Effective Oral Presentations for Engineers

CHAPTER 12 ��
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Engineers use oral presentations to efficiently and effectively
transfer information to a wide
range of audiences. Usually, the setting and circumstances
allow for direct interaction between the
speaker and the audience. Oral presentations are a common
method of evaluating the progress of a
project and the progress of the individual. The ability to present
oneself and one’s project in a com-
petent and succinct manner enhances one’s college and career
development.
Multiple components make up an oral presentation: 1) the
audience, 2) the content and organi-
zation, 3) visual aids, and 4) the speaker. Student design teams
have control over the last three
items, but little control over the audience. Thus, a presentation
goal is to prepare effective visual
aids and a presentation method to capture and maintain the
attention of the audience. As with writ-

ing, styles of oral presentation are numerous. All good
presentations rely on clarity of expression, an
easily followed train of thought and well thought-out visual aids
that illustrate key points in the talk.
High-quality visual aids can make or break a presentation as can
poor organization and a sloppy
presentation style (e.g., mumbling, talking to one’s feet or
failing to make eye contact with the audi-
ence).
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Since presentations are always prepared for an audience, the
presenter must evaluate the
audience and determine the best way to pique its interest.
Determine who will attend the presenta-
tion. Gather informaiton on the technical awareness of the
audience as a whole and the degree of
familiarity that the audience has in the subject. For instance, a
presentation on modeling weather
patterns in the Pacific Ocean would be different for an audience
of middle school students versus
one prepared for an audience of applied mathematicians. By
assessing the audience correctly, the

speaker determines the best way to interest the audience.
Explain why the presenter(s) finds the
subject interesting. Convey enthusiasm when explaining how it
was determined what the best
Introductory Engineering Design 139
Chapter 12: Oral Presentations
140
course of action was that led to the solution. The interested
audience then responds with questions
and comments that show an appreciation for the content and the
style of the talk.
Audiences rarely have a uniform composition. Those attending
may include, for instance, peers,
managers, contractors, vendors and clients. Before discussing
any specific details, present back-
ground information for those who have a limited level of
expertise in the subject matter. This informa-
tion helps bring the audience up to a common knowledge level.
Often, the audience includes those who are assessing the work
itself and the capabilities of the
presentation team. These individuals probably understand the
topic well. For instance, an instructor

evaluates a design team as a requirement for an introductory
engineering projects course. In a pro-
fessional setting, managers listen to presentations to evaluate
alternative courses of action. In these
situations, convey the technical information in a comprehensive,
interesting and competent manner.
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Preparing an effective presentation takes thought and effort.
Use an organized method to
develop the talk. First, express all thoughts on paper and
organize the ideas. Consider the best way
to present the material. Note which ideas are best presented in
either text, graphical or illustrated
formats. Next, develop interesting visuals that clearly display
the content. The first slide (or overhead
transparency) provides the Title of the talk. Give the title of the
project, the reason for the talk (e.g.,
Preliminary Design Review, Final Report, etc.), the team
members’ names, course number and
date.
Divide the rest of the talk into three main sections: the
Introduction, the Body and the Closing.

Use the simple rule-of-thumb, “Tell them three times,”
according to the following general format for
an oral presentation:
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The second slide (or overhead transparency) presents a brief
outline of the information to be
discussed. The presenter briefly (10-15 seconds) overviews
what is going to be discussed. Usually,
the title of the slide for this section is “Overview,” “Outline” or
“Introduction.” This becomes the first
time the speaker “Tells them,” providing the audience with a
map of the signposts of the presenta-
tion. It is helpful to the audience if the speaker occasionally
reviews the progress of the presentation;
for instance, a speaker might say, “That completes the Design
Objectives. Now, I’ll talk about the
manufacturing process before finishing with a discussion of the
tests that were performed."
7KH�,QWURGXFWLRQ Tell them what you’re going tell
them.
7KH�%RG Tell them.
7KH�&ORVLQJ Tell them what you told them.
Introductory Engineering Design

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The slides between the second and last form the body of the
presentation and contain the
important details of the presentation content. They represent the
second time the speaker “Tells
them.” These important slides require the majority of the
preparation time. Include some or all of the
following types of information, as required to convey the
message:
� Present the background or theory. Give a broader perspective
of the motivation behind the
work and any pertinent applications or existing equipment.
Typical titles are “Background,”
“Previous Devices” or “Theory.” Use two to four lines of text to
supplement what is said.
� Discuss the design or research methods. Show illustrations
and technical drawings that
highlight any important features. Use titles such as “Design
Objectives,” “Research Meth-
ods” or “Critical Design Component.” If more than one or two
sentences are spent explain-

ing an item, then include a few lines of text addressing that
point for the audience to read
during the talk.
� Discuss the results. Interpret and compare expectations with
the real outcomes. Address
how the results affect the final design or decisions. Use slides
that have sketches to illus-
trate points and titles such as “Metal vs. Plastic,” “Evaluation
of Operational Speed” or
“Considerations for Final Design.” Include three or four lines of
text that can be used as dis-
cussion points for each of these slides.
� Tell the interesting parts of the story. Describe any mistakes
and lessons learned. Use titles
such as “Pitfalls of Method 1,” “Reasons to Use Plastic Instead
of Cardboard” or “Computa-
tional Problems.” Again, list the items that will be discussed.
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The last one or two slides present a summary of the key points
of the talk, and represent the
third time the speaker “Tells them.” No new information should
be introduced at this time. Each point
that is mentioned must have been previously addressed in the

main body of the talk.
For example, the talk might end with something like, “Now
you’ve heard about how our design
of a toy manipulative takes the abilities of 2-5 year olds into
account, which led to our choice of poly-
ethylene for the construction of the prototype. Our tests went
well, but showed that the base needs
to be reinforced. Currently, our revised design is in fabrication
and will be ready in time for the
Design Expo.”
Use a final slide to summarize the points that have been
discussed, such as the example in
Figure 12.1
142
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All presentations should use visual aids, and some engineers
regard them as their most impor-
tant product. Visual aids, the objective of which is to convey
enough information for the audience,
should be carefully developed to transmit only pertinent

information. The most common form of
visual aid in professional settings is the overhead transparency,
variously called overheads, slides or
viewgraphs. Thus, it is beneficial to become familiar with the
operation of an overhead projector.
Presentation software packages (i.e., PowerPoint®) are
commonly used to prepare visual aids.
Such packages provide a selection of templates, borders,
backgrounds, typefaces and color options
that give the visual aids a professional appearance. Selected
colors can have remarkable impact;
however, extraneous graphics and colors can be distracting.
In addition, electronic presentations are possible, wherein the
slides are stored in—and pro-
jected—directly from a computer.
Following are some answers to commonly asked questions about
how to prepare visual aids:
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� Plan on one slide per minute of talk, which ensures the right
amount of information on each
slide.
� If a slide takes more than two minutes to discuss, then there
is too much information; the

audience may become confused. Conversely, if it takes only ten
seconds to cover the infor-
mation, it may be better to include that information on the
previous or next slide.
� Never talk without having a slide that emphasizes important
points. If it is not worth putting
on a slide, it is not worth discussing at all.
Figure 12.1. Example summary slide (or overhead
transparency).
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� Dexterity of 2-5 year olds appears sufficient to
manipulate toy
� Polyethylene is smooth and safe
� Prototype shows that base needs reinforcement
� Completion planned for Design Expo
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Carefully choose the templates (optional borders or
backgrounds included with many presenta-
tion software packages) to avoid adding distracting graphics to
the slides. Choose colors that add
impact and enhance the legibility of any text. Use care in
adding clip art images that do not contrib-
ute to the technical message. Fancy images do not make up for
poor content or organization.
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Use a title to emphasize the most important point being made.
Avoid using “horse charts”; e.g.,
a picture of a horse with the title of “Horse.” Obviously, the
title does not reveal much. The goal is to
communicate all points visually and not raise questions that can
be answered only by talking.
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A font of 20 pt or more should always be used. To determine if
the size is big enough, use the
“drop on the floor” technique. If the overhead transparency can
be read when it is on the floor and
the speaker is standing up, then the size is large enough.

