Chapter 4 Engineering Communications PREP004 – Introduction to Applied Engineering College of Engineering - University of Hail Fall 2009

Communication Skills  Interpersonal – –Engineering today is more about teamwork. –i.e. working on projects within multidisciplinary teams and groups (including different specialties in engineering, financial, marketing etc..). –Communication skills are essential for your engineering career.

Communication Skills  Written –When working on engineering projects, you will need to communicate the results of your team in technical words and means. –These should be clearly understood by your peers engineers and your management (may be from different horizons).

Communication Skills –Why?  Engineers write proposals. They need to convince people to spend money on their projects.  These “shopping lists” may be read by their immediate boss, the president of the company, etc.  Engineers also write reports when a design change is needed or to explain a failure.

Part 1 - Report writing  To your organization`s Management  To your peers Engineers  To your clients or customers

Contents of Engineering Reports  Appropriate cover page  Title page  Abstract  Table of contents  Body  Conclusions and recommendations  Appendices

Appropriate cover page The report will be contained in a cover which binds the pages. Title page The title page announces your report to the reader. As an announcement, it should be descriptive of the report content and understandable to the general reader. Engineering Reports

Title page  HAIL UNIVERSITY  Faculty of Engineering,  Department of :....  Project Title : ………..  Your full name : …………  Supervisor’s name : ………  Date : ………….. Engineering Reports

Abstract.  A brief paragraph indicating the purpose and results of the effort being reported, the abstract is used primarily for archiving so that others can decide quickly if they want to obtain the complete report. Engineering Reports

Body  This is the principal section of the report. It begins with an introduction to activities, including problem identification, background material, and the plan for attacking and solving the problem. If tests were conducted, research completed, and surveys undertaken, the results are recounted and their significance is underscored. Engineering Reports

Conclusions and recommendations  This section gives the reason for conducting the study and explains the purpose of the report.  It explains what you now believe to be true as a result of the work discussed in the body and what you recommend to be done about it.  You must lay the groundwork earlier in the report, and at this point you must sell your idea. Engineering Reports

Appendices Any data supplementary to the main ideas of the report may be placed in an appendix. Any type of information may be placed in an appendix if it is relevant, provided it is referred to in the main report. Engineering Reports

Part 2 - Communication Skills  Oral and Electronic Presentation - –For the same reasons as listed for written skills, oral and electronic presentation skills are needed. –The use of presentation software and hardware can vastly improve the effectiveness of an engineer’s report. –This is especially important with regard to concurrent engineering.

What can you do to make a good presentation First, you must be prepared. First, you must be prepared. Standing. Standing. Look at your audience and maintain eye contact. Look at your audience and maintain eye contact. Project your voice by consciously speaking to the back row. Project your voice by consciously speaking to the back row. Speak clearly. Speak clearly. The quality of your graphic displays often can influence the opinion of your audience. The quality of your graphic displays often can influence the opinion of your audience.

PREP004 – Introduction to Applied Engineering, College of Engineering, UoH15 Thank you Any Questions ?