Storytelling: Improving technical communication through organizational change

Many organizations communicate technical information poorly. Audiences often walk away from presentations not knowing what the key message was and unsure of actions they should take as a result of the briefing. Although successful communication techniques are well known and documented, corporations sometimes have difficulty encouraging their technical staff to use them. This paper describes the results of a four-part communications strategy that was implemented at a large engineering firm. The purpose of the effort was to improve the ability of staff to communicate technical topics to a variety of audiences, and bridge the gap between theory and practice. The strategy consists of developing a clear step-by-step process, followed by training, offering quick turnaround support, and cultivating senior management support. Several important lessons were learned during implementation. Firstly, a clear process is important to engineers, who are the target audience for the training, because the clear process provides predictability and transparency. Secondly, branding the effort improves its visibility and acceptance. Thirdly, localizing the training by using specific examples demonstrates the application of key principles and increases acceptance and usage by staff. Several follow-up steps are planned, including development of an annual award for most effective communication. All of these activities reinforce the expectation that improving communications is a long-term corporate goal, demonstrated to produce results and expected as part of every staff member´s duties.