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Most overhead projectors allow for both horizontal (landscape)
and vertical projections. Hori-
zontal allows the slide to be moved to the top of the screen,
making it visible to those at the back of
the room. Also, horizontal orientation provides for longer text
lines that are generally easier to read.
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A graphic should present a distilled form of the speaker’s
comments, so words should be cho-
sen carefully. Use the overheads to reinforce spoken words, not
to repeat them.
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Show illustrations or photos of the prototype or device. Resist
the temptation to show tables of
values, as the audience cannot possibly read and understand
what the data mean. For plotted
results, use titles such as “Result of Torsion Tests” or
“Experimental Results for Spring Made of Thin
Plastic.” It is helpful to add a few lines of text to tell the
audience why the results are being shown.

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Sometimes only a portion of a slide needs to be discussed and
returned to later. If it is put aside,
chances are the slide will get lost in the pile. In the time it takes
to locate the slide, the audience’s
attention will be lost. It is worth the extra expense to have
another slide already prepared and in
order.
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People try to take advantage of transparencies by having some
information on multiple slides,
stacking or removing the slides one at a time. This technique
often leads to the presenter trying to
144
line up two or more transparencies while the audience waits
impatiently. It is better to have one slide
with the first part of the information and a second slide with the
remaining information.
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Unless they are large enough to be seen by the entire audience,
avoid using physical objects. If
an object will be passed around, be aware that it will distract
each person who examines it. Several
objects may be needed to make sure that everyone gets the
chance to see one.
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Graphics and other material photocopied from textbooks or
journals should be of good quality.
Illegibility gives the impression that the presentation was
hastily thrown together.
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The audience will only remember a few key numbers, so do not
bore them with too many.
Whenever possible, use graphical—instead of tabular—displays
of results. If equations are included,
explain their relevance and results, and discuss the important
variables.
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Design or choose a format that presents the information
attractively, and stick to that format for

all graphics.
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Plan (and practice) smooth and clear transitions between
overheads. Include text or graphics
on one slide that smoothly leads the viewer to the next slide.
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Some engineers dislike giving oral presentations. However,
such a negative approach can
inhibit the development of an effective presentation style. Keep
two things in mind when preparing a
presentation: (1) the speaker (and the student team) have more
knowledge about the topic com-
pared to that of the audience, and (2) the audience has an
interest in what is being said. In other
words, the speaker and the material are informative and
interesting. With this in mind, approach the
presentation with a positive, productive attitude and develop an
individual, yet professional style.
Speakers have four main objectives. First, gain the attention of
the audience quickly. The first

few minutes of the talk should intrigue the audience with the
discussion to come. Next, convince the
audience of the value of the ideas. The object is to give the
audience meaningful information and
guide them to the conclusion in a well-paced, interesting
manner. Third, make the presentation
memorable by using effective visual aids and an engaging
presentation style. Finally, stimulate (acti-
vate) the audience with movement, voice and the appropriate
use of visual aids. An easy way to
remember these criteria is with the phrase, ”I �""� good
presenter,” with the acronym defined as:
��ttention-getting
"�eaningful
"�emorable
��ctivating
Effective presenters almost never refer to notes when they
speak; they take their cues from the
text and graphical images on their visual aids. For novice
speakers, it can be helpful to begin prepa-

ration of a presentation by writing a full script for the talk (but,
do not ever read the script to the audi-
ence). Practice the script out loud, and write large notes in
colored ink on paper copies of the visual
aids (for reference, these copies may be placed on the speaker’s
podium or desktop). Each time the
speaker(s) practices the talk, s/he will refer less often to the
notes, eventually not needing the assis-
tance at all.
Avoid the temptation to prepare note cards to hold during the
talk. Such props often distract the
speaker and the audience, particularly when the speaker reads
directly from the cards. Reading
from note cards makes it difficult for the speaker to maintain
eye contact with the audience. Also,
holding the cards hinders the speaker from gesturing to slides.
The following suggestions for delivery are fairly basic, but they
are not always easy to follow.
Clarity in speaking only comes when the message and the
presentation are adequately prepared.
The primary emphasis is placed on comprehensibility and
economy of words. Part of clarity is to not
distract the audience with unnecessary visual aids or

mannerisms.
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Consider where to stand to not block overheads. Many people
are uncomfortable giving talks,
and as a result, they stand far away from the screen, which is
where they want the audience to actu-
ally look. This positioning causes the audience to look first at
the speaker and then at the screen.
Instead, the speaker should take control of the audience by
using his/her hands to direct the audi-
ence’s attention. Stand close to the screen, and point at the item
on the screen that is being dis-
cussed; the eyes of the audience are sure to follow. Also, it is
important to stand comfortably without
swaying.
The speaker should use his/her hands for specific, descriptive
gestures that illustrate what is
being discussed. This activity keeps the speaker’s hands
usefully employed and “out of mischief,” as
well as helps get the point across.
Maintain eye contact with the audience. Since it makes them
feel involved, members of the

audience appreciate direct looks from the speaker. His/her gaze
should address all audience mem-
bers.
Lastly, smile and exhibit confidence when speaking. When the
speaker looks comfortable and
confident, the audience focuses more on what is being said
rather than on what is being done.
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Make the tone of the presentation appropriate for the audience,
and maintain a suitable speak-
146
ing volume. Also, remember to speak at a reasonable pace and
articulate. Also, practice varying
voice and rhythm to maintain the audience’s interest.
Avoid verbal distractions, such as “uh,” “um,” “you know,”
“ok,” “well,” etc. If there exists a prob-
lem with repetitive habits, especially of saying “ah” or “um”
before each sentence, there is only one
cure: ask a practice audience for “The Um Alert.” Whenever the
speaker says “um,” the audience

also says “um.” This exercise is excruciating and quickly leads
to avoidance of the pain stimulus.
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The most important thing that can be done to improve a talk is
to practice. If giving a group pre-
sentation, practice together as a group, so that each person
knows what the other will say. Coach
each other on style, give positive feedback and be specific on
unclear points. The audience in this
case consists of peers, so practice in front of them. Have
someone sit in various corners of the room
to determine if the slides are visible and if the speaker is easily
heard.
Practice sticking to the allotted time slot. If the speaker runs
over, the audience begins to worry
about when the talk will end rather than what is being said. The
only way to make sure that the talk
fits into the scheduled time is to practice, out loud, with visual
aids.
Learn how to operate the presentation equipment (pointer,
projector, computer, microphone,
light switches, extension cord, etc.) to eliminate operating
mistakes that could be diminish the value
of the presentation in the audience’s eyes.

