Technical communication

Chanderprabhu Jain College of Higher Studies & School of Law
Plot No. OCF, Sector A-8, Narela, New Delhi – 110040
(Affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and Approved by Govt of NCT of Delhi & Bar Council of India)
TECHNICAL
COMMUNICATION
Prepared by: Ms.Shruti

What is technical communication?
• Communicating about technology
• Writing about technology
• Writing about scientific subjects
• Writing highly detailed information for
specific audiences
• Writing user-centered documents
• Training people to use technology

What is ‘technology’?
• ‘the practical application of knowledge
especially in a particular area’¹
• Objects used to make life ‘easier’
• Computers and machines that use them
• Knowledge specific to a technical field
• Often used with modifiers (medical,
information, educational…technology)

Characteristics of Good Technical Communication
• Accessible
– Logical location and format
– Appropriate to users
– Complete
• Usable
– Efficient
– Easy to use
• Relevant
– Addresses correct
information
– Correct purposes

Common Types of Tech
Communication
• Manuals
• Procedures/directions
• Training modules
• Quick References/Job Aids
• Proposals/Reports/Memos
• Multi-media demonstrations
• ‘Pushed’ information

Common Media used in Tech Com
• Paper/print
• Web pages
• Graphics
• Sound
• Databases
• Embedded help
• Oral presentations/training
• ‘Hands on’ or self-guided training

Who are Technical Communicators
• Writers
• Editors
• Web Designers
• Graphic artists
• Researchers
• Developers
– Informational
– Instructional
• Project Managers

How do they work?
• Team oriented
• Between engineers/subject experts and public
• Between technical experts and managers
• With writers, editors, usability specialists,
artists, publishers, lawyers, experts…
• Under tight deadlines
• Emphasis on cost benefits

Additional Aspects of Tech Comm
• Societal dimensions
• Risk management
• Ethical dimensions
• Business models

Seven C’ of Commuication
• Completeness
• Conciseness
• Consideration
• Clarity
• Concreteness
• Courtesy
• Correctness

factors responsible for growing
importance of communication
(1) Growth in the size and multiple location of
organization
(2) Growth of trade unions
(3) Growing importance of human relations
(4) Public relations
(5) Advances in behavioral sciences
(6) Technological advancement

Types of Communication Channels
• Formal
• Informal
• Unofficial

• Non-verbal communication includes body
language, such as gestures, facial expressions,
eye contact and posture. Touch is a non-
verbal communication that not only indicates
a person's feelings or level of comfort, but
illustrates personality characteristics as well.
Non-verbal communication

Verbal communication
verbal communication
The sharing of information between
individuals by using speech. Individuals
working within a business need to effectively
use verbal communication that employs
readily understood spoken words, as well as
ensuring that the stress and tone of voice with
which the words are expressed is appropriate.

Barriers of communication
• Language Barriers
• Psychological Barriers
• Physiological Barriers
• Physical Barriers
• Attitudinal Barriers

Overcoming Barriers
• Active Listening
• Use Simple Language
• Give Constructive Feedback

Unit-2

Communication is so much more than just the
words we say
• Research by Birtwhisle in 1970 studied communication where
the meaning of the words alone was potentially ambiguous.
His results showed that we make meaning from the following
factors:
• 55% is taken from body language
38% is taken from tone of voice
7% is based solely on the words

Communication
• is a process that allows organisms to exchange information by
several methods. Exchange requires feedback
• is the articulation of sending a message, whether it be verbal
or nonverbal
• is the process of meaningful interaction among human beings
• is the process by which any message is given or received
through talking, writing, or making gestures
(There are auditory means, such as speaking, singing and sometimes tone
of voice, and nonverbal, physical means, such as body language, sign
language, paralanguage, touch, eye contact, or the use of writing.)

