Category: Advertising & PR

Technical communication must consist of continuity. Continuity is a link from one thing to another. Whether continuity is applied in writing or speaking, if it does not exist, then readers, listeners, viewers are at a loss. Continuity provides readers, listeners and viewers, with clear, consistent communication in learning, understanding, and observing functionality.

Continuity in Writing

Continuity within technical material involves content (including diagrams, images, chapters, explanations, and/or examples) containing a logical, understandable flow of text. Every element has to follow meaningfully from the previous element. Sentences should be complete and make sense. All thoughts and information within each sentence should follow clearly from one to the next. If continuity within explanations, proposals, or objectives are not clear, then misunderstandings and wrong interpretations (with detrimental or chaotic outcomes) can occur within any environment (business, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, etc.). As a simple example of one thing leading to another, if the steps to perform an activity are not in proper sequence then problems and mistakes can occur. Note: Just as importantly, make sure that all the information you have gathered is correct and relevant. Every technical manual should include basic functionality, concise explanations, examples, and references.

Continuity in Instruction

Continuity in instructing your audience or transferring information verbally involves methodical planning and organization. Create an outline so that each detail or instruction leads to another. This way too, you will cover all essential points. Have continuity in outlines for presentations, examples, and activities, by showing how everything is connected or related. Begin with knowing your audience to see what they already know and then provide the information that they need to know. It is a good idea to also prepare ahead for any questions that might be asked. When answering a question, restate the question in your own words to ensure understanding. Then answer accordingly in complete sentences with one sentence leading to the next. Note: Plan so that the appropriate and complete training and knowledge will be transferred to the audience.

Continuity in Videos

Continuity in using video to provide lessons involves each slide displaying a logical progression from one slide to the next. The theme, idea, or aim of the lessons have to follow through from the introduction to lesson 1 to the final lesson. Make sure that one lesson leads to another by making a statement as to what will be coming next in the following lesson. In other words, the end of lesson 1 should end with a lead into the objective of lesson 2. If it does not, then there is a disconnect and the viewers will be confused. Note: Use entertaining or fun videos or emoticons to help in maintaining continuity and to engage the viewers.

Continuity provides a sensible flow for users from reading, to listening, to viewing. It is a link from one thing to another. Without continuity, disruptions, misunderstandings, misconceptions can occur, followed by confusion and mistakes.

If you can add more information to the importance of continuity or have seen examples of material not having continuity please leave a comment.

 

Ever dread the questions that come up during your presentation? Not sure what people will ask? Not sure how to answer under pressure? Before your next big presentation, prepare yourself for Q&A. Use these tips to ensure you are calm and focused:

Before the presentation:

1. Predict what questions your audience members might ask. Consider adding new content if needed or explain things so that you answer these questions before they arise.
2. Ask colleagues to review your content or slides, asking them to predict what questions might arise. Again, see if you can work some of the answers into your presentation before the fact.
3. Gather a live “test” audience to listen to your presentation and ask challenging questions. Or practice on your own, answer all the questions you can predict.

During the presentation:

1. When taking a question, maintain neutral body language and facial expression, whether you are comfortable or not. Take a breath if you feel anxious.
2. Restate the question briefly before answering. Instead of saying, “That’s a good question,” try a Neutral Bridge such as “The question is about our overtime policy.” In this way you bridge first, and then answer the question.
3. Bridge first, whether you know the answer to the question or not. It buys you enough time to decide whether you have the answer or not.
4. If you must say you don’t know the answer, say you will get back to the person with the answer. Make a note so you remember to get the answer to them.
5. Answer questions honestly and briefly. Then move on, to the next topic in your presentation or the next question. Use the word “Next” to move forward instead of “As I was saying,” or “Getting back to the presentation.”

Questions are inevitable but responding will come easier if you take time to prepare, train yourself to stay calm and focused, and use a Neutral Bridge before answering.

 

 

You have a unique idea that would benefit an organization, a client, or management. How do you present your proposal?

Plan It Out.