Remember: never end a talk with “That’s all. Are there any
questions?” This ending results in an
awkward, dead silence as the audience tries to decide if they
should clap or grill the speaker.
Instead, use the magic phrase that always works: “Thank you,”
which gracefully signals the end of
the talk. The audience then applauds. The tension is broken, and
questions can be presented and
answered.
Discuss how each group member will participate in the question
and answer session. Prepare a
few anticipated questions, and practice answering them.
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One of the most effective ways to evaluate an oral presentation
is to videotape either a practice
or final presentation. Review the recording with the entire
student team, and use the following ques-
tions to help evaluate the delivery techniques and visual aids:
� Organizationally, what could have been done to make the
presentation flow more

smoothly?
� How effective were the visual aids? What changes could be
made in either the slides them-
selves or in the presentation of the slides?
� How good were the delivery techniques? Were there any
annoying gestures or verbal dis-
tractions? If so, what were they?
� What was the best (most effective) aspect of the
presentation?
� What needs to be improved before the next presentation?
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=====================1/8======================
Running head: OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT 1
Operations Management: Project Initiation
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

=====================2/8======================
OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT 2
Economic, Technical and organizational Feasibility of the
Project
Technical Feasibility
A big part of determining the resources that would be used in
the project include
assessing the technical feasibility of the project (Friedman,
2006). The technical feasibility
deliberates the technical necessities of the project which are
later compared with the ability or
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the organization to operate technically. The project is
considered technically feasible if the
internal technical competence can support the requirements of
the project. The project analyst
must determine whether the existing technical resources can be
modified to meet the technical
expectations for the project.
Organizational Feasibility

Organizational feasibility is the ability of the proposed project
to solve the organizational
problems and explore the identified opportunities during the
analysis of the project phases (Pinto,
2012). Organizational feasibility will determine the willingness
of the administration to support
the project. It is imperative to understand the commitment of
the management to determine the
organizational feasibility of the project.
Economic Feasibility
The economic feasibility of the project will assess the expected
costs included in the
project to determine if they are in line with the budget of the
project (Bourne, 2016).[0] [1] [3] [4] ... The cost of
the project deliverables at this point will be a rough estimate as
the precise costs are not essential
in determining the economic feasibility.[0] A rough estimate of
the schedule of the project will be
provided and set by the organization.[0]
=====================3/8======================
Aligning the Project to the Strategic Goals of the Organization
The project can be aligned to the strategic goals of the
organization through aligning the
team, addressing the mission, vision and the goals of the
organization.[8] [9] [6] ... The project should ideally
support the organizational strategy as well as the management
framework identified within the
project scope to help in following on through the projects
(Andersen, 2013). The project team
should be ideally onboard with the organizational strategy to be
able to align a common direction
to each member of the team. To achieve this, the project
manager should continuously review the

strategy and ensure that the team is aligned.
The project manager can then prioritize the initiative of the
project to determine which
problems to address first. He or she can then break then down
into workable steps and ensure the
project team understands the project scope. Finally, the project
team can then choose the
framework or the approach that would best suit the deliverables
of the project.
Project Charted Including a High-Level Scope
Project Title
Operation management project
Date
22 October 2018
Purpose of the project
Improve the operations in the organization
Objectives of the
project
To continue to be a leader in operation management
To improve the efficiency of the operation within the
organization.
Project personnel
• CEO
=====================4/8======================
• program manager
• strategic planner
• logistics and distribution manager
• transport specialist
• IT Director
• Environmental manager
Risks
• The costs may exceed the proposed budget for the project
• Inadequate skills from the project team members

• Replacement work may disrupt the normal operations of the
organization.
• New technologies may be challenging to use.
&cite=1&hl=textonly#jump
Budget summary
The estimated cost for the project is $200,000
Project Schedule
summary
Four months from the commencement
Criteria for measuring
project success
• Demonstration of improved operations within the
organization.
• Increased efficiency in operations within the organization.
=====================5/8======================

High-Level Timeline and Cost Estimate
Cost
Cost Factors
1
Cost estimates for high-level milestone
Cost Factors
o Material - Vendor Quotes
o Labor - Labor Rates
o Material - Platform Site
Cost
o Training Cost
2
Continuous maintenance and support
costs
Support costs
Maintenance costs
3
Cost estimates at different project levels
Daily costs
Weekly costs
Monthly costs
Annual cost
=====================6/8======================
Concerns of the Internal and the External Project Stakeholders
Internal Stakeholders

External Stakeholders
• Concerned about the formal
hierarchy of the project.
• Regulation of the project
resources such as money, labor
and materials.
• The leadership style in
developing the project.
• Engagement in the strategic
implementation of the project.
• Regulating the strategic
resources.
• Cooperation.
• Ownership of skills and
knowledge that form the core
competence for the delivery of
the project.
• Networking and creating internal
links with the internal
stakeholders.
• Regulation of the environment
such as the network and the
negotiation of the relationship to
the external stakeholders.
=====================7/8======================
• Engagement in the strategic
execution of the project.
Level of Support from the Key Stakeholders of the Project that

could lead to the Success of the
Project
First, the customers provide support as the direct users of the
services in the project both
internally and externally to the organization implementing the
project (Andersen, 2013).
Secondly, the project manager supports the success of the
project by leading the project team
throughout the processes included in the project.[1] Third, the
team members of the project support
the project by implementing the project under the leadership
and the influence of the manager.
Fourth, the project sponsor supports the success of the project
by funding the project.[1] [2] [3] [4] ... Sixth, the
steering committee of the project provides support by guiding
the project manager on the key
decisions and acting as an advisory group for the realization of
the success of the project.[2] [1] [3] [4] ... Also,
the executives of the project including the top management in
the company provide support
through directing the strategy of the organization and aligning
this strategy to the project goals.
Finally, the resource managers ensure the success of the project
by controlling the use of the
resources in the project.[2]
Stakeholder Analysis Template
Name
Role
Interest
Power
Classification
Louise
Stephanie
CEO
High
High

Positive
=====================8/8======================
Andrew Jones
Strategic Planner
Medium
Medium
Positive
Victor Brian
Program
manager
High
Medium
Positive

Jacqueline
Thomson
Logistics and
distribution
manager
high
Medium
Positive
David Brown
Transportation
specialist
High
Low
Neutral
John Paul
Thomson
IT Director/
systems advisor
Medium
Low
Neutral
Corazon
Obrien
High
Medium
Neutral
Leonard Lee
Environmental
manager
Medium
low
Neutral

QSO 640 Milestone One Guidelines and Rubric
Overview: In the final project, you will develop a complete
project plan for a hypothetical organization. Each milestone
assignment will help you complete
portions of the final project. In this milestone, you will analyze
the Fabricant Manufacturing Project (case study available in
MindEdge) and begin tasks related
to initiation. You will first define the project in the project
charter during the project initiation phase.
Prompt: The goal of this milestone is to apply project
management skills acquired in the first three modules to a real-
world project or situation. The analysis of
the Fabricant Manufacturing Project case study (in Mindedge)
should include an evaluation of the selection criteria, alignment
with the organization strategic
goals, project charter elements, project initiation approval, and
stakeholder analysis (Template).
Specifically the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Project Initiation
A. Identify the economic, technical, and organizational
feasibility of the project. For instance, how is the project a
viable fit within the organization?
B. Explain how the project aligns to the organization’s strategic
goals utilizing the traceability matrix (in Mindedge).
C. Develop a project charter that includes a high-level scope of
what is to be accomplished.