Communication is usually described along a few
major dimensions:
• Content (what type of things are communicated)
• Source/Emisor/Sender/Encoder (by whom)
• Form (in which form)
• Channel (through which medium)
• Destination/Receiver/Target/Decoder(to whom)
• Purpose/Pragmatic aspect

Communication is a social interaction where at least two
interacting agents share a common set of signs and a common
set of semiotic rules.
• Content (what type of things are communicated)
• Source/Emisor/Sender/Encoder(by whom)
• Form (in which form)
• Channel (through which medium)
• Destination/Receiver/Target/Decoder (to whom)
• Purpose/Pragmatic aspect

Communication as information transmission
(Communication: transmitting a message with the expectation of
some kind of response. This can be interpersonal or
intrapersonal)
Information transmission is governed by three levels of semiotic
rules:
• Syntactic (formal properties of signs and symbols),
• pragmatic(concerned with the relations between
signs/expressions and their users) and
• semantic (study of relationships between signs and sy

Listening Skills
is the most important aspect in Human Communication. The
Listening process constitutes five elements:
• Hearing
• Attending
• Understanding
• Responding
• Remembering

Conclusion:
• Communication has a great impact on people and technology.
• Humans use communication as a process of exchanging ideas
and information through common language.
• Finally a successful communication occurs when there is a mix
of both verbal and non-verbal.

Formal and Informal Channels of
Communication

Communication

The Role of Communication in
Organizations
key purposes:
• direct action: to get others to behave in
desired fashion
• achieve coordinated action
→ systematic sharing of information
+ interpersonal side with the focus
on interpersonal relations between
people.

Communication
• “the social glue … that continues to
keep the organization tied together”
• “the essence of organization”
• a key process underlying all aspects of
organizational operations
→ properly managing communication
processes is central to
organizational functioning

Organizational Charts

Formal Communication
• the process of sharing official
information with others who need to
know it,
• according to the prescribed patterns
depicted in an organization chart

Formal Communication
• downward communication:
– instructions, directions, orders
– feedback
• upward communication:
– data required to complete projects
– status reports
– suggestions for improvement, new ideas
• horizontal communication:
– coordination of cooperation

Centralized Networks
• One central person
• Unequal access to information
• Central person is at the “crossroads” of the
information flow

Communication Networks
4/6/18
Chander prabhu Jain College of Higher
Studies and School of Law (Affiliated to
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University)

Gatekeepers

Informal Networks
A
JB
D H I
K
F
G
E
C
Gossip
A
F B D
J
H
CE
K
G I
X
Probability
A
C
D
F
J
IB
Cluster

Network Roles
• Bridge
• Liaison
• Isolate
• Isolated Dyad
• Cosmopolites

Formal Structure vs Informal
Networks

1. a secret means of spreading or
receiving information
2. the informal transmission of
(unofficial) information, gossip
or rumor from person-to-person ->
"to hear about s.th. through the
grapevine"
3. a rumor: unfounded report; hearsay
“Grapevine“

Grapevine Characteristics
• oral → mostly undocumented
• open to change
• fast (hours instead of days)
• crossing organizational boundaries

Grapevine Figures
• 70% of all organizational communication
occurs at the grapevine level
• estimated accuracy rates: 75-90%
• the incorrect part might change the
meaning of the whole message though
• an estimated 80% of grapevine information
is oriented toward the individual while 20%
concerns the company

Positive Aspects of the Grapevine
• social function
• reduction of anxiety
• release mechanism for stress
• identification of pending problems
• early warning system for organizational change
• vehicle for creating a common organizational culture
• desired information can be circulated quickly to a large
group of subordinates (inofficially!)

Coping or Managing the
Grapevine
“the grapevine cannot be abolished, rubbed
out, hidden under a basket, chopped down,
tied up, or stopped“
(Managing the Grapevine, p.222)
→don‘t try to control or restrict it
→use it to supplement formal channels

Importance of Communication
• Communication is important because it is
about how information is sent and received
within firms
• The way information is communicated is
often governed by how firms are structured

Forms of Business Structure
• Entrepreneurial - decisions made centrally
• Pyramid - staff have a role, shared decision
making, specialisation is possible
• Matrix - staff with specific skills join project
teams, individuals have responsibility
• Independent - seen in professions where
organisation provides support systems and little
else

The Pyramid
Decisions pass
down formal
channels from
managers to
staff
Information flows
up formal channels
from staff to
management

More on Business Structure
Centralisation
• Managers keep control
• Decisions are made in the
interests of the whole
business
• Costs can be cut by
standardising purchasing
and so on
• Strong leadership
Decentralisation
• Empowering and
motivating
• Freeing up senior
managers’ time
• Better knowledge of those
closer to customers
• Good staff development

Written Communication
The Written Communication refers to the
process of conveying a message through the
written symbols. In other words, any
message exchanged between two or more
persons that make use of written words is
called as written communication.

