Lecture+5+–+ interpersonal+and+ transferable+ skills+ part+ b

The lecture includes: Structure of a memo, Email messages Basic Principles of Visual Communication Give a clear and meaningful title • Cite the source of the data, where relevant • Clearly label all axes, columns, symbols and other elements; either on visual itself, or in a separate ‘key’ • Clearly label all axes, columns, symbols and other • Keep narrative elements (labels, explanatory text) brief and simple • se the size and spacing of the visual to make it easy to read

LECTURE

Interpersonal and Transferable

Skills Part B

The memorandum or ‘memo’ performs internally the same function as a letter does in external

communication by an organization It can be used for reports, brief messages or ‘notes’ and any kind of

Memorandum (memos)

conveyed in writing (rather than face-to-face or on

the telephone)

Memorandum Layout

Structure and Notes on styles for memos:

Structure and Style of Memos

The audience of a memo will be people within your organization or

business network.

• Fellow-specialist

Be able to use technical language and complex idea

• Someone higher in the hierarchy than yourself

Structure and style of memos – Cont’d…

• Someone higher in the hierarchy than yourself

Your tone will have to be appropriately formal, businesslike and tactful

• Colleague with informal working relationship

you can be as direct, familiar and friendly as you like

• Junior personnel

have to retain a certain formality for the sake of authority; a more persuasive and less formal tone might be appropriate if you are congratulating, motivating or

making a request

E-mail can be used for a wide variety of

circulars, internal memos, notes and other brief

messages Lengthier messages (such as briefs and

reports) and graphic messages (such as diagrams and

E-mail Messages

reports) and graphic messages (such as diagrams and

Most organizations have guidelines for the use of

e-mail.

• Legal effect

Firms can be sued for libelous, offensive or misleading remarks made in

e-mail, and e-mail messages can be cited as evidence in court

E-mail Messages – Cont’d…

mail, and e-mail messages can be cited as evidence in court

• Excessive use

Excessive personal use (or abuse) is also an issue for organizations (as it has been with the telephone)

• Not private

It remains on the server There are thus dangers in using it to send confidential messages

There are a number of other formats you may need

to use in the course of your work, including a variety of:

• Notices or Posters

Other Written Formats

• Reports

Highly-structured formal reports, or short informal reports (which may be

submitted as memos or e-mails)

• Forms

e.g accident reports forms, payroll forms, expenses sheets

There will be different technologies available for producing and

transmitting written messages:

• Handwritten

E.g personal letter or telephone message

Other Written Formats – Cont’d…

E.g letters, memos, notices, reports and forms

• Facsimile transfer (fax)

Any hard-copy message such as letter, memo, report, form, diagram or chart

• E-mail

Any message produced on a computer can be attached to an e-mail message and transmitted via the internet or computer network to a remote computer, even faster and more cheaply than fax

If you are preparing a report or giving a presentation, you may need to use visual aids of some kind:

• to convey large amounts of data more accessibly

Visual Communication

• to convey large amounts of data more accessibly

A picture paints a thousand words

Examples of Visual Communication:

• Presentation of text in documents

Using layout, color, spacing, different typefaces, logos and so on

Examples of Visual Communication: - Cont’d…

• Tables

a simple way of presenting numerical information

• Bar charts

Visual Communication

• Bar charts

a visually appealing way of showing or comparing magnitudes of an item E.g amount of money, hours, sales according to the length of the bars on the chart

• Pie charts

a visually effective way of showing the relative sizes of component elements of

a total value or amount (represented by the 360 degrees of the circle or ‘pie’)

Visual Communication

• Flow charts

a form or diagram used to show processes Actions or positions are connected

by lines and arrows which depict work flows, communication channels and so on

Visual Communication

• Line graphs

showing the relationship between two variables (represented by horizontal

and vertical axes) by plotting points and joining them by straight or curved

lines These are particularly useful for demonstrating trends

Visual Communication

• Illustrations

from technical drawings to simple pictures which highlight basic lines and

features of an object

Visual Communication

• Give a clear and meaningful title

• Cite the source of the data, where relevant

• Clearly label all axes, columns, symbols and other

Basic Principles of Visual Communication

• Clearly label all axes, columns, symbols and other

elements; either on visual itself, or in a separate ‘key’

• Keep narrative elements (labels, explanatory text) brief and simple

• se the size and spacing of the visual to make it easy to read