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 Memorandum (memos) 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 internal communication that is more easily or clearly conveyed in writing (rather than face-to-face or on the telephone) Memorandum Layout Structure and Style of Memos Structure and Notes on styles for memos: Structure and style of memos – Cont’d… 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 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 Messages E-mail can be used for a wide variety of communication purposes, in place of letters, circulars, internal memos, notes and other brief messages Lengthier messages (such as briefs and reports) and graphic messages (such as diagrams and maps) can be attached as file attachments attachments E-mail Messages – Cont’d… Most organizations have guidelines for the use of e-mail • Legal effect Firms can be sued for libelous, offensive or misleading remarks made in email, 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 Other Written Formats 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 • 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 Other Written Formats – Cont’d… There will be different technologies available for producing and transmitting written messages: • Handwritten E.g personal letter or telephone message • Word-processed 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 Visual Communication 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 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 10 Visual Communication Examples of Visual Communication: - Cont’d… • Tables a simple way of presenting numerical information • 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 11 Visual Communication • 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’) 12 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 13 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 14 Visual Communication • Illustrations from technical drawings to simple pictures which highlight basic lines and features of an object 15 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’ • Keep narrative elements (labels, explanatory text) brief and simple • se the size and spacing of the visual to make it easy to read 16