Oral CommunicationsProfessional Practice 2001David C. Coll, Ph.D., P.Eng. Professor Emeritus Department of Systems and Computer Engineering

Professional Practice 2001

Good Afternoon Ladies and GentlemenMy name is David Coll, and it is my intention here in the next forty minutes, or so, to provide some hints and pointers based on my vast and extensive experience to assist you to improve your oral communication skills.

Professional Practice 2001

Why Do You Need to Know Anything About Oral Presentations?According to Berg and Gilman,Face-to-face verbal presentations are the most effective way to make your point to others.They also point out that:Presentation skills are a requirement for success in business, vital to anyone who ever has to sell, persuade, motivate, inform, or represent.

Professional Practice 2001

We recently received a memo from senior management saying: "This is to inform you that a memo will be issued today regarding the subject mentioned above.

http://www.frontiernet.net/~tzuleger/webjokes/engineers/dilbertisms.htm

Professional Practice 2001

The bad news according to Berg and Gilman is The typical listener will forget 40% of what he or she heard with half an hour. By the end of the day, 60% will be gone. A week later only 10% is retained.

Professional Practice 2001

Preparation: Why, Who, WhatWhy are you making this presentation? Who is the audience? What are you trying to say?

Professional Practice 2001

How do you organize your talk?

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The Edward R. Murrow rules for verbal communicationsTell em what youre going to tell em Tell em Tell em what you told em.

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Basic Rules of Strong Presentations (Berg & Gilman)Know your audience; anticipate their needsKnow your bottom line message and say it earlyAnticipate listeners questions and answer themMake your key point again in a summary statement

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Grab the audience early.Make it clear that they are going to hear something of interest. The trouble with engineers is that there are NO funny jokes about them. Some humour might help.

Professional Practice 2001

Visual Aids

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Visual Aids - SlidesKeep slides simple & uncluttered6 6 Rule6 items per slide6 words per item Use large font sizes

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Visual Aids - Multimedia

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Visual Aids On-Linehttp://www.sce.carleton.ca/

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Making the Presentation

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AppearanceHow you look, move and speak can affect the effect of your presentation.

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Delivery TipsHave confidence in yourselfDress well Stand up Speak outLook at audienceUse your hands for emphasisDont rushEnd on time

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DeliveryDo not memorize your talkTalk from notes or to the slidesDo not read the slides to the audienceGive them time to absorb the contents

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Rehearsal Practice Makes PerfectRehearse your talkIn front of friendsSolicit comments on content and deliveryRevise re-write

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Rehearse Three TimesThe first time is not too badTiming offForget your placeAwkwardSecond time is a disasterOverconfidentThird time is great

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ChallengePut together a three minute presentation of your essay Why? Because it is hard to be concise. The technique will allow you to construct a talk of any length.

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The Berg and Gilman TechniqueStep 1State your conclusionMake a short statement of your message, the bottom line of your presentationStep 2List all the points that support your conclusionStep 3Add the Opening

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The Opening Your chance to get the audience listeningState your messageOutline the argumentPrepare listeners for detailed discussion

Professional Practice 2001

ReferencesBerg, K., and A. Gilman. Get to the Point: How to Say What You Mean and Get What You Want. Toronto: Bantam Books, 1989.Markel, M., Writing in Technical Fields: A Step-by-Step Guide for Engineers, Scientists, and Technicians. New York: IEEE Press, 1994.Pfeiffer, W.S., Technical Writing: A Practical Approach. Toronto: Macmillan, 1991.Mathes, J.C., and D.W. Stevenson. Designing Technical Reports: Writing for Audiences in Organizations, 2nd Edition. Toronto: Collier Macmillan, 1991.Poe, R. W., The McGraw-Hill Guide to Effective Business Reports. Toronto: McGraw-Hill, 1982.

Professional Practice 2001

Three engineers and three accountants are traveling by train to a conference. At the station, the three accountants each buy a ticket and watch as the three engineers only buy one ticket. "How are three people going to travel on only one ticket?" asks an accountant. "Watch and you'll see," answered an engineer. They all board the train. The accountants take their respective seats but all three engineers cram into a rest room and close the door behind them. Shortly after the train has departed, the conductor comes around collecting tickets. He knocks on the restroom door and says, "Tickets, please!" The door opens just a crack and a single arm emerges with a ticket in hand. The conductor takes it and moves on. The accountants see this and agree it is a clever idea. So after the conference, the accountants decide to copy the engineers on the return trip and save some money. When they get to the station, they buy one ticket for the return trip. To their astonishment, the engineers don't buy a ticket at all. "How are you going to travel without a ticket?" says one perplexed accountant. "Watch and you'll see," answered an engineer.When they board the train all three accountants cram into a restroom and the three engineers cram into another one nearby. The train departs. Shortly afterward, one of the engineers leaves his restroom and walks over to the restroom where the accountants are hiding. He knocks on the door and says, "Tickets, please!"

Professional Practice 2001

A group of managers were given the assignment to measure the height of a flagpole. They got their ladders and tape measures and went out to the flagpole. However, the measurement job had turned out to be a much more difficult task than any of them had imagined, with some of them falling off the ladders, some dropping their tape measures and so on, and the whole thing had just turned into a total mess. After a while, an engineer happened along and saw what they were attempting to do. She walked over, pulled the flagpole out of the ground, and laid it flat on the ground. She measured it from end to end, gave the measurement to one of the managers and then walked away without saying a word. After the engineer had gone, one manager turned to another and laughed as he's shaking his head. 'Now that's just like an engineer! We're looking for the height and she gives us the length!'

Professional Practice 2001

Professional Practice 2001