Paths
Business Communications with Data
This path is designed to help data professionals communicate data and analytics results in written, visual, and verbal format.
What you will learn:
- Understanding your Audience
- Becoming a Better Listener
- Avoiding Common Writing Mistakes
- Effective Email Communication
- Effective Phone Skills
- How to Run Effective Meetings
- Being a Better Communicator: Grammar, De-jargoning, and Articulation
- Writing in the Workplace: Email, Memos, Reports, and Social Messaging
- VoIP and Web Calls: Tips for Better Remote Communications
- Employee Course: Difficult Conversations and Friendlier Workplaces
- End-user Communications for Better IT
- Introduction to Presentation Design
- The Art of Public Speaking and Effective Presentations
- Writing Process Instructions and Directions
- Writing Better Technical Reports
- Technical Writing: Documentation on Software Projects
- Visual Communication: Creating Engaging and Effective Technical Diagrams
- Objectivity in Data Visualization
- Communicating Data and Analysis Results
- Speaking Fundamentals
- Presenting to the Boss(es)
Pre-requisites
No prerequisite knowledge needed.
Beginner
In this beginner section you will learn about basic communication skills, such as knowing your audience, listening, and effective messaging.
Understanding Your Audience
1h 25m
Description
At the core of effective communication is a thorough knowledge of who your audience is. In this course, Understanding Your Audience, you’ll learn how to define your audience in detail so you can address their wants and needs that are relevant to your intended communication outcomes. Next, you will discover how professional marketers think about audience and communication. Finally, you will explore the impact of filters that influence how we give and accept information. When you're finished with this course, you will have the skills and knowledge of developing an understanding of your audience needed to communicate anything, anytime, anywhere.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- Communicating Better Because You Understand the Audience
- Understanding Communication from Marketing's Perspective
- How to Practice Effective Communication
- Speaking through Filters to Get Your Message across Clearly
Becoming a Better Listener
1h 33m
Description
The ideas in this course can help you communicate better by listening better. We cover ideas that you can incorporate right now! You can improve your active listening skills, show people you care about them and their message, and have better relationships.
Table of contents
- The What and Why of Listening
- Improve Your Active Listening Skills
- Active Listening Skills Tips and Systems
- Helping Others Listen to You
Avoiding Common Writing Mistakes
1h 41m
Description
You might be a leading expert in your field, but if you can't write with clarity and accuracy, you're much less likely to reach your full potential. In this course, Avoiding Common Writing Mistakes, you'll learn about the value of effective writing and how to avoid some of the most common writing mistakes. Then, you'll learn how to use punctuation and structure sentences effectively. Finally, you'll learn how to convert these skills into workplace success. When you're finished with this course, you'll be better equipped to avoid the most common writing mistakes and pitfalls, and to represent yourself, your work, and your ideas more effectively.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- The Value of Effective Writing
- Enemies of Effective Writing
- Effective Punctuation
- Effective Sentence Structuring
- Common Mistakes with Words
- Converting Skills to Success
Effective Email Communication
1h 1m
Description
Effective email communication in business could mean the difference between keeping or losing a job, or getting or losing a contract.
In this course, Effective Email Communication, you'll gain foundational knowledge of the five key elements of an email message.
First, you'll learn how to create emails that are purposeful, and discuss etiquette in areas like address fields and vacation messages.
Next, you'll discover specific things to proofread for in high-stakes emails and ways to visually enhance your messages to make them pop and really get your points across.
Finally, you'll explore example emails and identify the elements that make them effective.
When you're finished with this course, you'll have the skills and knowledge needed to master your business email communications and enhance your career success.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- Building the Right Foundation
- Communicating Better through Better Emails
- Example Email Messages
Effective Phone Skills
1h 19m
Description
In this course, you will learn how to prepare better for different types of phone calls. You will understand the power of your body language and how you use your voice during calls. You will learn about the power of follow-up, and how to respond to uncomfortable situations.
Table of contents
- Effective Phone Skills: Fundamental Phone Skills
- Effective Phone Skills: Mastering the Phone Call
- Effective Phone Skills: Beyond the Phone Call
Intermediate
In this intermediate section you will learn how to become a better communicator. This will include the importance of correct grammar and articulations in the workplace.
How to Run Effective Meetings
1h 33m
Description
Having effective meetings is essential for any businesses. In this course, How to Run Effective Meetings, you will discover how to plan, lead, and participate in formal or informal meetings. First, you will understand how to make meetings more productive and successful. Then, you will learn how to save time and resources by ensuring that meetings support business needs. Finally, you will comprehend how to identify the best reasons for holding meetings, prepare for meetings more thoroughly, draw up action-cantered agendas, apply the skills of chairing, leading, facilitating, and participating. When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge of structuring and managing conversations in meetings for maximum effectiveness.