D. Create a high-level timeline and cost estimate to complete
the project.
E. Identify the concerns of the internal and external key project
stakeholders.
F. Compare the level of support from all key project
stakeholders to inform the course of action resulting in success
of the project.
G. Complete the stakeholder analysis template.
Guidelines for Submission: Your draft of the Project Initiation
portion of your final project should adhere to the following
formatting requirements: 3–4 pages,
double-spaced, using 12-point Times New Roman font and one-
inch margins. Utilize table(s) within your document as you
create the high-level timeline and cost
estimate. You should use current APA-style guidelines for your
citations and a reference list with a minimum of two sources.
Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (75%)
Not Evident (0%) Value
Project Initiation:
Feasibility
Identifies the economic, technical,
and organizational feasibility of the
project and how the project is a
viable fit within the organization
Identifies the economic, technical,
and organizational feasibility of the
project, but does not discuss how the
project is a viable fit within the
organization or is inaccurate or
cursory

Does not identify the economic,
technical, and organizational
feasibility of the project
10
Project Initiation:
Strategic Goals
Explains how the project aligns to the
organization’s strategic goals
Explains how the project aligns to the
organization’s strategic goals, but
explanation is inaccurate or cursory
Does not describe how the project
aligns to the organization’s strategic
goals
15
http://snhu-
media.snhu.edu/files/course_repository/graduate/qso/qso640/qso
640_stakeholder_analysis_template.doc
Project Initiation:
Project Charter
Develops a project charter that
includes a high-level scope of what is
to be accomplished and is detailed
appropriately

Develops a project charter, but does
not include a high-level scope of
what is to be accomplished
Does not develop a project charter 15
Project Initiation:
High-Level Timeline
Creates a high-level timeline and
estimate of cost to complete the
project
Creates a high-level timeline and
estimate of cost to complete the
project, but response contains
inaccuracies
Does not create a high-level timeline
or estimate of cost to complete the
project
15
Project Initiation: Key
Project Stakeholders
Identifies the concerns of key project
internal and external stakeholders
Identifies the concerns of key project
internal and external stakeholders,
but response either contains
inaccuracies or is overgeneralized

Does not identify the concerns of key
project stakeholders
10
Project Initiation:
Support
Compares the level of support from
all key stakeholders to inform the
course of action of the project
Compares the level of support from
all key stakeholders, but discussion
contains gaps or inaccuracies
Does not compare the level of
support from all key stakeholders
15
Project Initiation:
Stakeholder Analysis
Template
Completes the stakeholder analysis
template
Completes the stakeholder analysis
template, but template contains
inaccuracies
Does not complete the stakeholder
analysis template

10
Articulation of
Response
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
Submission has major errors related
to citations, grammar, spelling,
syntax, or organization that
negatively impact readability and
articulation of main ideas
Submission has critical errors related
to citations, grammar, spelling,
syntax, or organization that prevent
understanding of ideas
10
Total 100%
Graded Case Study 1, Part II
Initiating
When Feinberg and his senior management team reviewed the
list of proposed projects, they were pretty convinced that they
should pursue
the industrial lighting retrofit project, to take advantage of

current programs offering tiered incentives on kWh reductions.
For Feinberg, this
project seemed like "low hanging fruit" when it came to energy
savings for the company.
Feinberg and Scott spoke with Sam Massoni, the program
manager for American Grid, to learn about the utility's lighting
retrofit program,
including incentives and program requirements. After that, they
assigned an internal project coordinator, Vivian Liu, to serve as
the project
manager for the initiative.
Liu already had several time-consuming projects on her plate
and wasn't eager to add another one, but she knew most of her
colleagues were
in the same boat. She knew she would have to work as
efficiently as possible, while trying not to get bogged down in
too many unnecessary
steps.
After several meetings with Scott to understand project
requirements and scope, Liu created a stakeholder list. Because
the lighting retrofit
was largely concerned with energy efficiency, she selected the
same stakeholders that were included on a recent project
implementing GPS
technology to remotely monitor idling and fuel consumption
patterns of Fabricant's distribution vehicles. For this particular
project, however,
she added Massoni as an external stakeholder and project
consultant. She figured it would be good to include at least one
external perspective,
as long as it wasn't a negative one. If there was one thing Liu
had learned on previous projects, it was that negative
stakeholders are

incredibly difficult and time-consuming to work with.
Stakeholder List
Name Role Interest Power Classification
Lee Feinberg CEO High High Positive
Janice Scott Strategic Planning Medium Medium Positive
Sam Massoni Program Manager, American Grid High Medium
Positive
Paul Callahan Distribution Logistics Manager Medium Low
Neutral
Transportation Specialists Truck Drivers High Low Neutral
Elwood Vaughn Systems/IT Director Medium Low Neutral
Trudy Noble Environmental Manager High High Neutral
Jeff Salvatore PR/Communications Manager Medium Low
Neutral
When identifying the lighting retrofit project team, Massoni
also listed the same team of professionals from the GPS remote
monitoring
technology project. From what she could tell, these people all
had a solid understanding of the cost/benefit economics and
environmental
impacts of fossil fuel usage and could ensure a successful
outcome.
Project Team
Vivian Liu Project Manager
Sam Massoni Program Manager, American Grid
Paul Callahan Distribution Logistics Manager
Elwood Vaughn Systems/IT Director
Trudy Noble Environmental Manager
Perry Silverman Finance Analyst
Jeff Salvatore PR/Communications Manager
QSO 640: Project Management
Copyright © 2014, %year% MindEdge Inc. All rights

reserved. Duplication prohibited. <br>PMP, PMI-ACP, PMI-
RMP, PMBOK, and the PMI
Registered Education Provider logo are registered marks of the
Project Management Institute, Inc.
Emmitt McAuley Occupational Safety and Health liaison
Matt Stevens Strategic Planning Assistant
Because most of the project team members had worked together
on the GPS technology project and others like it, Noble
suggested that they
review the lessons learned they had captured at the conclusion
of the last project. Others concurred, but Liu did not believe
those lessons
needed to be considered, especially with so many other things to
do to get started. "I think we all know where things got off track
the last
time. I'm sure we won't make the same mistakes again. Besides,
we'll have a consultant from American Grid helping us out this
time."
Liu's next step was to establish the project's boundaries and to
communicate clear acceptance criteria to the project team and
stakeholders.
She engaged Mitch Cyterski, Fabricant's Head of Facilities, and
several of his staff to identify the project's acceptance criteria
because they
had the functional knowledge pertaining to all facilities'
infrastructure and operation, including lighting systems.
Acceptance Criteria:
Replacement of all metal halide and T-12 fluorescent lighting

fixtures with energy-efficient options
Installation of sensors in all offices, warehouses, production
facilities, and break rooms
Baseline computer simulation model to measure and verify
ongoing energy savings from the project
Life cycle cost analysis and economic evaluation for each new
fixture
Documentation of maintenance standards
After Liu shared the stakeholder list and acceptance criteria
with Feinberg and Scott to solicit their input, she took a
moment to check her
email. There was a message from Ken Simmons, one of the
production foremen, relaying complaints his staff had about the
upcoming
lighting replacement work in their area of the shop floor. They
did not want to deal with the mess and disruption that this was
going to cause,
especially where there didn't seem to be anything wrong with
the existing lighting. Furthermore, they were unwilling to work
any overtime
hours to catch up on lost shift productivity. Liu had already
heard similar complaints from other people about the project so
she decided to
skip her lunch break and take the time to draft her own replies
to Simmons and other "negative" constituents in order to refute
each individual
complaint.
Before you move on to the next section of the case study,
identify the problems and/or issues that you'll need to include in
your analysis.
Document this information, and consider how you will integrate
it into your evaluation of the project.

