. writing, 3. revising and polishing and 4. producing and presenting.

Listening and responding is a four stage process: 1. sensing,

2. interpreting, 3. evaluating and 4. responding.

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Twelve key ideas10. New information goes into Short Term Memory,

rehearsed & transferred into Long Term Memory. STM is limited to 7 ±2 chunks.

Too much, too fast new information, the chunks are lost. 11. Audience analysis is the most challenging task.- Their needs- Background, what they understand- More than one class: supervisor,

President, colleagues?- Generation: Boomer? Gen X? Gen Y?- Culture?- Future readers?- Convincing them

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Twelve Key ideas 12. The five criteria for the final product include:

Audience: answers the audience’s questions and concerns,Content: provides sufficient evidence to justify your answer,Organization: meets the audience’s needs,Style: unambiguous, clear and interesting style for audience,Form: grammar, word usage, format and behaviour are correct by standards expected by the audience.

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Product assessment

Criteria for assessing communications1.Apply to all forms for formal communication;

both speaking and writing2.Based on research about communication3.Three to six overall criteria4.Based on published assessment methods5.Has been used consistently over time with

feedback for improvement

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Product assessment

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Product assessment

Challenges1. Audience is key But it affects content, organization & style. If not careful, count

audience 4 x.

Solution:Under audience assess consistency of audiences with Content,

Organization & Style

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Product assessment

Challenges in assessment and feedback- Everyone is expected to know how, but rarely have they been trained- Most have completely different assessment criteria

Engineering & Management experienceEach student report marked by Midmanagement from industry & faculty

So what?Ran workshops for faculty & managers

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Product assessment

ChallengesFeedback5 strengths2 areas to work on

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Product assessment

Activity 3: Audience: recruiter, handles 200 applications/day; all are ChE,

looking for leadership, initiative, good interpersonal skills, strong problem solving, good communication.

Use the Assessment form to assess the resume, 4803

TIME _____________ FINISH BY __________

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Writing process: PrewriteIdentify WHO: the audience(s) ; prioritize these if > 1List WHAT: questions of the audience ,

“Why would they want to listen to my speech or read my report?”

Collect missing information, evidence or proof needed to answer the questions;

Prepare any graphs, tables, equations; list the citations/references;

Write out and check the Plan: inform? persuade?

Organize and sort the information into packages to make writing the paper/speech easy.

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Apply Problem solving to Prewriting:

Usually given a task (with some inferred audience, time, occasion and cost). The goal is to completely prepare for writing the draft.

Not overwhelmed by information overload Focus on the audience’s questions to select content &

organization. Attitude: this is NOT “getting the grammar right;” This is

conceptualizing the audienceAttitude: no magical example report or format; Make it

answer audience’s questions. Attitude: confusion is welcome; helps identify when

audience might be confused. Attitude: Usually not a communication to

inform. usually to persuade.Manage stress “I want to and I can!”

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Apply Problem solving to Prewriting: The goal: gather all information needed to answer the

audience’s questions & organize it effectively

Criteria: the audience understands the message & responds positively

The system: you, the audience, the situation or occasion & conditions under which the communication is to occur.

Constraints: time when delivered, time available for the speech, Question and Answer period; the conditions (media, language, length, delivery conditions)

language skill of the audience for words, actions, symbols, tables, equations.culture of audience

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Apply problem solving to Prewrite

Explore: identify the real problem:Audience analysis (to identify questions

they have and how you might answer them) and

Content identification & selection (evidence to answer the questions) and

Media selection (that meets the needs of the audience and proves points well) and

Occasion implications

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Apply Problem solving to Prewriting: Audience analysis. options include:- Characteristics-concerns-needs, - the Audience Checklist, - the Persistent Why, - Seven Stakeholders, - Generations -Cultural dimension. Media: words/symbols/equations/tables.List all pertinent stuff needed.

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewriting: Audience analysisCharacteristics, Concerns and Needs

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: Audience analysis

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewriting: Audience analysisPersistent Why? What’s stopping you?On the plant, the lube oil storage tank on Line A was

overflowing. The operator shut off the oil to the tank, shut down Line A. Called Harry Bloggs, maintenance, to solve the problem.

