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    Technical Communication !!

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    PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE. . SECOND EDITION Naa NCT GEE i™\ B-f8 é | RN clase MSR SVE a 2 wu OBJECTIVES } Introduction to Communication INTRODUCTION—IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION You should study the chapter | Communication is an activity or process of expressing ideas or feelings ‘to know + the nature and importance of ‘communication + how important English is in communication + what communication competence means + the role of self-concept and emotions in communication + why we communicate and the role of the audience when we communicate + cross-cultural communication differences + how language becomes a tool of communication + how to communicate effectively + the various modes of communication + how to correlate verbal and non-verbal communication + how general-purpose ‘communication is different from technical communication and of giving people information. The word ‘communication’ comes | “Brom the Latin word ‘communicare’, which means ‘to share’, ie. to | share information, ideas, and Knowledge between a sender and a receiver. | Communication has a central role in our lives. We spend a lot | of time communicating with others—relatives, friends, colleagues, | employers, or even unknown people. We have various social needs, such as pleasure, affection, inclusion, relaxation, etc., which can be falfilled by communicating with others. | Communication is essential for the existence of our society and | it plays a prominent role in the functioning of different professional organizations. In fact, communication has a vital role to play in | today’s technical and professional world as it helps people seek required information and take important decisions. Further, research shows that communication skills directly affect the success of both job seekers and employees. Apart from the technical skills required for | a particular job, one must have effective communication skills to get optimum results at the workplace. It has been observed that most of the conflicts in any professional setup are generated due to miscommunication. By developing effec- tive communication skills, professionals can establish a good relation- ship with each other and thus avoid 5 3.4 eommunieaton’ misunderstandings. It would not be an comer from the Latin word | exaggeration to say that organizations — ‘communicare’,whichmeanst0 | function through communication; with- share, ie, to share information, ideas, and knowledge between a sender anda receiver: | ‘out communication there would not be any organization. 4 | Technical Communication 4 ; _ With the phenomenal dev “There is a great difference | Importance of Communicating in English In today’s technology-driven world, it is impossible to achieve success in one’s academic fessional career without adequate proficiency in English. English is now the my. or pro! fet ance widely used language in a ‘Surel May! suggest EY ‘Aint no way Yall you avoid double large number of workplace, rou se ha negatives and don't in India. It is also the most if fon it to use an English real good! ene common language used by speakers of different languag. es around the world, “In India, great importance is given to English language learning in educational insti. tutions at various levels. The increasing importance of Eng )/ | ‘h e é lish has led several employer, to recruit people with a good command over English for operations that involve. communicating with both national and international clients. Several companies invest heavily in training their employees in soft skills or workplace Skills, which includes the ability to isten, speak, read, and write fluently in Engl iage skills they expect their recruits to possess anc they find a gap in the type of language skill c ) ing taught at universities. Of course, fat be- realizing the demand for English at workplaces, several Indian universities have included col nurses such as English skills, business English, technical English, or professional English in their. Curriculum, though the teaching technique differs ‘from one university to another. It is i forms such as meetings, facetoface and telephonic ‘writen forms suchas leters, memos, emails, aid circulars, All these forms require the use of appropriate expressions in English so that the m: Ssage is direct, precise, and clear. The Sune requirement arises while interacting with clients and customers, managing conflicts, delivering project Presentations, a orts and prop briefing project teams, or drafting reports an conversations, and negotiations, and in knowing English and being | able to speak it and listen to English and comprehending it As India moves up the value | chain and moves into the | knowledge process domain, | English language skil is going | to be more necessary’ Rod Pryde, British minister for | Lanka, in an interview to Indo Asian ‘News Agency (IANS) in 2008 Calturol Affoirs in India and Sri | paragraphs, than technical kn, elopment of the World Wide Web, the importance of English has increased manifold. For today’s students and professionals, the Internet has become the most important source of information and as well as medium of communicat Again, English is the most widely used language