Graded Case Study 1, Part IIInitiating
Graded Case Study 1, Part I
Project Selection
Fabricant Corporation manufactures and distributes highly
specialized metal parts to over 1,000 clients across the
Northeast. With state-of-
the-art facilities, Fabricant is the leader in designing,
prototyping, and manufacturing engineering flexible materials
for solar power, medical,
aerospace, and electric power applications.
As Fabricant has grown and expanded its base of shareholders,
its mission has evolved from merely providing quality products
at a
competitive price. Today, the company strives to create
shareholder value and demonstrate corporate social
responsibility by continuing to be
a leader in energy conservation, research, and development of
advanced technologies.
Lee Feinberg, the company's CEO, is eager to live up to
Fabricant's public commitment by engaging in activities that
drive continuous
improvement on key sustainability metrics. Specifically, he has
tasked his senior management team to propose projects that will

align with
the following objectives:
1. Reduce energy consumption by a minimum of 20%
2. Raise community consciousness of environmental issues and
concerns
3. Generate a return on investment of at least 15%
After several months of research by her staff, Janice Scott, the
Head of Strategic Planning for Fabricant, brought the following
project
proposals for consideration:
1. Solar panel installation on the main manufacturing facility
This 200,000 square foot manufacturing facility consumes 9.5
million kWh of electricity per year. The facility has just over
two acres of
rooftop that is suitable for solar panel placement. According to
estimates, this installation would generate about 700,000 kWh
of renewable
energy per year, while offsetting over 500 tons of CO2. The
installation of 1,500 240-watt photovoltaic cells would cost
about $700,000, net
of federal investment tax credits. With estimated energy savings
of $50,000 per year and annual solar renewable energy credits
(SRECs)
revenue of $70,000 per year, the solar panel investment is
expected to break even in 5.6 years, with a 10-year return on
investment of 20%
($120,000 per year for 10 years, with a discount rate of 7%).
This facility is also in a highly visible location adjacent to a
major highway, with 300,000 people driving past the building
on a daily basis.
The public exposure to the facility's solar array will raise

community awareness to renewable energy sources and create
positive perception
for Fabricant's commitment to environmental sustainability.
2. Interior and exterior retrofit of industrial lighting throughout
facilities
The second project proposal involves replacing high energy
consumption lighting fixtures in all Fabricant facilities with
more efficient
technologies, including the following:
Replace metal halides with LED technologies
Replace T-12 fluorescent lighting to T-8 Vaportite fixtures
Retrofit offices and break rooms with sensors and new
fluorescent fixtures
Install wireless sensors and motion detectors throughout offices,
production stations, and break rooms to automatically turn off
lights
These changes are estimated to produce energy savings of over
1.1 million kWh per year as well as $142,000 annually in utility
costs. After
energy efficiency incentives and utility partner rebates,
Fabricant's total cost of the upgrades is expected to be in the
$65,000 to $75,000 range

so the program will provide immediate financial and
environmental returns. In the first year alone, this program is
likely to produce an 89%
ROI.
To generate positive community and client awareness for this
sustainability initiative, Scott recommends that Fabricant
include the results in
the company's newsletter and client literature, and on its
website.
3. Adoption of less energy intensive welding processes in
production facilities
A third proposal is to shift from traditional fusion welding
processes (arc welding and laser welding) to friction stir
welding (FSW). In
addition to providing solutions for persistent joining problems,
FSW consumes less material and energy while reducing fumes
and gases. The
proposed project is to develop a prototype system that proves
the suitability of FSW for a range of Fabricant's welding
situations (e.g., engine
components, high performance aircraft parts, fuel tanks, etc.).
Based on a feasibility study using the prototype, the team will
decide whether
to pursue implementation of a FSW process development plan
(including design, controls, and process knowledge) at 12
welding
workstations.
FSW reduces welding energy and material consumption by as
much as 70% (estimated savings of $2,000 per machine),
compared to
traditional arc welding techniques. Finally, FSW saves a
considerable amount of welding time, compared to arc welding,

due to higher
welding speed and fewer ancillary processes. In all, Scott
expects a shift to FSW, where feasible, to save $24,000 per
year.
FSW machine investment, licenses, tools, and personnel training
would be approximately $400,000. The expected life of FSW
equipment is
five years.
Scott believes Fabricant's clients, especially government
entities, will perceive the use of FSW process and technology to
be a competitive
advantage, indicating high quality, cost effectiveness and
energy efficiency.
your analysis.
Graded Case Study 1, Part IProject Selection
Graded Case Study 1, Part III
Project Planning

For project planning purposes, Liu distributed the project scope
statement below as the requirements documentation for the team
and as
primary input to the project charter. Because the project was
expected to have a short duration, she decided that a work
breakdown structure
would be unnecessary.
Project Scope Statement:
Fabricant's proposed industrial lighting retrofit project will aim
to identify and replace the most energy-intensive lighting
fixtures in all office
and production workspaces in order to achieve significant cost
savings and reduce energy consumption. This project will
include detailed
financial analysis and energy usage baseline modeling to ensure
success and continuous efficiency improvement going forward.
The initial cost estimate for this project is $310,000, which is
expected to be offset by incentives and rebates of $245,000.
Specific Deliverables
1. Comprehensive energy audit of each building;
Document existing lighting fixtures and types, including
housings, dimensions, and method of installation that must be
addressed
as part of retrofit recommendations
Measure all existing lighting levels of each space and
functions/personnel that operate there
2. Recommendations for targeted lighting systems and cost-
effective replacement technologies
Determine final quantity, type, and location of existing fixtures,

lamps, and ballasts to be replaced
Identify areas that will have occupancy controls or motion
detectors to turn off lights when space is unoccupied
Provide total number of recommended lighting components and
related costs
3. Life cycle cost analysis and economic evaluation that factors
in cost, maintenance cost, and utility cost over the expected life
of the
building lighting retrofit
4. Waste management plan for disposal of hazardous materials,
submitted in accordance with EPA guidelines
5. Procurement of necessary retrofit materials and electrical
components
6. Detailed demolition and installation requirements, including
procedures to shut down electric, disarm fire alarm system,
remove
materials from property, and protect computer and other
equipment
7. Completion of all necessary permit applications and
certificates
8. Plan to comply with all Occupational Safety and Health
Program requirements (containment of dust, debris,
contaminants)
9. Submission of drawings and construction phase schedule
10. Completion of Phase 1 lighting replacement: Corporate
offices
11. Completion of Phase 2 lighting replacement: Production
shop offices and break rooms
12. Completion of Phase 3 lighting replacement: Production
floor
13. Completion of Phase 4 lighting replacement: Warehouse and
parking lots