• Gather all the information you can before making your presentation, and ensure that it is all correct and fits a need. Make sure it fits a niche. Decide if it is something that is required or if it is something that will be a temporary request, wish, or ambition. This will help you in deciding how to set up your presentation.
• Examine all avenues to see if the same proposal was previously considered. If it was, what was the circumstances? Find out why it was turned down or rejected. Maybe you can make improvements on the original idea.
• Test it out and speak with others to see what others think. They might have other suggestions to improve upon your proposal.
• Create a mapping for yourself to see how your idea fits within the realm of the organization or helps to resolve issues that a client faces.
• Create an outline for how you are going to make your presentation and test it out in front of others who also support you.

Upon Presenting.

• First be able to make a beginning statement in one sentence as to what your proposal is about.
• Next state how the idea came about or how you derived at the idea.
• Then state why it is needed. Give an example of how it fills a void, or how it solves a persistent problem.
• Next explain all its benefits. For example, state how in the end, the client or the organization can function more efficiently, or gain more momentum, or reap more rewards.
• Explain how this proposal came about.
• Include with the presentation a slide show, a white board, or video. Make sure that within any of these communication methods, you have captured everything to make the above points and that it shows the objective of the presentation.
• Give out handouts. Include within the handout the resources needed, cost, graphics indicating benefits, etc.
• State how the proposal will be accomplished. List the steps that will be taken to achieve the goal. Include how long it will take to accomplish the task and what resources or budget is needed.
• Create a project plan to include details of the, e.g., development of the product, or the milestones that need to be reached till the end result is accomplished.

In the end, to be successful, be confident when presenting, and make sure that they understand your idea and the reasons behind it, but most importantly, its benefits and its future usage. End the presentation by welcoming feedback. Any comments should not be rejected nor should they be taken internally to lose confidence nor to have misgivings about your idea. Use any negative comments as an experience to be learned, or as a way to see how you need to make changes to your proposal to make it better.

Do you have any other ideas to add? If so, please leave a comment.

These days we all seem to be engaged in multi-tasking, running from one meeting to another without a moment’s reflection in between. There is barely a moment to catch our breath, let alone time to mentally prepare for the next meeting. It’s stressful and exhausting, especially when you need to speak or present. It should come as no surprise that we don’t perform at our best when we begin in a distracted state like this.

Effective communication requires us to be in a calm, focused state of mind. Our lifestyles make this difficult, but smart leaders have figured out strategies and habits to help them focus and speak well under any circumstance. Consider which of these might help you:

1. Schedule transition time between meetings, especially those in which you need to lead, speak or present. You might even schedule a short break in between critical meetings.
2. Pay attention to transit time. Are you driving to a different building or walking to a different meeting room? Be realistic about the time it will take to get there and settle in.
3. Plan ahead. The day before or the morning of your back to back meetings, get everything ready and in place. Folders? Files? Slides? Documents? Separate piles or desktop shortcuts for each meeting might be useful so you can see and grab what you need.
4. Eat and hydrate appropriately. If your tummy is growling and your blood sugar has crashed, it is going to be difficult to concentrate. Use a power bar and a glass of water if you need to so that your body is fueled for action even if you don’t have time to have a proper meal.
5. Prepare your body. Stand up and stretch. Take a little walk down the hall and back again. Roll your shoulders. Breathe deeply. Touch your toes or run up the stairs before getting back.
6. Eliminate distractions. Before each meeting, close out email and other distractions, turn away from the computer screen (unless you are on a video call) and set aside the files or documents you aren’t using for this meeting.
7. Breathe. Three nice deep breaths to remind your brain and body that something new is coming. Feel your body being present, your feet on the floor, your arms and shoulders relaxed.
8. Pay attention to your internal dialog. Instead of feeling dread and anxiety, remember why this is important. Remind yourself to be present and in the moment. Be open to whatever happens.
9. Think about your intentions. If you are speaking, take a moment to remember what you wanted to say. What is most important about this meeting or presentation? What do you want the listeners to remember about it?
10. Smile. Greet the people who are there with you in person and virtually. Make the human connection that can be missing in all these back to back meetings.