over the Internet. Besides enabling success in education and career, proficiency in ‘onships. It has been observed that people write English well have an edge over others ¥ in a team or to their teachers or bosses, require more of communicative competence, discussed in the following ow how, Introduction to Communication | 5 Communication Competence Communication competence isthe ability to express views in an effective manner, enabling d enhance relationships. Communication competence is situationa ay be very skillful in interacting with peers but less proficient mieracting with older or younger people. = a Competent behaviour varies a lot with people and situations, it is a misconception ommunication competence is an taherent personal quality. A person may be very Broficient in some aspects of communication and less proficient in others. However, this i a quality that can be developed. SS a On the other hand, merely possessing a large array of communication skills in not a guarantee of communication competence. To develop such competence, one must acquire the ability to choose the most appropriate behaviour in a given situation, because what is appropriate for one person may not be appropriate for another. ‘Communication competence “Moreover, an effective communicator must have empathy—the ability is the ability to express | to understand an issue from another’s point of view. Commitment to the views in an effective manner, | relationship i i fact, people who show iablg one vo achiee pal ip is an equally important factor. In fact, peop! and enhance relationships. concern about a relationship communicate better than those who do not care for maintaining relationships. Communication and the Self-concept Our self-concept is the opinion each of us hold about ourselves. It includes opinions about our physical features, talents, our likes and dislikes. Selfesteem is an important element of self-concept. People having high self-esteem communicate more openly. Now let us see the relationship between communication and development of the ‘selP. Our identity arises from our personal experiences in dealing or ‘An individual's self-concept | communicating with the society. Gradually, this helps in developing our is the core of his personality. | self-concept. A friend, a teacher, or even an acquaintance could contribute Ie affects every aspect of | +. how we view ourselves. However, it has been noticed that when we human behaviour: the ability 7 7 to learn, the capacity o grow | grow older, the influence of others is less effective. As we grow older, our and change.A strong, positive | self-concept affects the role we play in the society, based on our beliefs self-image is the best possible | and perceptions, These beliefs are reflected in the way we communicate preparation for success in | with people around us, For example, a person who has a favourable self- Hite concept will communicate very confidently even in unfamiliar situations and with new people. Dr Joyce Brothers Role of Emotions in Communication You may have observed that even people who are usually very proficient in communic: seem unable to express themselves properly at times. Have you ever wondered why? It is because they allow their emotions to overpower their rational mind. When a person is overwhelmed by emotions, the part of the brain controlling higher reasoning shuts down, thus hindering the communication capabilities of the individual. Usually, when people face a tricky situation, they become defensive. In such situations, they mostly keep silent as they think they are not being respected. But silence is not always the best approach; it always pays to put forth one’s views in a courteous manner. 6 | Technical ‘Communication sation because they allow their emotions to take contro), in convel . People often Sempre reasons like feeling threatened by recnsanel stature, being ‘These emotions ae jonal accent or shortcomings, worrying about not aving Prepared conscious of one Tet itis impossible to keep our emotions at bay, but itis possi), adequately, etc. Jatig a hen we are presenting to an oxen Aas the first time, to overct . . e. a a Emotions are we may be overwhelmed by the fear of being on stag ly way we can nothing but | ‘overcome it is by practice. If we allow that fear to get the better of us the first time, strong feelings. | Ov forever have to live with the ghosts of ths Ben a ; In professional interactions it is quite important to contro, ay ee a a ove to achieve the given objective. To successfully communicate, you ne tthe Polat of view of other people, especially those who are easily overpowered y Sa om ring the conversation. On the other hand, if one is too emotional, it is very ee eee a ow to control emotions and not let them interfere in rational decision-making. See e section on emotional outburst under ‘Interpersonal Barriers’ in Chapter 2. Ww BASICS OF COMMUNICATION ‘ Communication comes naturally to human beings, and therefore does oe require an extra effort to lear. However, many problems crop up because of ineffective communication, Communication can become ineffective if the timing is wrong, if the place is inappropriate, or if the receiver is not in the proper frame of reference. Whether its olor wil communicants always better to structure the contents of yourn message. For example, if itis a presentation, structure it