Forms of written
communication
1.the electronic mails,
2.memos,
3.reports,
4.documents,
5.letters,
6.journals,
7.job descriptions,
8.employee manuals, etc.

Merits of written communication
Easily understanding
Another reason for popularity of written communication is
easily understanding like if you don’t understand something
in first time you have huge chance to see it next time which
not available in oral communication
Permanent record
This is other most important facility of a written
communication. Every kind of written communication
document are a permanent record and can preserved for
further assistance

Demerits of written communication
• Flattery and Inflated information
If any message is supposed to go against the
interests of employees or higher officials then
there is a chance of fabrication of such
message by the concerned person.

Delayed correction
In written communication due to the lack of direct contact between a
communicator and communicate, any mistake if occurred, takes huge
time for its correction. Even if the mistake is identified immediately, still
its correction is not possible. For Example, a letter which is posted
cannot be brought back for correction if any mistake is identified later
on

.
Persuasive writing
• Persuasive writing is writing where you try to
convince someone to take a particular issue
on a point of voice.Persuasive writing may be
designed to convince the reader to take your
position on a particular issue may be designed
to convince the reader to take a certain action

Three common techniques in
persuasive writing
• Presenting strong evidence
• Concrete, relevant, and reasonable
• Accurate, current, and balanced information
adds to the credibility of persuasive writing

persuasive letters examples
• Be concise.
• State your main point in the first couple of
sentences.
• Emphasize the importance of your request in
the second paragraph.
• Support your request in the next paragraphs.

Cont..
• Appeal to the other side. ...
• Close the letter by restating your request.

UNIT-3

oral communication
• Oral communication describes any type of
interaction that makes use of spoken words,
and it is a vital, integral part of the business
world, especially in an era dubbed the
information age.

process of oral communication
• Communication is a process that involves a
message, sender, receiver, and channel. The
message is the information being transmitted.
In verbal communication between people,
the words used to convey the message are
actually only a part of what is eventually
understood.

Media of oral communication
• Media or channel is the means or ways of
transmitting the messages from sender to
the receiver.
• The media of oral communication
are face to face conversation, telephone
or mobile, conference, meetings etc

• a meeting of people face to face, especially for
consultation.

Types of interview
• Structured Interview. A structured interview is
typically formal and organized and may
include several interviewers, commonly
referred to as a panel interview.
• Unstructured Interview.
• Stress Interview.
• Behavioral Interview.

• Problem Solving or Case Interview.
• Panel Interview

Project presentation
Project presentation is a critical part
of project management. Whether gaining
stakeholder commitment or updating clients
and executives on progress, success depends
on a your ability to effectively present
the project plan.

Good Presentation
•First impressions matter!
•There’s no point doing good work if others
don’t know about it or can’t understand what
you did.
•Good practice for any career!
• Helps you sort out what you’ve done, and
understand it better yourself.

10 tips to help you develop
effective listening skills.
• Face the speaker and maintain eye contact.
• Be attentive, but relaxed.
• Keep an open mind.
• Listen to the words and try to picture what the
speaker is saying.

10 tips to help you develop
effective listening skills.
• Don't interrupt and don't impose your
solutions
• Wait for the speaker to pause to ask clarifying
questions.
• Ask questions only to ensure understanding.
• Try to feel what the speaker is feeling.
• Give the speaker regular feedback

Unit-4
Soft skills

Nonverbal communication
• Nonverbal communication (NVC) between
people is communication through sending and
receiving wordless cues.

proxemics
• The term was coined by the anthropologist
Edward Hall.
• proxemics is the study of space and how we
use it, how it makes us feel more or less
comfortable, and how we arrange objects and
ourselves in relation to space.