Hope this is helpful as you prepare for your next meeting. Bottom line: instead of just going through the motions, you can be fully relaxed, alert and present.

As a Technical Writer, communication can be difficult if ambiguous responses are received. Such as is the case when trying to find out information. It can be difficult when someone has a new product, and cannot explain nor describe it. When encountering such a person, you will probably see that they are thinking of one thing, but their words do not describe the thought. They want to make a statement but the content is confusing or seems wrong.

Example:

Someone once told me to think of their product as a puzzle. I assumed then that the product was something like a puzzle. But in actuality (after quite a bit of questioning), they meant that they think of their product as a puzzle because they don’t quite know how to explain its functionality. After questioning and going through some examples, I came to understand what he meant to say. The product needed to be tested for validity while it is still in the building stage because it was not completely done. (Which now made sense in development terms– solve the puzzle – test it out and see if you can break it.) But without knowing the aim, the goal, nor the purpose, confusion resulted.

Resolution:

What I did to lessen the confusion was to request a demo and to ask questions.

Request a demo:

Ask to have the product shown to you. This way, the purpose and the objective of the product can be understood.

Ask questions:

Showing seems to be a lot easier than speaking at certain times. But you also need to ask some questions:

• Ask Why they wanted to create this. Knowing why explains the reasoning behind the product. It could have been created out of necessity, or nothing like it exists, or it is a better rework of something that currently exists.
• Ask How the product was made or what it entails to help you see and understand how it works; it’s functionality.
• Ask ‘What if…’- Think of some scenario’s where this product would be used. This verifies that the product will function as it should without any problems.

Leave with more knowledge

To learn more in this meeting, make sure you:

• Communicate as clearly as possible. Apply the ‘KISS’ principle – keep it short, simple.
• Use short sentences when confirming what was mentioned to ensure understanding.
• Ask easy (simple) to answer questions, i.e., yes/no questions to help in clarifying facts.
• Use your imagination to think up of questions – ‘Why did you think of this?’ ‘What made you think of this’? ‘How did this come about?’ ‘Did someone request this or did you see a need for this?’ ‘How did you begin?’ ‘Who else helped?’ There are a gamut of questions to ask.
• Take good notes.
• Leave with a good understanding of the product.

Have you used other methods to get better explanations from other individuals who have a problem explaining what they want or mean? If so, please add to the discussion.

An accident happens in one of your plants. Your firm’s product is found faulty. A disgruntled employee brings a lawsuit against your firm. Suddenly, all eyes are on you, from the press to the public to your organization’s people. As a leader, how do you think clearly and communicate professionally and correctly under the gun? Here are some tips to help you plan ahead, execute on your plan, and keep your cool while doing it.

Plan ahead:

• Establish a crisis team responsible for decision making and communication. Be sure to include all key functions including exec management, council, HR, etc.
• Develop a crisis communication plan well before needed. Determine what emergencies could occur and put protocols in place.
• Have contact information for all stakeholders including suppliers, customers, media, and employees so you can get to it quickly. Include contact information for crisis team members. Get it all in one place easily accessed.
• Have generic messages ready to go, or “holding messages” you can use as information unfolds. Remember online messaging will be important as well.
• Have spokespeople identified and well prepared to respond in a timely and appropriate manner. Require statements come only from designated people. Have backup spokespersons ready as well.

If you are speaking:

• Take a moment to calm yourself; breathe, relax your body and your voice. Relax your face and your shoulders. Take a brief walk or move around your office to loosen up and work off excess adrenaline.
• Take a few minutes to draft a statement or outline of what you plan to say. Take time to run it by a second party; this also acts as your rehearsal. You might want to record your words as another form of capture and rehearsal.
• Take your time when speaking. Don’t let adrenaline cause you to speak too quickly. Pause periodically to regain calm. Make calm eye contact with the audience. Manage your face so it looks neutral rather than grim.