14. Installation of sensors and motion detectors
15. Delivery of computer model with baseline energy usage and
automated tracking system
16. Submission of project close-out documentation
your analysis.
Graded Case Study 1, Part IIIProject Planning
Graded Case Study 1, Part IV
The Project Charter
As the project sponsor, Janice Scott proceeded to write the
project charter to authorize the lighting retrofit project and
define high level
details:
Project
Title
Industrial Lighting Retrofit

Date October 8, 2013
Project
purpose
Replace existing interior and exterior lighting in all Fabricant
workspaces, warehouses, and break rooms with new
technologies
Project
objectives
Fabricant's strategic objectives are the following: create
shareholder value and demonstrate corporate social
responsibility by
continuing to be a leader in energy conservation, research, and
development of advanced technologies.
Project
deliverables
See list in project scope statement
Project
personnel
Project Manager
Sam Massoni, American Grid Program Manager
Trudy Noble, Environmental Manager
Paul Callahan, Distribution Logistics Manager
Elwood Vaughn, Systems/IT Director
Perry Silverman, Finance Analyst
Jeff Salvatore, PR/Communications Manager
Emmitt McAuley, OSHA liaison
Matt Stevens, Strategic Planning Assistant
Required skill sets: industrial lighting expertise ‐ understanding

of appropriate lighting conditions for various workspaces and
factory floor activity; expertise in lighting technologies and
electrical wiring; financial modeling; understanding of public
incentive programs; environmental impact assessment;
hazardous material expertise; safety regulations; public
relations
communication; wireless sensor technology, tools and
implementation; programming; stakeholder communication,
including
unions
Risks
Costs will exceed estimates and ROI will be less than expected
Team members do not possess all necessary skills to carry out
necessary project activities
Replacement work will disrupt production activities and delay
output
New technologies will fail to deliver expected energy
efficiencies
Removal and disposal of hazardous materials in old lighting
systems
Schedule
summary
Three months from kickoff
Budget
summary
Project cost estimate of $310,000, with expected offsets of
$245,000
Measurable
success

criteria
Demonstrated reduction in energy consumption, as measured in
comparison to baseline audit
Improved lighting conditions
Other
project
limitations
TBD
As you complete this last section of the case study, identify the
problems and/or issues that you'll need to include in your
analysis. Document
this information, and consider how you will integrate it into
your evaluation of the project.
Graded Case Study 1, Part IVThe Project Charter
Stakeholder Analysis Template
Name
Role
Interest
Power
Classification

35499 Topic: Project initiation
Number of pages:4
Number of sources: 3
Writing Style: APA
Type of document: Essay
Academic Level:Undergraduate
Category: Business
Language Style: English (U.S.)
Order Instructions. attached
Project Initiation
A. Identify the economic, technical, and organizational
feasibility of the project. For instance, how is the project a
viable fit within the organization?
B. Explain how the project aligns to the organization’s strategic

goals utilizing the traceability matrix (in Mindedge).
C. Develop a project charter that includes a high-level scope of
what is to be accomplished.
D. Create a high-level timeline and cost estimate to complete
the project.
E. Identify the concerns of the internal and external key project
stakeholders.
F. Compare the level of support from all key project
stakeholders to inform the course of action resulting in success
of the project.
G. Complete the stakeholder analysis template.
Engineering: The Full Technical Report �
Engineering
The Full Technical Report
Technical reports are the primary written work products of
engineers. As
such, they present facts and conclusions about designs,
experiments, and
other projects. They include research about technical concepts
and often
include visual depictions of designs and data. A technical
report’s purpose
is for an engineer to communicate information gained through a
process
of technical or experimental work. Therefore, the writing

follows a strict
sequential process that is sometimes product driven, and which
can be
replicated exactly.
In the engineering workplace, readers of technical reports
include supervisors
assessing progress on specific projects or corporate officers
evaluating
professional recommendations and proposals to invest in new
technologies.
Usually, readers will have a technical or engineering
background, but it is your
responsibility as the report writer to explain the specifics of the
subject of your
experiment, process, or project.
The basic format of the technical report is applicable to most of
the writing you
will complete in your engineering classes. It, like most
scientific or technical
writing, should convey information in an objective, fact-based
manner–a style
that ensures technical information and processes that can be
relayed from
you to readers in a clear, efficient fashion. The most important
information in
technical reports is the steps you followed or the events that
occurred; your
opinions should not make their way into the text. The third
person, passive
voice is required since it allows you to write with more
objectivity and keeps
the emphasis of the writing on the processes you followed and
the products
you built, rather than on your experiences or role as a

technician.
Audience
Your immediate audience is the professor evaluating your
understanding
of theoretical concepts. Other real or imagined audiences
include fellow
students, engineering colleagues, or customers seeking
engineering services
or products.
Components of a Technical Report
The technical report is a kind of writing you will engage in
throughout your
academic and professional career. It should include the
following sections.
Title Page
The title should be brief and meaningful and describe the
contents of the
report. The title identifies the subject and indicates the purpose
of the study.
The title page includes the title, author’s name, course name
and number, lab
section number, instructor’s name, and is not numbered.
Executive Summary/Abstract
Engineering professors typically require either an Executive
Summary or an
Abstract with technical reports, but not both. The executive
summary should
give a concise and clear overview of the entire laboratory
experiment or topic
to be discussed and should be the main explanation of the entire
A technical report’s purpose

is for an engineer to
communicate information
gained through a process
of technical or experimental
work.
The technical report is
a kind of writing you will
engage in throughout your
academic and professional
career.
A Brief Overview of Technical Reports
Need help distinguishing
between passive and active
voice? See our handout at
www.gvsu.edu/wc.
www.gvsu.edu/wc
report. Readers should be able to gain all necessary information
from the
Executive Summary and sometimes will read only this part. It
should be
written in the third person, passive voice, and past tense
because it explains
work already done.
Introduction
This section provides a context for the work discussed in the
report.
Therefore, it:

Defines the experiment/work performed.
Defines the scientific purpose or objective for the experiment.
Includes a description of the problem and reasons for the work
being
done.
Gives sufficient background information to the report.
Must answer the questions: Why was this study performed?
What is
the specific purpose of the study?
Theory
This section is mostly embedded in the introduction, especially
if it is
simple and the paper is reporting a specific sub-task like a lab
experiment.
Theory explains the technical background of the work. It
usually includes
the mathematical equations, models, and formulae, as well as
the scientific
relations in its final forms, which governs the work, referenced
to its original
sources. If any derivations are required or needed to backup the
work,
they are detailed in the appendix and only the beginning and
final relations
are mentioned in this part, with reference to the appropriate
section in the
appendix. Any equations or models should be formatted and
numbered
according to the standards followed in technical writing.

