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cover of episode 118. Why Writing Matters for Engineers

118. Why Writing Matters for Engineers

2021/8/3
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I
Ian Barley
L
Laura Fletcher
W
Wesley Berry
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Laura Fletcher: 我认为无论解释何种技术主题，最终目标都是引导人们朝着期望的行为发展。因此，清晰的沟通至关重要，它能帮助我们有效地推动技术领域的行为改变。 Wesley Berry: 随着职业发展，我发现沟通变得越来越重要，尤其是在与工程师协作时。如何更有效地沟通，如何更好地完成工作，这些都离不开清晰的表达和有效的协作。对我而言，沟通已经超越了技术细节，成为我工作中不可或缺的一部分。 Ian Barley: 我深切体会到，当团队成员对目标有不同的理解时，工作效率会显著降低。沟通不畅会导致速度减慢，沟通开销增加，最终沟通本身成为主要问题。因此，我们需要努力帮助大家更好地沟通，更清楚地理解彼此的目标，从而简化问题，抓住核心。

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter explores the importance of communication skills, especially writing, for engineers. The conversation highlights how effective communication becomes increasingly crucial as engineers progress in their careers, impacting team collaboration, project success, and overall job satisfaction. The role of writing in creating shared understanding and driving better decision-making is emphasized.
  • Writing is a crucial meta-skill for engineers.
  • Effective communication fosters shared understanding and improves team collaboration.
  • Clear communication leads to increased job satisfaction and faster project completion.

Shownotes Transcript

In this episode, Ian, Laura, and Wesley talk about the importance of communication skills, specifically writing, for people in technical roles. Ian calls writing the single most important meta skill you can have. And the good news is that you can get better at it, with deliberate practice!

Ian and Wesley both come from engineering backgrounds but have moved into more writing-intensive roles as their careers have progressed. Laura is an instructional designer with experience across many industries. They all agree that writing plays several different important roles for people, whether it's to educate, persuade, or even mark a decision.

So if writing is such a critical part of what you're doing from an engineering perspective, how can you get better at it? Laura offers a handful of practices, including providing context, supplying the appropriate level of detail for the audience, using stories or analogies, incorporating repetition, and finding a good editor (even if it's yourself coming back to a piece with fresh eyes).

The guests close the episode by sharing some of their favorite resources for improving communication skills, which are listed below.

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