How prepared are you to handle a sudden crisis? Start today to put protocol and skills in place.

Virtual communication, is when people communicate without being face-to-face. An example of its usage is in training sessions, i.e., e-learning. Instructors can communicate and provide lessons from anywhere and anytime, as long as they (and the audience) have the right tools.

The trainer needs to first know:

• Who is the audience?
• How do we virtually connect?
• What tools are required by the trainer and user?
• Is there a process in place for ensuring that all communication standards are met?
• How will files be exchanged?
• Does the documentation meet the training objective?
• How do we easily transfer the knowledge?
• Was the language used suitable, appropriate and understandable within any culture?
• How do we ensure that the correct knowledge was transferred?

The cloud and mobile devices will help the trainer (and the user) by providing quick and easy access to documentation and training. With easier access to learning and communicating, everyone has a means and an opportunity to be more efficient. The cloud makes it easier for the trainer by providing and maintaining the training sessions, and the mobile devices allow for easier and faster communication between the trainer and user.

To know if the virtual training and communication will be effective, the following questions below should be answered with a ‘yes’:

• Did the virtual training and documentation meet its purpose and goals?
• Did we follow existing processes and standards for communicating?
• Did we provide appropriate and beneficial information through slides, videos, and presentations?
• Did we use the best and the right tools (and formats) to produce the documentation and training program?
• Did we ensure that everyone (provider and user) will be utilizing the same communication tools?
• Did we allow users to access a demo? It would be beneficial for the user to have access to a demo even if it is for a limited time so that they can become more familiar with the product, subject, service, app, etc.
• Did we provide a prototype that the users can try it out?
• Did we provide a means for users to review the training session?

Regarding the documentation (or downloaded files), ask:

• Was the work reviewed and approved?
• Were the documents tested for accuracy (by individuals, department, and project)?
• Is there a schema where all training documents as well as presentations and videos kept?
• Is there a methodology (or an existing content management system) that exists to help us stay organized?
• Will the users be able to download essential files?

Regarding collecting user feedback, ensure that:

• the processes are set up to get feedback from users (clients, developers, SMEs, customer service, etc.)
• the audience was questioned to find out the strengths and weaknesses of the virtual presentation, such as was too much or too little information presented.

Virtual communication (as well as video communication, web conferencing, etc.), are very popular and beneficial, and are used by many organizations and institutions to provide the information they want to share, teach, market, etc.

What are your thoughts and experiences on virtual communication?

1. Listen to your outgoing phone messages for a few days. How are your vocal habits and voice quality? These are habits you can practice every day.
2. For better projection, open your mouth wider, so that you can articulate each word clearly. This helps with both volume and enunciation.
3. To reduce vocal stress, sip lukewarm liquid. Don’t clear your voice repeatedly, or you will make matters worse. Remember that strain in your voice is almost always more obvious to you than it is to your audience.
4. To sound more confident, avoid sentences that end with an upward note at the end, making them sound like questions. Instead, end each sentence (or phrase) with a downward emphasis.
5. Too many ums? Slow down slightly. Become more at ease with a pause. Rehearse your content out loud, not just in your head.
6. Avoid common qualifier words like “hopefully, maybe, a little, just…” which weaken your message. Be direct and forceful in your wording.
7. Breathe before you begin speaking. You’ll have enough breath to end each sentence with full voice; and you won’t trail off at the end of a sentence.
8. Try to keep from thinking ahead too much – if you lose your train of thought, you will end up with more fillers.
9. Use a voice recorder or listen to your voice messages to check your enunciation, volume and clarity.
10. For greater vocal interest and inflection, emphasize 2-3 key words in each sentence. Experiment with which words to emphasize, making sure you don’t change the meaning of the sentence.

How do you currently communicate globally? Before our modern techniques (of using the web, mobile devices or videos, Skype, etc.,) for communicating, the time it took to converse or correspond internationally took quite a while and we weren’t even sure of how the recipient reacted to what was delivered. But now we can know immediately how a recipient feels. Using new technology and also being able to create a global team provides the solution.