How it should work:- Oil level in storage tank is regulated by a float. If level drops,

the float drops too. Inlet lube oil valve opens. Lube oil flows into the tank. float is a stainless steel spheroid about 2 L in volume.

Now: - The float, as observed by Harry, was still attached to the inlet

line but it seemed to have lost its buoyancy. Harry detached the float and shook it. He estimated he could hear about 1 L of liquid sloshing around inside the float. None came out anywhere. No leak could be detected.

Problem:How might I restore buoyancy?

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewriting: Audience analysisPersistent Why? & What’s stopping you?

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewriting: Audience analysis

Activity 4: 4806On the persistent why? diagram, identify

who in the company might be interested in each level of questions:

- The President?- The Production or Marketing Manager?- Product supervisor or Engng supervisor

or maintenance supervisor?- Shift supervisor or engineer or Harry

Bloggs?

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewriting: Audience analysis

Activity 5:Who wrote the e-mails or memos?

4897, 4808, 4809

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: Audience analysis

In your audience, who belongs in each category of the Seven stakeholders

Family +++Friends ++Fellow travellers +Fence sitters 0Foes -Fools - -Fanatics - - -

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: Audience analysis

For those against your recommendations:

Gather evidence and present arguments that overcome the misconceptions and address possible root causes of negativism.

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: Audience analysis

Generations: note variety, affects primarily media, outline and timing

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: Audience

Culture.Meaning & implications of words,

gestures, humour differ. Sensitive if have multicultural audience.

Most apparent are gestures to avoid.

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: Audience analysis

Summary:Most errors made; challenging.Must answer audiences’ questions with content, media, organization & evidence that they

understand.To help us understand their background, hopes, approaches Try:Characteristics, concerns, needs mainly business structurePersistent Why? broadens contextChecklist convenient summarySeven stakeholders select convincing evidenceGenerations attitudes, mediaCulture attitudes, conventions,

media

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: content selection

Based on audience questions and persuasion elements needed:

List content- That you have already- That you need to obtain (depending on

the context, this might include copyright permission)

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: media selection

MediaBased on the audience analysis (and

especially stakeholder, generations and culture) list the media that might be most pertinent. Visual elements include figures, tables. (Two forms of tables: record tables that list all the data for historical purposes and are kept on file or in the Appendix from which selected data are given in integral tables included in the body of the communication to prove a point.)

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: media

Select possible media

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: summary goal

Real goal is.. For resume

Audience: engineers & HR in target company

Audience’s questions: should I interview?

Content: convince him/her that I have skills they need in addition to the Tech knowledge, such as communication, problem solving, team, self confidence, lifelong learn

Media: written, legible, two pages max + cover letter; include DVD?

Occasion: read at his/her office; job opening

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: PlanPlan• How to obtain the missing

information & validate • Estimate the time it will take

& consider contingency plans. • Create the overall plan of a report to

persuade (or on the rare occasion, a report to inform).

• Select the format, decide on mechanism for organizing references and sources. Consider ethics and how to cite/refer to materials of others (and how to obtain copyright release as needed).

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: types of evidence

For a communication to persuade, Need evidence to support a conclusion.Evidence: - Events audience has experienced already- Logic (inductive or deductive)- Emotion (preferred by some cultures for

verbal. For written, beware of “It’s obvious that..” “No one can deny that..”)

- Ethos or credibility (probably most important & underestimated)

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: types of evidence

Ethos, credibility

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: types of evidenceWhat type of evidence?Misconceptions:If it’s logical, then they accept. Reality: usually ethos appeal

based on trust & credibilityDealing with ideas. Reality: dealing with motivations &

personalitiesResistance to change: root causes1. Fear of change2. Apathy; happy with status quo3. Personal disparagement4. Vested interests of others5. Not-invented-here6. Hostility, rejection7. Negativism8. Overwhelmed by the enormity of the proposal.9. Indecisiveness10. Prejudice

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: Time

Break project into sections, with timelines, milestones & celebrations

Gantt chartContingency plans, via Potential

Problem AnalysisEstimate cost, budget

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: create outlineWritten report to persuade inform

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: planVerbalAudience listening fundamentals affect plan:We think three to ten times faster than we can listen.So what?Gain attention at the beginning: challenge, a story, the main

message and issues, realistic and pertinent questions (so that listeners can use their spare time to think of how you

might address these).Impression in first 30 s is criticalEmphasize the main idea. Only 25% of people listening to a

formal talk actually grasp the main idea

Attention span is about 20 minutes max. Around the 20 minutes of elapsed time, plan to include a) restatement of main theme, b) challenging question, c) a time to reflect/discuss among the audience.