Apparatus
This section lists all equipment and materials used in the
experiment. Be sure
to include identification labels of all equipment.
Experimental Setup
This section provides details of the setup needed to carry out
the experiment
or work. It could be a circuit diagram or a mechanical setup.
Experimental Procedure:
This section describes and explains the steps and process of the
experiment
in chronological order. You should:
Give detailed information in a paragraph structure that allows
the
reader to duplicate/repeat the experiment exactly.
Give the information in a step-by-step format.
Write mainly in the passive voice. For help distinguishing
between
active and passive voice, see our handout at
http://www.gvsu.edu/wc.
Sample Calculations
These are part of the results sections. Calculations are usually
based on
equations and mathematical relations which should have been
mentioned
earlier in the “Theory” section. If few calculations are
performed, they can be
included in this section. If calculations are repetitive and in
large numbers,
only one sample of each type should be included in this section

and the rest
can either be performed electronically with results tabulated in
the appendix
or can be done manually in the appendix. Final results should be
summarized
in this section with reference to the work in the appendix if
need be.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A Good Executive
Summary/Abstract
will Include:
The overall purpose of the
experiment or principal objectives.
The problem to be studied.
Experimental methods and
materials used.

Main results.
Main conclusions.
For more assistance in writing an
abstract, see our handout at http://
www.gvsu.edu/wc.
•
•
•
•
•
Numerical data should be
included in graphs or tables
to provide the best possible
information about the real
situation.
cwang135
Typewritten Text
Sometimes people use "Background" as the section title.
cwang135
Typewritten Text
cwang135
Typewritten Text
Sometimes people use "Methodology" as a big title to include
the sections: "Apparatus", "Experimental Setup", and

"Experimental Procedure".
cwang135
Typewritten Text
cwang135
Typewritten Text
Sometimes, this is included in the "Results and Discussion"
section.
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Results and Discussion
The results to the technical report should be analyzed,
interpreted and stated
clearly. The use of figures and tables usually incorporated
should have labels
referenced in the text and fully explained and interpreted. Any
errors should
be discussed and explained with regards to how they occurred
and how they
affected the conclusion. An error analysis is usually an essential
part of the
discussion and provides a comparison to expected results. Data
presented as
results should be well organized. Numerical data should be
included in graphs
or tables to provide the best possible information about the real
situation. This
section should answer the questions:
What do the results clearly indicate?

What was discovered?
What is the significance of the results?
Are the results fully discussed and conclusions drawn based on
the
knowledge gained?
How did errors occur?
Did any of the errors affect the conclusion of the
experiment/study?
Conclusion
This section should briefly summarize the significant results of
the
experiment. The conclusion:
Must answer any questions raised in the introduction regarding
what
was shown, discovered, verified, proved, or disproved.
Must explain why the experiment is significant.
Must explain the implications for your particular field of study.
Should not include discussion of new information not already
mentioned in the report.
Appendices
Useful information too lengthy to fit within the body of the
paper is placed in
an appendix. Typically appendices are used for long
mathematical formulas
and complete sets of data such as tables or figures. All

appendices should
be referenced within the text of the report; items in the
appendices should be
arranged in the order in which they are mentioned in the report
itself.
Prompts for Writing Consultations
Does the abstract summarize the point of the paper? The
problem?
The methods used? The results?
Do the paragraphs within a section flow in a logical order?
Do the ideas in each section flow from general to specific, big
picture
to small?
Does the report show readers how an experiment was conducted
or
how a process was completed?
Are the results written about so clearly that the process could be
replicated exactly?
Does the thesis sentence look similar to: “The purpose of this
report
is . . .?” (In engineering writing, it should!)
Are tables, figures, and diagrams (usually in an appendix) fully
interpreted and understandable? Can readers grasp the
significance
of tables and graphs?
•
•

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Notes on Voice and Tone
Good writing in engineering adheres
to the following principles:

Stay objective. Eliminate opinions
and (“I think” or “I feel”) from
your writing so that the emphasis
remains on the technical and
scientific processes and facts.
Remain mostly in the third person,
passive voice. Doing so keeps your
writing looking/sounding objective
and helps you to put emphasis on
processes and things, rather than
on yourself as a technician or
scientist. (Writing tip: do a search
for “I,” “me,” and “my” in your
report. If you find those words, see
if you can rework the sentences
so that the emphasis is not on
you, but rather on the science and
technology under discussion.)
Use past tense and present tense
appropriately. Use past tense to
describe things that have already
happened, and use present tense to
indicate those things that are still
occurring. (Future tense is rarely
used in technical reports, because
reports focus mainly on work that
has been completed or that is in
progress.)
State clear facts precisely and avoid
flowery language.
For the most part, eliminate
adverbs and adjectives, which can

interfere with the precise, clear,
and straightforward writing needed
to communicate technical and
scientific processes.
•
•
•
•
•
cwang135
Typewritten Text
Don't forget the "References" section before the "Appendices"
section if references are used.
Are tables, figures, and diagrams (usually in an appendix)
appropriately labeled and referred to within the text?
Does the writer maintain objectivity? Is the paper free of
editorializing–”I think,” “I feel”? Is the report free of most
adverbs and
adjectives?
Is the writing clear and well-edited? (Keep in mind that passive
voice
is preferred when it allows the writer to maintain objectivity
and avoid

using the first person.)
•
•
•
*Much of the information in this guide has been drawn from
Professor Nael Barakat’s “Technical Writing Guidelines.”
**Writing technical information: equations, references, general
rules for labeling...etc! Refer to the handout “Technical Writing
Guidelines.”
1
Style Guide for Technical Report Writing
The following advice was given by Dr. Sabri Tosunoglu,
Department of Mechanical Engineering at Florida
International University, to senior design teams on writing
senior design reports:
General
Your goal as an engineer is to write technical reports that are
formal, logically organized and easy to
read and understand.
Normally the reader does not know anything about your report.
You need to explain what you have
done step by step in a logical sequence.

Title should capture the essence in a few words.
Abstract should describe the entire work in a few hundred words
(usually one paragraph).
Use formal language and prefer the tone used in textbooks.
Even the opinions should be stated in a
formal, neutral tone.
Make sure sentences are structured correctly and each sentence
has a meaning and a message. If a
sentence does not read well or is cumbersome, do not hesitate to
rewrite it.
Avoid long sentences. Even if they are logically correct, the
meaning gets lost when too many phrases
and conditions are put together.
Make sure that your report (or anything you write as an
engineer) is free of grammatical errors. Even a
simple grammatical error will distract the reader, reflect poorly
on you, and you will lose credibility in
the eyes of the reader.
Do not use phrases such as:
I did this, we did that
Let’s talk about this
Like (prefer “such as”)
Avoid simplifications in formal writing; for example:
Avoid “don’t,” use “do not”
Avoid “didn’t,” use “did not”
Avoid “won’t,” use “will not,” and so on.
Write as if all the work has been completed even if it is not the

case yet. Revision of such manuscript will
be much simpler than the one which describes everything in
future tense and vague.
2
Figures
Figure numbers and figure titles should appear below the
figures.
Example:
FIGURE GOES HERE
Figure 12. Layout of the designed system
Use the same style consistently throughout the report. Use the
same font, size, capitalization, style in all
figures.
Refer to each figure in the text by saying, for example, this is
illustrated in Figure 12. We can also say
that Figure 12 shows the designed system, or sometimes we can
say something about the system (See
Figure 12).
Avoid referencing a figure by indicating its location as “above”
or “below” the text - since figures and
text move as a document is developed. For instance, do not use
“as shown in Figure 10 above, or this is
illustrated in Figure below.” Simply refer to Figure 10 wherever
it may be.

