Essential Communication Strategies: For Scientists, Engineers, and Technology Professionals / Edition 2

by Herbert Hirsch

Overview

Learn the tricks-of-the-trade of becoming a great technical communicator

Remember when you were an undergraduate and freshman composition seemed so irrelevant to your life? After all, you were going to conquer the world with technological know-how. Your spellcheck software would handle the details. Now that you're a professional - pitching an idea, vying for a contract or grant, or presenting at a meeting - getting your point across effectively suddenly seems pretty essential for success, doesn't it?

Fear not. This light-hearted text, brimming with proven techniques, good advice, and real-world examples that you can easily apply to your own case, will turn you into an adept communicator. Written expressly for technologists, this is a simple, concise, and practical guide to the communication dynamics of writing, presentation delivery, and meeting interaction.

Herbert Hirsch, in-demand consultant who developed these techniques for his own prolific engineering career, teaches you how to use "scripting" to plan for communication events. More than a mere outline or storyboard, scripting is a powerful technique that assists you in getting the right structure and content, in the proper order.

Using scripting, you will master the fundamental principles of communicating:

• How to grab the reader's or audience's attention from the start
• How to maintain the connection while proceeding smoothly from topic to topic
• How to provide the substantiation for the points you made
• How to communicate with people from other groups, such as marketers, investors, users, and others
• How to overcome such obstacles as fear, boredom, and aversion to your material

Distilling the art of communication to its essence, Essential Communication Strategies empowers you to communicate with confidence and authority in every situation, to every audience.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780471273172
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	12/16/2002
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.55(d)

About the Author

HERBERT L. HIRSCH began his career at Systems Research Laboratories (now part of Veridian Corporation) in Dayton, Ohio, and rose to the position of Senior Engineer. Mr. Hirsch has also served as an Engineering Group Leader for Quest Research Corporation, Director of Systems Engineering for Applications Research Corporation, Director of Engineering for Defense Technology, Inc., and Chief Engineer for MTL Systems, Inc. He has also authored and coauthored books on radar antenna simulation, statistical signal processing, hardware description languages, and electronic countermeasures. Mr. Hirsch currently operates his consulting business, Hirsch Engineering and Communications, Inc., from his home in Vandalia, Ohio.

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Table of Contents

Preface.

Preface to the First Edition.

Acknowledgments.

Introduction to the Art of Communication.

PART I: The Written Document-Prose and Panic.

Chapter 1: Planning the Document.

Making the Connection

Establishing the Flow

Providing the Reinforcement

Zero-Time Planning

Chapter 2: Acquiring a Healthy Writing Attitude.

Preparing to Write.

Anticipating the Readers' Needs.

Enthusiasm: Enjoying It and Avoiding Writer's Block.

Zero-Planning Attitude Adjustments: Theirs, Not Ours!

Chapter 3: Producing the Document.

Simplicity: Why Overcomplicate the Task?

Isolation: Get Away from the Interruptions.

Zero-Time Preparation Techniques: They Get What They Pay For!

PART II: The Formal Presentation-Dissertation or Disaster.

Chapter 4: Planning the Presentation.

Making the Connection.

Providing the Flow and Reinforcement.

Zero-Time Planning.

Chapter 5: Acquiring the Successful Presentation Attitude.

Preparing to Present.

Taking the Proper Precautions.

Developing a Healthy Indifference.

Zero-Planning Attitude Adjustments.

Chapter 6: Conducting the Presentation.

Poise.

Confidence.

Dignity.

Zero-Preparation Presenting.

Handling the Video Teleconference.

PART III: The Informal Discussion-Meetings and Mishaps.

Chapter 7: Planning for the Meeting.

Attending or Avoiding Meetings.

Filtering Meetings.

Planning the Meeting.

Zero-Time Planning.

Chapter 8: Acquiring a Meeting Attitude.

Preparing.

Anticipating the Unexpected.

Zero-Planning Attitude Adjustments.

Chapter 9: Participating in the Meeting.

Starting the Meeting.

Interacting in the Meeting.

Finishing the Meeting.

Zero-Preparation Techniques.

How to Plan and Conduct the Meeting Yourself.

PART IV: Cross-Culture Communication—Bridging the Gap.

Chapter 10: Understanding a Communication Culture Gap.

Negating Troublesome Differences.

Leveraging Useful Similarities.

Communicating Effectively.

Chapter 11: Writing for Any Readership.

Getting in Character.

Getting Back to the Basics.

Staying on Track.

Zero-Time Techniques.

Chapter 12: Presenting to Any Audience.

Planning for the Unknown.

Getting Acquainted.

Keeping Together.

Zero-Planning Techniques.

Chapter 13: Meeting with Anyone or Any Group.

Preparing for the Encounter.

Generating Comfort.

Making It Enjoyable for Everyone.

Zero-preparation Techniques.

Chapter 14: Conclusion.

Index.

About the Author.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"...light-hearted text combines proven techniques, advice, and real-world examples..." (Mechanical Engineering, May 15, 2003)

"...cheerily demystifies technical writing and presentation..." (American Scientist, September-October 2003)

"...a worthwhile book and I would recommend it to those looking to shore up their communications skills..." (Clinical Chemistry, Vol. 49, No. 12)

Editorial Reviews

"...light-hearted text combines proven techniques, advice, and real-world examples..." (Mechanical Engineering, May 15, 2003)

"...cheerily demystifies technical writing and presentation..." (American Scientist, September-October 2003)

"...a worthwhile book and I would recommend it to those looking to shore up their communications skills..." (Clinical Chemistry, Vol. 49, No. 12)

From the Publisher