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: Plan summary• Evidence; logical, emotional, ethos.

Pertinent, needed by audience, convince

• Estimate the time & contingency• Overall outline to persuade vs inform.

• Format, references & ethics

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: Do it

Do it• Collect and critically evaluate the

information. Write for copyright release as needed.

• Classify the information and add to the outline.

• Add titles to the overall plan outline; check for faulty coordination and subordination.

• Collect all the pertinent information for each section of the communication into easy-to- use files or file folders.

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite Do itIn your resume, show you have analyzed your

experience and identified special skills such as problem solving, initiative, leadership, communication.

But, need to describe succinctly where you developed the skills and how you know that you have them. What is your evidence?

Lifeguard at a pool: No job, so I travelled to Europe:

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: gather evidence

Activity 6:For your resume,complete 20 forms for 20 experiences.Here is a sample form.Descriptors mean the different words that describe what you cannow do

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: OutlineFlesh out plan to persuade.1.Start at conclusion2.List reasons why conclusion is valid

(these become titles of sections in the main body, pointing to the conclusion)

3.Introduction with advance organizers4.Conclusion and implications.Next: select numbering scheme and

write out outline sequentially.

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite OutlineUsually four to nine major sectionsRelationship among the sections:Classification principles1. Single criteria at any level or titles at the

same level indicate topics of equal importance(if not, faulty coordination)

2. Elements must belong in that category (if not, faulty subordination)

3. No single subpoint; correct by deleting & modifying title or add more topics

4. Try to use parallel construction

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: outlineActivity 7:Critique this outline

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: outlineActivity 8:Audience: recruiter, handles 200 applications/day; all

are ChE, looking for leadership, initiative, good interpersonal skills, strong problem solving, good communication.

Possible outline for resume1. Contact info2. Skills3. Education4. Work5. Certificates6. Spare time7. References

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Prewrite: look back

• Write out the fleshed out description of the audience. Does the information answer the audience’s questions? Does the organization satisfy the audiences’ needs? Is the information in clearly defined file folders that can be used easily for writing the draft?

• What have you discovered about the prewriting process? How would you do it differently the next time?

• What was the easiest part of doing the audience analysis? the most difficult?

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Problem solving: write the rough draftThe goal: write the communication. Attitudes that affect this process are: - misconception: “you can write or you don’t.” Target:

use problem solving & clear thinking. You can do it!- misconception: confusion is bad and undesired. Target:

welcome confusion, helps identify when audience confused.

- misconception: focus on getting every detail and sentence correct before proceed. Target: let the ideas flow. Overediting as you go kills the flow of ideas.

- misconception: spend most time writing. Target: spend most time prewriting & revising.

What attitudes do you have?Manage stress: I want to and I canMonitor: have you checked the attitudes sufficiently?

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Writing the rough draftThe goal: write

Criteria: do it all without revising as you do it

The system: you, the computer and your files with all the information you

Constraints: time; don’t postpone; physical location where you write

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Writing the rough draftExplore:The real problem is to overcome your

stress and misconceptional attitudes. Focus on the target behaviours:

- Use a problem solving approach- Welcome confusion; that’s OK- Don’t edit or check spelling as you

write. Just let it flow.- Use positive self talk

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Writing the rough draftOrganize the folders with the info.Focus on the personal sense of accomplishment

you’ll get from creating this communication.Have confidence you can do this: think of past

times when you succeeded; you have the self determination, freedom & resources to make it happen; creating this communication is worthwhile, get support and encouragement from your support system.

Post the outline.Post the milestones & celebrations.Use a location free from distractions

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Writing the rough draft

Start writing the sections that are easiest for you.

For visuals, graphs and tables type*******insert Table here*******Don’t agonize over the style of the

visualsThe Introduction is usually the most

difficult part. Do it last.

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Writing the rough draft

Look backCelebrate. You’ve done it. You’ve

written the whole thing. Set it aside.Reflect on what you learned about

writing the rough draft.

