I’m preparing to the Knowledge Evaluation, which should let me get next step in my career. Today I spent about 5 hours on learning the Communication area of requirements for me. I read dozen different articles and reviewed many presentations. Very important part of communication is Team communication and Coaching, but I’m off for sleep. Indeed want to write something about it. You just need kick me to do that next week. Here in this post you will see some random lists on different communication items created or mixed from other resources by me.

All of us know how that is critical to be competent in written communications, specially with client, so while preparing I created some lists of things to be remembered.

Be clear in your e-mails:

• Keep in mind your reader
• More verbs instead of nouns 
• Concrete, not abstract 
• More active instead of passive 
• Making sense – managing stress (Put old or known information at the beginning of the sentence and new or complex information at the end)
• Be simple (Foggy phrasing often reflects foggy thinking)

Requirements

Software Requirements documents consist with:

• Introduction (Purpose, Scope, Definitions, References, Technologies, Overview)
• Overall Description (Use-Case Model, Architecture Diagrams, Assumptions and Dependencies)
• Specific Requirements (Use-Case Reports, Supplementary Requirements)
• Supporting Information,
• Concerns if any

Questionnaire

• Short
• Target carefully
• Start with interesting questions
• Limit, or avoid, the use of open-ended questions
• Put your questions in logical order

Meeting Minutes

Meeting minutes document what occurred at the meeting. They are not an opportunity to present a position or to add new materials and comments.

Format of Meetings Minutes should follow the agenda closely:

• Date & Time, Place of meeting, Attendees
• Purpose of Meeting
• Each issue addressed and highlights of the discussion
• A notation of any materials handed out at the time
• Outcome or decisions made

Always attach copies of materials distributed at the meeting or note where to find
them.

Proposals

Should have Executive Summary and answer for the following questions:

• Why are you doing this project?
• What will you be doing?
• How will you be doing it?
• Who will be doing it?
• Where will it be done?
• How long will it take?
• How much will it cost?

Conference calls

I’m sure that you can anourmous amount of information on how you can effectively provide your conference calls.

Here is my own list:

• Be always prepared for the call. Have pen & paper handy.
• If you do a call or if you receive a call, always know what is the purpose of it and if right persons are selected.
• Be honest and oriented to help, never say that it is not your job or policy.
• Track if meeting goes by agenda, direct and drive when needed.
• Try to exceed expectations, ask something like “While you’re on the line would you like me to…”
• Always have summary of the call outcomes in the end.

 If this is bad post, let me know.