Kinesics
• Kinesics is the interpretation of body motion
communication such as facial expressions and
gestures, nonverbal behavior related to
movement of any part of the body or the body
as a whole.

difference between Proxemics and
kinesics
• Proxemics is one among several subcategories
in the study of nonverbal communication,
including haptics (touch), kinesics (body
movement), vocalics (paralanguage), and
chronemics (structure of time)

Parlanguage
• the non-lexical component of communication
by speech, for example intonation, pitch and
speed of speaking, hesitation noises, gesture,
and facial expression.

Paralanguage Examples
• Some forms of paralanguage are based on
physical features of spoken language, such as
facial expressions, like a smirk, or gestures, like
pointing. Others are rooted in vocal elements,
like voiced pauses such as 'um,' and 'hmm', or
intonation, which describes the pitch and
volume of a person's speech

Interpersonal skills
Interpersonal skills are the skills used by a
person to interact with others properly. In the
business domain, the term generally refers to
an employee's ability to get along with others
while getting the job done.
Good interpersonal skills are a prerequisite
for many positions in an organization.

• Emotional regulation involves self-control of
emotion so that we can take better command
of our actions in response to that emotion.
Emotional Regulation

Example
• Let's say that it's a school policy that anyone
involved in a fight will be suspended or
expelled. When Bobby called Emily a name on
the soccer field, she felt anger and an urge to
fight. But she counted to 10, took some deep
breaths, and returned her focus to the game.
Emily was practicing emotional regulation to
stay calm and out of trouble.

Conflict Resolution
• Conflict resolution is a complex process
involving compromise, negotiation, and the
ability to calmly solve a problem.
• Active Listening
Active listening involves listening fully and
intently to what the speaker has said.

Questioning
• Questioning is another important
interpersonal skill. Questioning involves the
ability to ask effective, open-ended questions
to gather more detailed information, explore
an idea, or delve into someone's thoughts.

Corporate communication skills
Here are five communication skills that make
good leaders great:
• Interpreting Body Language. ...
• Video Skills. ...
• Listening Carefully. ...
• Crystal Clear Verbal Communication.

Corporate communication skills
• As a general rule, people do not listen
attentively.
• Writing Skills.
• Great Communicators Are Made, Not Born.

Business etiquette
Business etiquette is about building
relationships with other people.
Etiquette is not about rules & regulations but
is about providing basic social comfort and
creating an environment where others feel
comfortable and secure, this is possible
through better communication.

Language skills
noun
a word used to identify any of a class of
people, places, or things or to name a
particular one of these.
It is a word that functions as the name of
some specific thing or set of things, such as
living creatures, objects, places, actions,
qualities, states of existence, or ideas

Language skills
• Pronoun- a word that can function as a noun
phrase used by itself and that refers either to
the participants in the discourse (e.g. I, you )
or to someone or something mentioned
elsewhere in the discourse (e.g. she, it, this )
• Common noun-a noun denoting a class of
objects or a concept as opposed to a
particular individual.

Language skills
• Proper Noun- a name used for an individual
person, place, or organization, spelled with an
initial capital letter.

Language skills
• Proper Noun- a name used for an individual
person, place, or organization, spelled with
an initial capital letter.
• Adjective- a word naming an attribute of a
noun, such as sweet, red, or technical.

Language skills
• Adverb- a word or phrase that modifies the
meaning of an adjective, verb, or other
adverb, expressing manner, place, time, or
degree (e.g. gently, here, now, very ).
• Conjunction-a word used to connect clauses
or sentences or to coordinate words in the
same clause.

Language skills
• Conjunction-the action or an instance of two
or more events or things occurring at the
same point in time or space.
• punctuations- Punctuation is the name for
marks used in writing. They are to help
understanding and correct reading.

Prefix and suffix
• Prefix
a word, letter, or number placed before
another.
• Suffix
a morpheme added at the end of a word to
form a derivative

Thank you!

Technical communication

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