with an appropriate introduction, a main body, and a conclusion. If it is a letter, structure it according to the type of letter .itis. Whenever there is a message to be conveyed, choose clear and consistent words and sentences. For the correct interpretation of a message, it is very important to choose the correct medium of communication, Consider the example of a face-to-face communication with One's superior versus passing on the same information through a piece of paper. In this context, the note bears a wrong connotation because the medium itself is wrong. It would be interpreted as an attempt to slight one’s boss by not passing on the information in person. Such mistakes have a fair chance of. infuriating the intended recipient. These factors are greaily dependent on the audience or the receiver with whom you are communicating. Therefore, formulate your message according to the audience and purpose of communication, wy PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE Before we start communicatin » We should ask ourselves; “ all forms of communication, such ‘as meetings, ters, reports, proposals, etc., itis important that we ask this question, We should understand whether we need to inform, to Persuade, to entertain, to tain, or to sae ne ot is not clear in our minds, it cannot be clear to our audience, A Statement xf =. one describes what we want to accomplish, but also helps us know at the end ft rae, a i whether I has been achieved. The purpose can be claitad yen ote Tere rad categories: 1g?” For Presentations, speeches, conversations, let- Introduction to Communication | 9 Technology Technology includes scientific and these are all essnta! pa communication technology, framework of urban Indi.” icmake-up, invention, communication media, urbanization, etc. 5 of culture. For example, with the growth of information and we have seen a tremendous change in the social and cultural Social organization Social orgen stich iy ani ~ cee ian imporant clement of clare cmt of scl insane culture of a nation, For ae Ips, aa status systems, etc. All these elernents constitute the Mascon tit For insane, maintaining ee contact wil senior daring convertion inthe Woke nr Ms in our culture until afew years ago. However, allthis i changing Fae erefesional wodd. Most organizations ae adopting 2 corporat cute that might Laks come fie to get oneselhaquainted with, In most multinational companies itis okay to p ne’s senior with his/her first name. It is an American tradition, and does not show disrespect or over-familiarity like we think it does. So, one must be cognizant of the various hidden conventions that are prevalent in the professional world. Significance of Understanding Culture There are different cultural groups in the world with different patterns of behaviour, religions, languages, politics, values and norms, etc. Thus, the same action is interpreted differently in different nations, For example, ‘thumbs up’ in America means approval, but considered vulgar in Iran and Ghana (see the PowerPoint presentation on body language in the accompanying DVD). This makes clear the importance of understanding different cultures. However, when we cross cultural boundaries, we carry our own culture with us. We must understand that our own cultural context cannot be used to judge the standards of another. It is imperative to give importance to another culture and not to judge others’ behaviour according to our own cultural values. Conducting international business requires a good understanding of the concepts of business negotiations and ethics. Understanding varying business cultures and different values of management and behaviour is important for success in the international market. Familiarity with the different business practices of different nations aids in sustaining successful business relations. \VAAncuace as ATOOL OF COMMUNICATION Language employs a combina~ tion of words to communicate ideas in a meaningful way. By | changing the word order in | Languages arose out of the human need to communicate. It is a wellestablished fact that effective communication is made possible with the help of language. One does not have to be a linguist in order to acquire good language skills. However, a basic knowledge of the theory of language will certainly help to understand the intricacies of writing and speaking clearly. In this section, let us look at some of the basic features of language ‘When we try to define language, the first thing that comes to mind is a sentence, one can change | words. Language is a system of words and sounds to communicate ideas its meaning, and even make it meaningless. in a meaningful way. By changing the word order in a sentence, one can change its meaning, or even make it meaningless. ww 10 | Technical Communication -d that the because people have agreed that the symbols (y, Most words evoke certain me: : S sa Fosely related to people cannot ea represent specific meanings. Saniversil it cannot be dose isolation. Of course, though it is acce] ted that lan; see = sano be den ithe FEF alko specific to individuals. Our use of language T° y and gives insight into our thinking. Characteristics of Lan; : ; rates, When you think of any event, innumerable language ope! cies a el For intance, when you think of your Grst oral presentation, the dimly lit room, the podium, and your oyn pictures come to yo you recall the audience's expressions, nervousness. : , ; images in our minds. These memories of our ex. se

