Effective Technical Communication

Effective Technical Communication

• Understanding the concept of communication and its importance
• Identifying the stages of the communication process
• Recognizing the different channels of communication

Communication Process

• Ideation: sender's formulation of content
• Encoding: converting the idea into a message
• Transmission: sending the message through a channel
• Decoding: receiver's understanding of the message
• Feedback: response of the receiver

Types of Communication

• Formal/Informal
• Oral/Written
• Internal/External
• Verbal/Non-Verbal
• Vocal/Non-Vocal

Verbal Communication

• Spoken words (e.g. speech, face-to-face, telephone, meetings)
• Written words (e.g. memos, letters, emails, faxes, reports)

Non-Verbal Communication

• Facial expressions
• Body language (e.g. posture, gesture, inflection)
• Spatial relationships (e.g. proximity, distance)
• Kinesics (body signals)
• Artifacts (object signals)
• Haptics (touch signals)
• Proxemics (space signals)
• Chronemics (time signals)
• Personal appearance

Levels of Communication

• Extra personal: between humans and non-human beings
• Intrapersonal: within the individual
• Interpersonal: interaction among people
• Mass: for large audiences
• Organizational: within different hierarchical levels of an organization

Technical Communication

• General communication vs. technical communication
• Technical communication involves specialized vocabulary, formal elements, and objective tone
• Technical communication skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing

Face-to-Face Communication

• Direct, personal interaction without mediating technology

Tone of Voice

• Author's feelings towards the subject expressed through writing
• Tone is more than just the words chosen, it's the way personality is communicated

Body Language

• Examples: arms crossed, nail biting, hand on cheek, tapping fingers, head tilted, touching nose, rubbing hands

Barriers to Effective Communication

• Semantic barriers (improper encoding, bypassing, frame of reference)
• Physical distractions (noise, time, distance, age, gender)
• Psychological and emotional interference (bad listening, close-mindedness, distortion, emotions, cultural differences)

Test your knowledge of effective technical communication, including understanding the communication process, channels, and skills, as well as distinguishing between general and technical communication. Learn about the importance and need for technical communication and identify barriers that disrupt it.