Technical Communication (Autumn 2019)

Abstract

This course gives an introduction to technical communication. It will focus on designing different forms of communication (writing, presenting orally, graphic design) correctly, effectively, and convincingly. There will be a theoretical introduction to the importance and principles of technical communication together with several individual and group based practical exercises.

Description

Efficient and convincing communication will play a deciding role whether you get a job, a promotion, or whether you win a grant. Communication is also an integral part in technical jobs or in research: You will spend at least 20 percent of your time on communication, work in a team or lead a team yourself, or translate technical insights for a general audience or for management. In such a setting, poor communication can lead to major financial losses or even to serious catastrophes costing human lives.

In this course the student will gain an understanding of why technical communication is important, and how technical information is communicated clearly, efficiently, and convincingly to a specific audience. In particular, the course will cover the following subjects:

1. Challenges and failures of communication 
2. Importance and principles of technical communication
3. Rhetoric principles
4. Team-based communication
5. Audience analysis and subject research
6. Communicating correctly, effectively, and convincingly
7. Designing and delivering persuasive technical presentations
8. Text design and reviewing, evaluating, testing documents and websites
9. Summarizing research findings, communication for web and social media
10. Translating research findings for a general audience
11. Writing definitions, documentation and instructions
12. Writing reports and proposals
13. Writing CVs and application materials
14. Information design with figures, tables, and graphs

Formal prerequisites

The course is only open to BSc Data Science fifth semester. Moreover, the student must meet the admission requirements of the IT University.

Intended learning outcomes

After the course, the student should be able to:

• Write correctly and efficiently a technical/professional document for a specific audience.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of graphically designed information in a technical context.
• Design a persuasive technical presentation for a specific audience.
• Communicate collaboratively in a team setting.

Learning activities

14 weeks of teaching consisting of lectures and exercises

1. Challenges and failures of communication
2. Importance and principles of technical communication
3. Rhetoric principles
4. Team-based communication
5. Audience analysis and subject research
6. Communicating correctly, effectively, and convincingly
7. Designing and delivering persuasive technical presentations
8. Text design and reviewing, evaluating, testing documents and websites
9. Summarizing research findings, communication for web and social media
10. Translating research findings for a general audience
11. Information design with figures, tables, and graphs

Mandatory activities

Completion of 3 exercise submissions are required to be entitled for taking the final exam.

The student will receive the grade NA (not approved) at the ordinary exam, if the mandatory activities are not approved and the student will use an exam attempt.

Course literature

The course literature is published in the course page in LearnIT.

Ordinary exam

Exam type:
C: Submission of written work, internal (7-trinsskala)
Exam variation:
CG: Submission of written work for groups. As with all exams, a grading foundation must be established to make individual grading possible. You must clearly identify which parts of the work submitted you are responsible for.
Exam description:

Submission of a group project. 

The hand-in will consist of summaries of research findings, interview materials, and slides of presentations targeted at particular audiences including graphics or figures.

Group size:  4 students - 3 can be accepted if a group of 4 is not possible.

reexam

Exam type:
Z. To be decided, - (-)

Time and date