    petence of individuals depends on several factors, one of the important ones being a person's self-ct Y 28 | Technical Communication EXERCISES 1. State whether the following statements are true or J. false. Justify your answer in about 100 words each. Y 2G) Communication in an organization means sharing of thoughts, ideas, feelings, and emotions. v XQ) There is no difference between general-purpose ‘communication and technical communication. <6) Your communication will be very effective if you use impressive vocabulary and correct grammar, (@ Oral communication is more advantageous than written communication as you can clarify your point after observing the response of the receiver. (€) Since language is recursive in nature, the user can produce innumerable sentences. 46) Technical knowledge, even without communication skills,can make you a successful manager. (@) The message sent is not always the same as the message received, (h) You must be assertive in your communication, () Proxemics play a prominent role in communication. 2. Answer the following questions in about 200 words each, (@) Compare the features of external and internal communication. (©) Explain the role of eye contact in communication, (©) What do you understand by LSRW? (@) What are the four different s; —s Pace zones according 0 Mall ‘Why is communication important in an organization? “4 foefine communication competence. What a the characteristics of communication competence? 5, Give the etymology of the word ‘communication’. Ex- plain with appropriate examples the basics of commu- nication. What is non-verbal communication? Do you think you can manage any communication situation just with ive situational examples. 6 non-verbal cues? a: What factors will you bear in mind while commu- nicating with people of a different cultural or ethnic background? Is it more likely to have communication saps with them than with someone from your own background? How would you overcome these gaps? # s8/4xplain various modes of communication. What is the basis of categorizing them? 9. Provide some tips for effective communication, . ‘Communication is considered as the backbone of an ‘organization! Keeping in mind the above statement, throw some light on the importance of effective professional com- munication skills. Discuss the meries and demerits of assertive commu nication with suitable examples Project: Discuss characteristics of language with your ‘ends and collect more examples to illustrate thers Basics of Technical Communication ITRODUCTION In the academic environment, we encounter various situations involving speech or writing: conversation with friends, professors, or colleagues to achieve various purposes; seminars, group discussions, written tests, and examinations; and laboratory or project report submissions on diverse topics. Likewise, at the workplace, we interact with superiors and subordinates, converse with them face-to-face or over the telephone, and read and write emails, letters, reports, and proposals. All these activities have a common denominator—the sharing of information. For example, when you request your professor to explain a concept you could not understand very well in class, you transmit the information to him/her that you need some clarification. Now, the professor receives this information, understands it, and responds by giving an explanation which clears your doubt. If you are satisfied with this explanation, you thank the professor and the communication comes to an end. If you are still in doubt, you once again request clarification, and the process continues. This } — involving the transmission and intercl of ideas, facts, feeling | courses of action is known as the process of communication. We eve get, or share information with others during this process. Whether the communication is oral or written, this process essentially remains the same, When one becomes a part of any organization, one needs to communicate, and communicate effectively. No organization can mn. All: the activities an_organization und have communication at their hub. The better our_ coinmmunicanon Skil. the greater ae our chances of quick progress. However skilful one may be in other aspects such as work, knowledge, thoughts, and organization, without proper communication, those are Yv 48 | Technical Communication ‘ic record, of little use. For instance, though you may have an excellent mee eats not be successful in an interview if you are not able to eee oe ree eh on the other side of the table. It has been observed that pee ae SFG very reason careers generally have excellent communication skills, whi ee ee their success. Most of this is technical communication, so let us technical communication plays in an organization. UCOBJECTIVE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION * To provide organized information that aids in quick decision-making * To invite corporate joint ventures , ¢ To disseminate knowledge in oral or written form Let us take an example of a customer who has bought a washing machine and does no know how to use it. The customer reads the instructions in the user manual and gradual learns to operate the washing machine without any assistance. This is an example 0 successful technical communication. When