Table of contents
- Introduction
- Why Have Meetings?
- Planning and Preparation
- Running the Meeting
- Course Summary
Being a Better Communicator: Grammar, De-jargoning, and Articulation
1h 26m
Description
Communicating as an expert can be a difficult task. Often, it seems like the deeper technology professionals get into their fields, the harder it becomes to communicate that expertise to others. In this course, Being a Better Communicator: Grammar, De-jargoning, and Articulation, you'll learn a set of strategies for understanding your communication goals and audiences, and a set of complementary strategies for achieving those goals. First, you'll dive into how to communicate efficiently with non-experts or end-users, and individuals who share your expertise. Next, you'll explore how to backup interpersonal communication with strong writing habits. Finally, you'll develop a thorough understanding of the most common communication mistakes. By the end of this course, you'll be able to enter any communication situation and tailor your approach accordingly.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- Why Communicate (And How)?
- Communicating with Non-experts
- Communicating in Specialist and Leadership Contexts
- Common Communication Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Written and Verbal Communication, Hand-in-hand
- Communication Strategies Going Forward
Writing in the Workplace: Email, Memos, Reports, and Social Messaging
3h 42m
Description
Writing in the workplace is often thought of as something coming in short bursts, or associated with major initiatives. The bulk of workplace writing, though, happens on a sustained, daily basis in the form of emails, memos, interoffice social communication, and routine informal reports. The average worker, regardless of field, generates 10-15 pages of writing a week. Proficiency with and understanding of these writing tasks will increase workplace efficiency and productivity, as well as the ultimate value of the writing itself. This course covers the most common, repeatable types of internal office communication, how to create this writing, and how to revise it for maximum impact and value.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- The Traits and Functions of Workplace Writing
- Interacting via Email
- Developing Routine and Sensitive Memos
- Understanding Informal Reports
- Field and Trip Reports
- Incident Reports: Documenting When Something Goes Wrong
- Test Reports: Presenting Experiments and Diagnostics
- Investigative Reports: Communicating Different Options
- Progress Reports: Keeping Supervisors Informed About a Project
- Meeting Minutes
- Internal Social Media Platforms: Using Office Instant Messaging
- Your Main Takeaways: Conclusion and Additional Resources
VoIP and Web Calls: Tips for Better Remote Communications
1h 23m
Description
With more and more employees working remotely, remote communication skills have become increasingly important. This is especially true of VoIP or web-calls. However, in a world full of distractions, deadlines, competing time zones, and a dizzying array of tools, how can you maximize the time you have on these calls? How can you effectively transition from communicating face-to-face with someone in an office to communicating with someone who's perhaps half a world away? In this course, VoIP and Web Calls: Tips for Better Remote Communications, you'll learn this and much more. First you'll learn how to prepare for the call. Then you'll learn how to effectively lead or participate in the call. Finally you'll explore the actions to take after the call is complete. When you're finished with this course, you'll have a solid understanding of remote communications and how they can help you move forward as an effective communicator in your field.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- Course Introduction
- Before the Call: Scheduling and Preparing
- During the Call: Managing and Participating
- After the Call: Summarizing and Following Up
- Course Summary and Next Steps
Employee Course: Difficult Conversations and Friendlier Workplaces
3h 6m
Description
Life can be difficult and situations, both at work and in your personal life, can have a negative impact not only on how you feel about your job but also on your ability to perform to the required standard. The outcome of this is often a difficult conversation with either your manager or your colleagues. In this course, Employee Course: Difficult Conversations and Friendlier Workplaces, you'll learn how to create a friendlier workplace and to enable you to have those conversations with your colleagues and managers about those sensitive topics. First, you'll explore how to improve your interpersonal skills. Next, you'll discover how to understand your manager and managing your emotions. Finally, you'll learn how to handle a difficult conversation with managers. By the end of this course, you'll know how to engage with your colleagues and manager more effectively.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- Understanding Business
- Appreciating Why Friendly Work Environments Matter
- Improving Your Interpersonal Skills
- Understanding Your Manager
- Managing Your Emotions
- Managing Difficult Conversations with Colleagues
- Handling Difficult Conversations with Managers
- Course Summary
End-user Communications for Better IT
2h 37m
Description