Make sure each axis has a title and a unit in every chart.
Font size in figures should be selected carefully so that each
character used in a figure is legible.
If a figure is borrowed from another source, it must be clearly
indicated within the text and in the figure
title:
FIGURE GOES HERE
Figure 16. Engineering drawing of the final system [9]
The above example indicates that the figure is borrowed from
reference numbered 9.
Tables
Table number and title should appear above the figure.
Example:
Table 8. Specifications for alternate designs [26]
TABLE GOES HERE
Use the same style consistently. Use the same font, size,
capitalization, style in all tables.
Text may refer to the table by mentioning that alternate designs
are evaluated in Table 8. Alternately,
one may provide a summary of evaluations in Table 8.
Make sure that units are given if numerical data are provided.
Include additional notes in the bottom
row for clarification, if necessary.

3
If the contents are borrowed from another source, reference
number should be included in the title as
shown by [26].
Consistency
Be precise and not vague.
Use the guidance provided above so that senior design reports
have a common structure as far as
formatting and content go.
Apply the selected format consistently throughout the report.
This applies to the font type, font size,
margins, figure and table titles, and references.
Copy-and-paste = Plagiarism
Do NOT copy-and-paste from other sources as it may be
considered plagiarism. Online services detect
whether plagiarism is involved or not; you need to be very
careful not to tarnish your name. You can run
your report on TURNITIN (www.turnitin.com) and get a score.
Again, do NOT copy-and-paste others’ work which may include
tables, figures, equations, text, etc.
Always provide a reference when you refer to the others’ work.
This applies to text as well as figures and
tables - if used. It is strongly recommended that all material
used in a formal engineering document
including figures and tables be original, and not cut-and-paste
from other sources, which lowers the
originality of the work.

References
Show references as follows: This line of work has been
addressed by researchers since the 1950s [3]. A
detailed survey of the research work in this field is compiled by
a number of researchers as reported in
[4-6]. As stated by Johnson, derivation uses Newton’s first law
[8]. Several studies show this result [9-12,
16, 21]. Note that brackets contain the reference number(s) of a
paper or book listed at the end of your
report in a section called “References.”)
In the reference section, use the following format guidelines:
Journal Paper:
1. Name Lastname1, Name Lastname2, and Name Lastname3,
“Title of the Work,” ASME/IEEE
Transactions on Mechatronics, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 50-56, 2009.
Paper in Conference Proceedings:
2. Name Lastname1, Name Lastname2, and Name Lastname3,
“Title of the Work,” Proceedings of
the ASME Conference on Design, Vol. 1, pp. 50-56, Miami,
Florida, May 3-5, 2009.
Book:
3. Name1 Lastname1, and Name2 lastname2, Title of the Book,
Publishing Company, City, State, Year.
http://www.turnitin.com/
4
Avoid using internet links as references as they are very

unreliable and may disappear anytime. Any
unreachable reference lowers the quality of your report.
Note that Turnitin score gets worse as it detects more and more
links in a report.
Prefer textbooks (if applicable), journals (or transactions)
especially by well-known professional
organizations such as ASME and IEEE, conference proceedings
by ASME and IEEE.
Occasionally master theses and Ph.D. dissertations can also be
used as reference. As they are more likely
to be available online, they may be downloaded, reviewed,
utilized and listed in the list of references.
Again, use the same format and style in all reference items.
To add to Dr. Sabri Tosunoglu’s advice above, the followings
are some guidelines for formatting
equations.
Equations
It is recommended that equations are entered using equation
editor, for example, for MS Word, you can
use Insert->Equation on the top menu. It looks much
professional if entered this way.
The equations can either be inline, for example, � = �� (which
appear within a sentence), or standalone
(centered on its own line). For example:
“You can use the following wind power equation to calculate
the wind power available to you:
� = 1
2

��3, (1)
where ρ=1.205 kg/m3 is air density; A is the swept area of the
turbine blades (see figure below), and v is
the wind speed. Note: 1kg·m2/s3 = 1 watt.”
Equations are meant to read like sentences and, as such, are
punctuated accordingly. See Eq. (1).
For standalone equations that you want to reference, you can
number them, with the reference number
appearing inside parenthesis and right-justified on the same line
as the equation. See Eq. (1). The
equation number increases consecutively when you add more
equations in the text.
All of the variables (symbols) in an equation need to have been
previously defined or defined
immediately after the equation is presented. See Eq. (1).
Equations should be referenced within the text as “Eq. (1)” or
“Eqs. (2) and (3)” or “Eqs. (1-3)”. For
example, “See Eq. (1)”. When the reference to an equation
begins a sentence, it should be spelled out.
For example, “Equation (1) shows the wind power available to
you …”
5
Engineering equations are composed of symbols, not words. It
is unprofessional to write “word
equations” such as “Power = Current x Voltage”. It is also

unprofessional to use “x” or “*” for
multiplication, “^” or “**” for power.
Equations should appear in the same font and size as the text.
Use consistent style throughout the
report.
1
Before-class Preparation: Technical Communication
Use the following questions to guide your reading and
preparation for the iRAT/tRAT in lecture.
1. Pre-lecture reading: read the Textbook Chapter 12 "Oral
Presentations".
1) What are the four components that make up an oral
presentation?
2) In terms of “Content and Organization”, what are the three
main sections after the title slide?
How to use the simple rule of thumb “Tell them three times” in
the three main sections?
3) What four types of information should you consider include
in the main body part of your

presentation?
4) In terms of “Visual Aids”, how many slides should you
prepare, say, for a 10-minute
presentation?
5) What are the four main objectives of the “Speaker”? Explain
in one sentence for each. What
does “AMMA” stand for?
2. Pre-lecture reading: read the handout “Engineering: the Full
Technical Report”.
1) What are the sections commonly included in a technical
report?
2) What are the five principles you have to adhere regarding
voice and tone in a technical report
(page 3, red box on the right)? Explain in one sentence for each.
3. Pre-lecture reading: read the handout “Style Guide for
Technical Report Writing”.
1) To include figures in a technical report, where to put figure
number and title? What to pay
attention to in terms of axis label?
2) To include tables in a technical report, where to put table
number and title? What to pay
attention to if numerical data is provided?

3) Why “copy and paste” content from other sources to your
report is not allowed? When citing a
paper or a book in your main text, do you use parenthesis or
brackets to include the reference
number(s)? When formatting entries in the “References” section
at the end of your report, do
entries follow the same format based on different types of
sources (journal paper, conference
paper and book)?
4) How to format a standalone equation in terms of alignment,
punctuation? How to number
standalone equations? Do you use parenthesis or brackets for
equation reference number?
What are the rules for definitions of variables used in an
equation? What are some examples of
unprofessional ways of writing equations that you should avoid?
2
4. Pre-lecture homework: answer all questions above. First copy
each question then write down the
answer. Submit the homework to Blackboard and also bring in
the completed homework to the RAT
quiz to use as a cheat sheet.

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