you are confused about which camera to buy the salesperson explains all the technical features of each model to you. If that helps in your buying decision, it is successful technical communication again. Technical communication has to be correct, accurate, clear, appropriate, and to the point. Correct information is objective information. The language should be clear and easy to understand. If the communication is through a user manual for a phone, remember that People will usually never use it unless they are stuck. And if they are stuck, they will look for instant information to solve their problem. The information must be brief and arranged sequentially so that it is easy for a user to find relevant information. It is also vital that the technical information provided in the manual be accurate, PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION For sharing information, two parties are re whom communication, which is lime, one is active and the other quired—the sender and the receiver—without an interactive process, cannot take place. At any given oe e is passive. However,.this is not sufficient; there should cooperation and understanding between them. Through what they have to communicate, the sender and receiver mutually i mutually accepted code of sj i ‘Communication can be defined | comm apfony 8 the exchange ofiformation, | gy Thowdede fan Be defined as the exchange of information, ideas, Ideas, and knowledge between | code are ake between a sender and a receiver ‘ough an accepied Seen | - fective only when the receiver receives embol y the sender in the — ation, Basics of Technical Communication | 47 Communication environment Channelimedia | Message Sent Racelved Gs ag__Messtoe encoded message iso message ‘decoded (External! internal) Response Feedback Figure 3.1 The process of communication JZ€ommunication Cycle Consider the communication process shown in Figure 3.1. The communicat various elements, as discussed in the following paragraphs. The first step is formulation, wherein the sender forms the content of the message to be sent. This formulation depends on the level of experience, intelligence, knowledge, and purpose of the sender. The content, once formed, is called the message, The sender encodes the message using a basic fool. This tool is nothing but the language ‘used—words, actions, signs, objects, or a combination of these. Once encoded using proper language, the message is ready to be delivered. This delivery happens through channels or media of communication. Tt can be face-to-face, on paper, or through electronic or digital media such as the Internet. ‘The réceiver receives the message, decodes it, and acts on it If the message received is the same as the message sent, there will be an appropriate response; if not, there will still be a response, but probably an inappropriate or unexpected one, as there has been a breakdown or interference in the communication. This may happen because of noise, which has been discussed in detail in Chapter 2. Noise affects the decoding part of the communication process. ‘The transmission of the receiver’s response to the sender is called feedback. Feedback is essential, as it measures the effectiveness ‘of communication. When a message is sent, the communication cycle is complete only when there is a response from the recipient of the message. Otherwise, the message needs to be resent. When a response is received, the message has been successfully delivered to the other party. For example, you put up a notice asking the members of your student council to attend a meeting on a specified date, at a particular time, at the location mentioned. On the day of the meeting, you find that some of them have come while the others have not tumed up. In this case you have obtained both positive and negative responses to your message. However, since you have got some 5 feedback, the communication process is complete. You also know that it | ‘How well we communicate | has been effective, at least from your side. Hence, to know whether the peda ‘pot by how | communication has been successful or not, there must be some feedback, buchow | nich is nothing but an observation of the recipient's response. The communication is fully effective only when there is a desired response from the receiver. tion cycle involves 48 | Technical Communication Effective communication takes place in a well-defined setup. This is called the ‘communication environment. A classroom is the communication environment when a teache; delivers lectures to students. If such a communication is attempted without a proper environment, it will not have the desired effect. Similarly, a teacher’s cubicle becomes the communication environment when a student privately approaches the teacher. Thus, the essentials of effective communication are as follows: © A well-defined communication environment # Cooperation between the sender and the receiver ‘ Selection of an appropriate channel * Correct encoding and decoding of the message * Feedback LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION Having understood the communication process, let us now study the various levels at which human communication takes place: ‘© Extrapersonal # Interpersonal © Intrapersonal © Organizational © Mass Extrapersonal Communication Communication between human beings and non-human entities is _extrapersonal. For example, when your pet dog comes to you wagging its tail as soon as you return home from work, it is an example_of extrapersonal communication. A parrot responding to your greeting is another example. More than any other form, this form of communication requires perfect coordination and understanding between the sender and the receiver because at least one of them transmits information or responds in sign language only. Intrapersonal Communication Intrapersonal communication takes place within an individual. We know that the brain is linked to all 0 all parts of the body by an electrochemical . responding to insractons sen fam the bain othe hand. In this case Ue een coe tke sender, the electrochemical impulse i the message, and th brain’ Seemann > brain < » 1¢ brain is th Next, agsumes the role of sender and sends the feedback that you should switch on th? io Process. This kind of communication pertains ‘on Processing. Without such internal dialogue, 0" which is the basis of informat (©) Explain ‘flow of communication’, Illustrate it with examples from the existing communication patterns in your college/institute. (a) What is grapevine? Is it always harmful? If not, why? vé ‘What do you understand by the term technical com- munication? How is it different from general-purpose communication? 3, Human communication takes place at different levels. How can you distinguish between intrapersonal and interpersonal communication? 4, What are the characteristics of mass communication? Explain the term gatekeeper. 5, What are the various modes of communication flow in an organization? What is upward flow and what is the purpose of this mode in an organization? 6. Which communication is more important for an or- ganization: formal or informal? Why? 7. How can visual aids enhance technical communica- tion? What points should be borne in mind while using visual aids? 8, State whether the following statements are true or false. Justify your answer in 100 words each. Basics of Technical Communication | 71 da Communication in an organization means sharing of thoughts, ideas, feelings, and emotions. WBF There is no difference between general-purpose communication and technical communication. MF Your communication will be very effective if you use impressive vocabulary and correct grammar. (@) Oral ‘communication is more advantageous than written communication as you can clarify your point after observing the response of the receiver, fechnical knowledge,even without communication skills, can make you a successful manager. () The message received is not always the same as the message sent. 9, Project: Visit a few organizations (academic institu- tions/business enterprises/industries) and determine the communication patterns existing there. Classify them into oral and writen categories.Allso figure out the direction in which these flow. Prepare a two-page report on each of your visits. uM Sis ' INTRODUCTION ——— Now that we have understood the important skills of listening, spea- king, and reading, we will now tur our attention to writing skills, with a main focus on technical writing. When professionals, such as_doctors, engineers, Scientists, and technocrats, write for their Siganzation, not only do they require technical expertise but also good writing skills. Tt is an art to explain technical subjects to both technical and non-technical audiences. One must not confuse formal communication with technical writing; however, technical writing is a subset of formal communication that requires in-depth technical knowledge. Its significance lies in the fact that it presents highly technical information to the audience in a very comprehensible form. This is a very challenging task, as technical descriptions require to be accurate and precise, and there is great scope for misinterpretation in such writing, which would defeat the very purpose of technical writing. If we are not able to clearly put across the results of our important research or study, due to poor technical report writing skills, it would all be a wasted effort. *‘Tthas been observed that non-native users of the English language struggle when it comes to technical writing, mainly because they consider the expression in their mother tongue while writing it in English. Some examples of such poor writing which can be misinterpreted are as follows: Beware of our brand. (instead of ‘buy only our brand.’) A flexible computer (instead of a versatile computer) “Tender ight (instead of soft light) big speed (instead of high speed) ‘Technical_writings include manuals, online help, instructions, reports, proposals, and various forms of letters. A_technical writer ‘need not always be an expert in the subject. However, possessing ~ 316. | Technical Communication is an added advantage. [tis like being knowledge on the particular subject is an a _ SEIN adh a ae “ff the vehicle. Technical writers accumulate infor "ier hho also knows the ics : who also knows the mechanics 0! TT use their expertise of writing to put — from technical experts, organize the data, and’ VS the information to the readers. Hence, they require good command over the. languags, “ effective writing style, and an understanding of the techniques of communication, Importance ; ; ald A basic understandiny of technical writing might prove vi ‘

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