Every day on the job you interact with people who do not share your background knowledge and opinions. Therefore, communicating a single message consistently to a diverse groups of end users is critically important, as is developing a coherent strategy for delivering that message through a multi-tiered, end-user communication campaign. In this course, End-user Communications for Better IT, you'll learn how to accomplish this across a variety of mediums, be it in print, in-person presentations, or in pre-recorded videos. First, you'll discover how to build a communication strategy. Next, you'll learn how that communication strategy encompasses a variety of persuasive, emotional, as well as informative and instructive appeals to get the job done. Finally, you'll explore how to accomplish this across a variety of mediums. After watching this course, you'll be able to effectively keep end-users up-to-speed on the latest IT implementations.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- Introduction
- Strategizing Goals for End-user Communication
- Developing End-user Written Communication
- End-user Communications and In-person Presentations
- Communicating with End-users in Video
- Building an End-user Communication Structure
Introduction to Presentation Design
3h 42m
Description
Designing beautiful slides is hard, especially if you are not a designer. In this course, Introduction to Presentation Design, you will learn the steps you can follow and the tricks you need to know to create presentations to not only help you communicate effectively, but wow your audience. First, you will discover the three crucial questions you need to answer to. Next, you will learn how to use fonts, colors, images, icons, and charts as professional presentation designers do. Finally, you will explore advanced concepts like the Principles of Gestalt, Contrast, and Hierarchy. When you are finished with this course, you will have the skills and knowledge of presentation design needed to build stunning slideshows with any presentation software.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- Understand Presentation Design and Its Importance
- Approach Your Slides as a Filmmaker
- Use the Power of Simplicity and Restraint
- Choose the Best Font for Your Presentation
- Utilize Colors Properly
- Add Images and Icons
- Build Beautiful Charts, Graphs, and Tables
- Incorporate Videos in Your Slides
- Learn the Principles of Gestalt and Contrast
- Finalize Your Slideshow
- Summary
The Art of Public Speaking and Effective Presentations
2h 27m
Description
Tell a story, engage the audience, leave them inspired. This course provides a road-map for delivering effective presentations and motivating an audience through forming your message, designing visuals and demos, preparing for the unexpected, and effective delivery strategies. By the end of this course, you will learn many techniques on how to become a more effective presenter.
Table of contents
- Public Speaking
- Finding and Crafting Your Message
- Tell Your Story
- Organizing Your Flow and Your Visuals
- Demos
- Preparing for A Series of Unfortunate Events
- Emotional Intelligence and Communication
- Effective Delivery
- Epic Successes and Failures
Advanced
In this advanced section you will learn to create effective written and visual communication, including communications about data and analysis results, as well as how to verbally present that information to others.
Writing Process Instructions and Directions
1h 2m
Description
Process instructions and directions are some of the most common kinds of writing for IT professionals, whether they’re incidental responses to things like email queries or full-fledged manuals. This course covers writing an introduction to a set of instructions, managing safety warnings, formatting and presenting individual steps, analyzing the audience and situation, working with visuals, and developing a troubleshooting section.
Table of contents
- Understanding Process Instruction Basics
- Drafting the Introduction to Process Instructions
- Drafting the Body to Process Instructions
- Drafting the Process Instruction Conclusion
Writing Better Technical Reports
1h 8m
Description
Technical professionals must occasionally write technical reports. Although there is no one right method for doing so, certain techniques and methods usually improve the results. In this course, Writing Better Technical Reports, you'll be encapsulated with a wide-ranging discussion of structure and style into successfully writing technical reports. First, you'll learn many of the more common writing mistakes and discover techniques for avoiding them. Next, you'll delve into a reader-oriented approach that will improve your reports' reception and effectiveness. Matters of sentence, paragraph, and document structure receive consideration here, along with tone, ambiguity, and technical jargon. Additionally, you'll explore tips specific for electronic document formats. Finally, you'll cover techniques for joining paragraphs using transitions, facilitating navigation within the report, avoiding confusing or opaque references, and exorcising bad habits, such as redundant, superfluous, and imprecise verbiage. By the end of this course, you'll have a solid understanding of how to efficiently make your technical reports leaner and more readable.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- Know Your Audience
- Choose Your Words
- Build a Good Sentence
- Build a Good Paragraph
- Build a Good Document
- Use Style to Your Advantage
- Avoid Ambiguity
- Manage Jargon
- Special Concerns for e-docs
Technical Writing: Documentation on Software Projects
3h 47m
Description
