Effective Technical Communication Skills

Effective Technical Communication Objectives  Understanding the concept of communication  Grasping the stages of the communication process  Identifying channels of communication  Understanding the process of technical communication.  Lea...

Effective Technical Communication Objectives  Understanding the concept of communication  Grasping the stages of the communication process  Identifying channels of communication  Understanding the process of technical communication.  Learning to distinguish between general and technical communication  Understanding the importance and need for technical communication  Knowing technical communication skills  Identify the barriers that disrupt the communication process  As well as appropriate steps to overcome these barriers 1 COMMUNICATION AS SHARING  Communication is a process or Sharing Information.  Effective communication is purposive Symbolic Interchange resulting in Workable Understanding and Agreement between the Sender and Receiver. George T Vardaman 2  Process through Stages of Communication  Ideation – Sender’s formulation of content  Encoding – of message  Transmission – channel/media  Decoding – receiver’s understanding  Feedback – response of the reciever 3 Sender to Receiver Sender has an idea Converts idea into words or gestures Message travels over channel Receiver decodes message Receiver responds  Types of communication FORMAL/ INFORMAL ORAL / WRITTEN INTERNAL/ EXPTERNAL VERBAL/ NON VERBAL 5  Types of communication FORMAL INFORMAL  Types of communication ORAL – Speech, face to face, telephone, meetings, seminars, presentations etc WIRTTEN – memos, letters, emails, faxes, notices, reports etc INTERNAL – WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION-is formal and goes through channels EXTERNAL – OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION with 7 general people  Types of communication VOCAL NON-VOCAL VERBAL SPOKEN WORDS WRITTEN WORDS NON- SIGH FACIAL EXPRESSION VERBAL GRUNT POSTURE / GESTURE INFLECTION(Rise & fall SPATIAL in the sound) RELATIONSHIP(space or direction)  Levels of communication  Extra personal - human and non human  Intrapersonal – within the individual  Interpersonal –interaction among people  Mass --for large audience  Organizational –within different hierarchical levels of organization 9  BETWEEN HUMAN BEINGS AND NON HUMAN BEINGS Takes place within individual LEVELS Sharing information among OF people COMMUNICATION Takes place at different hierarchical levels Takes place through large media – newspapers, TV, books, journals 10  Managing Director Director 3 Director 2 Director 1 Manager Manager Manager 1 1 1 Manager Manager Manager 2 2 2 Manager Manager Manager 3 3 3 11 Downward Communication Upward Communication Horizontal Communication Diagonal Communication  Types of Communication -Verbal communication -Nonverbal communication Communication is the process of sharing ideas, information, and messages with others in a particular time and place.  Verbal Communication THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION, IDEAS, THOUGHT, THROUGH THE USE OF VERBAL OR SPOKEN WORDS. - Speech communication - Written communication  NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION NOT INVOLVING WORDS / BY OTHER MEANS THAN BY USING WORDS, E.G. THROUGH FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, HAND GESTURES, AND TONE OF VOICE  Kinesics- Body Signals  Artifacts- Object Signals  Hap tics- Touch Signals  Proxemics- Space Signals  Chronemics- Time Signals  Personal Appearance Nature of Technical Communication Aspects of Technical Communication  Subject Competence  Linguistic Competence  Organizational Competence Forms of Technical Communication  Oral: voice- mail, video transmission, teleconferencing, videoconferencing, intranet transmission, etc.  Written: letters, memos, newsletters, reports, proposals, email, etc. 16 Barriers to Effective Communication ❖ SEMANTIC(The study of meanings) BARRIERS Improper encoding , Bypassing , Frame of reference ❖ Physical distractions Noise, Time, Distance, Age, Gender ❖ Psychological and emotional interference Bad Listening, Close –minded, Distortion, Emotions, Cultural differences 17  Noise Internal or external interference with or distraction form intended message. Can cause distortion in sending & receiving of messages. In addition to physical conditions make communication more difficult Emotional states can also create noise.  General and Technical Communication General communication Technical Communication · General content · Technical content · General vocabulary · Specialized vocabulary · No formal elements · Formal elements · Both formal and informal in style · Always formal in style · May not be factual · Always factual · Both objective and subjective · Objective · Not always structured ·Logically organized and structure · No specific exposition techniques ·Complex and imp. exposition techniques ·..Not always for a specific audience · Specific audience · May or may not involve · Usually involves 19graphics 20 21 Technical Communication Skills  Listening  Speaking  Reading  Writing 22 FACE TO FACE COMMUNICATION  Face-to-face interaction (less often, face-to-face communication or face-to- face discourse) is a concept in sociology, linguistics, media and communication studies describing social interaction carried out without any mediating technology. 23 TONE OF VOICE  In literature, the tone of voice refers to the author's feelings towards the subject, as expressed through the writing itself.... Tone is more than just the words we choose. It's the way in which we communicate our personality 24 BODY LANGUAGE  Examples of Body Language  Arms crossed over the chest. This example of body language can indicate that a person is being defensive....  Nail biting....  Hand placed on the cheek....  Tapping or drumming the fingers....  Head tilted to one side....  Touching the nose....  Rubbing the hands together briskly....  Placing the tips of the fingers together. 25 BODY LANGUAGE  Body language is a type of nonverbal communication in which physical behaviors, as opposed to words, are used to express or convey information. Such behavior includes facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movement, touch and the use of space. 26 PHYSICAL COMMUNICATION  Physical communication is the most used form of non verbal communication.... Examples of non verbal communication of this type include shaking hands, patting the back, hugging, pushing, or other kinds of touch. Other forms of non verbal communication are facial expressions, gestures, and eye contact. 27 VERBAL COMMUNICATION  Verbal communication is the use of sounds and words to express yourself, especially in contrast to using gestures or mannerisms (non-verbal communication). An example of verbal communication is saying “No” when someone asks you to do something you don't want to do. 28