What will you do the same the next time? What, different?

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

RevisingGoal is to compare the draft with the audience’s questions and polish the

communication.Attitude is important:Misconception: only need single draft. Target, use as many drafts as

needed. I used 11 drafts for my latest book.Misconception: revising means polishing the grammar and punctuation

with the focus on the sentence level. Only 1.3% of the time would unsuccessful writers consider altering the whole message. Target: focus on macrostructure: organization, reasoning, paragraph and section level. Willing to rethink and rework the whole thing. Indeed, 20% of the time major changes made.

Misconception: spend 10% of total time revising. Target, spend most of time revising.

Misconception: unwilling to discard what you have written, ``I invested a lot of time writing this section. OK it really doesn`t apply but I want to include it somewhere!`` Target: discard if not pertinent.

Manage stress. I want to and I can.Monitor

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Revising

The goal: polish the rough draftCriteria: the five criteria: audience,

content, organization, style and formThe system: you, the computer & spell

check files on the computer. Constraints: time; don’t postpone;

physical location where you write

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Revising: explore

Set the report aside for several days.Systematically check the five criteria.

Start by imagining yourself as the audience.

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Revising: exploreExplore the problem: create a reminder checklist based

on the criteria.Here is anExample for resume

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

RevisingBe systematic & work in the context of the

criteria.Recheck the overall outline, conclusions

and evidence.Be prepared to spend time polishing the

style of the visualsGunning Fogg index might help guide the

style check. Check Tools/word count.Have good resources close by for word

usage, punctuation, thesaurus

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

RevisingCheck and revise audienceContentOrganization and style

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Revising formatGrammar OK?SpellcheckPunctuation OK.single comma, insert understood wordcomma comma ,, or ( ) or - - insert phrasecomma and ,and or ; two complete Sn colon : list of stuff from upstream Snsingle dash – list of stuff from downstream Sn

Mechanics OK

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Revising Look back

Did the revised communication match the audience?

Content?Organization?Style?Format?

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

DeliveryEngageWritten:Control panic as deadlines appear; I’ve

planned ahead, done a PPA and I can do this

Verbal:One of more stressful experiences I want to and I can

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

DeliveryDefine the stated problemGoal: deliver completed, polished, credible

report or speechSystem: you, the audience, your report or

speech Criteria: on time, right place, right person(s)Constraints: unexpected events (mike doesn’t

work, your health, power failure), expense in duplication, location defined, facilities defined (projectors, handouts, break facilities), other presenters

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

DeliveryExploreWrittenThe major problem is ethos (visual

credibility) and on-time. VerbalThe major problem is “sharing

experience” and practise, practise practise.

Need details of the location & venue for speech

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

DeliveryPlanPotential Problem Analysis: what could go

wrong, impact, your contingency plans.Verbal:Should I read my speech?How many visuals should I prepare? Max 1/min; usually 1/ 3minStressed about my accent and bad habits I

have, such as saying “Ahuuuu”Forget about them. First gain confidence is saying anything,

in getting the visuals to flow smoothly and in talking on your feet.

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

DeliveryVerbalHow can I practice?Aloud in front of a mirror using visuals and timer

Audience includes experts or important individuals?Attitude “sharing” your experience;not an expert telling them.Or imagine all the audience sitting in bathing suits

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

DeliveryVerbalWhen I try for eye contact I get distracted. What can

I do?Look at a line 1 m above audience’s heads

Should I say “thank you” when I’m finished?No

Handling Q&ARepeat the question

Greatest weakness of all the speeches you have heard?

Message wasn’t clear

‘That was a terrible speech!’10% love you, 10% hate you; check the 80% feedback

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Delivery

Do it

You have used a problem solving approach. You are ready.

Deliver

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

DeliveryLook backWhat did I learn from the experience?What would I do differently?What would I repeat?

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1. Engage

2. Define

3. Explore

4. Plan

5. Do it

6. Look back

Resume writing

Activity 9.Critique Mary Jane’s resume

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Technical Communication

Outcomes:1.Dozen key ideas about communication2.Goal: five criteria for an effective product3.Problem solving process of writing4.Four stages in writing:

Prewriting, writing, revising, delivery

5.Audience analysis6.Resume writing

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