The term "technical writing" can mean many different things, depending on your field and role. But at its core, it’s about communicating information. In this course, Technical Writing: Documentation on Software Projects, you'll learn how to write documentation for a software project, including requirements, the architecture/design document, code documentation, test plans and test cases, and end-user documentation. First, you'll learn how important documentation is in the world of software and how the writing process works. Then, you'll learn some tips and best practices for writing clearly and efficiently. Finally, you'll learn about common documents on a software project. When you're finished with this course, you'll have a foundational understanding of technical writing and how to communicate effectively on a software project.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- Introduction to Technical Writing
- The Writing Process
- Writing Tips and Best Practices
- Layout and Design
- Deliverables: Requirements
- Deliverables: Design/Architecture
- Deliverables: Code Documentation
- Deliverables: Test Plans and Test Cases
- Deliverables: End-user Documentation
- Conclusion and Additional Resources
Visual Communication: Creating Engaging and Effective Technical Diagrams
1h 39m
Description
Have you ever struggled to create a technical diagram to share with your manager or team? Or have you been the recipient of a diagram that was convoluted, ugly and difficult to understand? If so, this course is for you. In this course, Visual Communication: Creating Engaging and Effective Technical Diagrams, you'll learn how to define the goal and overall design for your diagram. First, you'll be guided through common components of a diagram and basic visual design principles to make your diagram understandable and engaging. Next, you'll discover the benefits of testing your diagram to ensure it's legible and makes sense to your reader. Finally, you'll see heavy use of before-and-after examples to demonstrate what to do and what not to do. When you're finished with this course, you'll have a foundational understanding of visual communication and how to use it to make your own technical diagrams more effective and engaging.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- Introduction
- Where to Begin: Goals and Overall Diagram Design
- Getting It on Paper: Common Diagram Components
- Getting It on Paper: Visual Design Fundamentals
- Testing: Have We Met the Goal?
- Diagram Makeovers: From Bad to Better
- Course Summary and Next Steps
Objectivity in Data Visualization
2h 31s
Description
We live in a period of time where we can capture and process unbelievable amounts of data. In this course, Objectivity in Data Visualization, you'll gain the ability to evaluate the truth, accuracy, and objectivity of data and visualizations both for creating visualizations and for interpreting those created by others. First, you’ll learn about objectivity in data – the meaning of data and the impact of data selection on objectivity. Next, you’ll examine objectivity in visual elements – how the visual elements of a chart or graphic can influence objectivity or distort the truth. Finally, you’ll explore interpretation and storytelling – where you’ll discover that accurate data and carefully crafted visuals are not enough on their own to tell an objective story. These skills are especially important today as we are constantly bombarded with data and visualizations that claim to tell objective truth but are, in fact, full of lies, whether intentional or unintentional. By the end of the course, you'll be able to detect the lies and hidden biases in visualizations you see and will be able to create visualizations that you can stand behind with confidence.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- The Art of Lying
- Objectivity in Data
- Objectivity in Visual Elements
- Interpretation and Storytelling
Communicating Data and Analysis Results
1h 3m
Description
You can be the greatest data scientist in the world, but if you can't communicate the results of your work, how can it have an impact? In this course, Communicating Data and Analysis Results, you’ll learn how to take data and analysis results and communicate them effectively. First, you’ll begin with preparation – choosing the story, ensuring that you understand the data and deciding what conclusions you wish to share. Next, you’ll explore the presentation itself – how to structure it to be effective, and keep viewers engaged. Finally, you’ll discover how follow-up can ensure that the data and results sink in so they can drive action and produce solutions. When you're finished with this course, you will have the skills and knowledge you need to create compelling and engaging communications based on data and analysis results.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- Preparing for a Data-based Presentation
- Delivering Data Results and Conclusions
- Follow-up and Ongoing Support
Speaking Fundamentals
4h 9m
Description
In this course, Scott Hanselman and Rob Conery go deep into what it takes to present a solid technical presentation - beyond the basic You-Shoulds and Remember-To-Always pointers and get deep into the concepts behind a solid talk.
Table of contents
- Inspiration
- Preparation
- At the Venue
- Execution
- Evaluation
Presenting to the Boss(es)
2h 6m
Description
In this course, we talk about concepts and techniques to help make your critical presentations as good as they can be, and to not miss opportunities after your presentation. In the first module, we focus on preparing for the presentation, from stories to your first impression to researching the audience. In the second module, we talk about the actual presentation, including tips from my perspective as a professional speaker. In the third module, we talk about debriefing and follow-up, and ensuring that you don't let opportunities slip through your fingers.
Table of contents
- Course Overview
- Preparing for an Outstanding Presentation
- Optimizing the Presentation
- Debriefing and Follow-up After the Presentation