In regards to translating documents globally, set up a dedicated global team instructed in the areas of:

• Cultural diversity – acquainted with cultural differences and being able to have the same frame of mind as the other culture.
• Training and writing globally –accustomed to implementing leaning sessions and clarifying word meanings globally.
• Managing in a global environment – familiarized with working with others globally; negotiating, planning, etc.
• Reporting globally– used to translating captured data and their meaning.

In regards to technical writing globally and information gathering, technical writers need to ensure effective communication between global teams to maximize productivity. They need to understand the culture; their language, ethics, principles of value, moral codes, etc. It is not easy living in one country and leaning about another, unless of course you move overseas. But if moving is not possible, how do we know that what we communicate is being accepted and understood?

• To meet and greet the individuals, we have conference calls, video chats, or Skype.
• To ensure we are on the same page, we send out documents and discuss them.
• To show the product or activity, we create prototypes or perform demonstrations of the product.

Note: refer back to a previous article on global technical writing for tips on writing and managing your documents:

https://staging.management.org/blogs/communications/2012/04/30/a-global-technical-writer/

In addition to the above tips in the article, prior to and during meetings, be sure you note and ask:

• Who are the global contacts?
• How do we virtually connect with them?
• Is there a process in place for ensuring that all documentation standards are met?
• Where are all the terms defined so that we are all on the same page for terminology?
• How are files exchanged?
• How are updates made?
• Did the document capture and meet the objective of the organization?
• Was the correct knowledge transferred?
• Was the language used suitable, appropriate and understandable?
• Was the usage of the document easier than meeting face-to-face?
• Was the translation software able to phrase local terminology suitably?

The key to an effective global team is to also get everyone in sync. This is quite a challenge, but is doable by following all the tips noted. There are many more solutions, but he above were just a few.

Have you established a global team? What challenges have you faced in working in a global organization?

How do we communicate training as a technical writer? Is collaboration a key to good training? Collaboration is how well we work with others, knowing others, and being able to communicate well with others.

The right side of the brain helps us with communicating and training and collaborating. As a trainer, a technical writer has to:

• have explored and learned all the essentials, information, or data that is to be transferred. By doing so, they will know how to structure the mediums that will be used to transfer the knowledge.
• have a key understanding of what the audience needs and to tailor it to them through any medium needed to aid in the training, i.e., scripts, presentations, manuals, etc. The medium used has to be engaging, interesting, and relevant.
• be able to be a good listener, writer, be focused, and be able to adjust their teaching methods and their technical documents accordingly. A good trainer will be sensitive to a changing environment either while interactively training or when writing new policies, procedures, designing the curriculum, etc.
• be able to manage their time, their audience, and be able to continuously concentrate on the outcome of the lesson and at the same time be able to work collaboratively across all functions for gathering data and to work collaboratively across all audiences to provide them the training needed.

Trainers have to collaborate with the technical resources or any subject matter expert to gather specific (data or design) information. Therefore, know your SME (Subject Matter Experts). Find them and collaborate; create relationships and work with them and use any opportunity to gather information.

Training via slide shows presentations, videos, tutorials, mappings, documented material, etc. make it easy for us to socially communicate, share knowledge, and collaborate on the web or through any popular medium. With the popularity and reliance of mobile devices being a huge part of our industry now, how do we create independent training events for them? The knowledge to answer this question can be gathered from meetings and improving our own knowledge of and keeping up-to-date of all new technical advances in that area.

Teamwork plus collaboration always equals a positive outcome. Use your excellent communication skills to understand your stakeholders, use your interpersonal skills to collaborate with colleagues to gather information, and use your technical and analytical skills to understand complex technical information and organize it into a logical or customized format. Always remain organized and remember to ensure the look and feel of any training session and any associated documents are appealing and useable.

In the end, good training, collaboration, and technical documents always create better performance in individuals because of increased skills.

What are your thoughts on training and collaboration? Is collaboration a key to good training?