In-House Memo Reports Reporting to Colleagues The Cain Project in Engineering and Professional Communication ENGINEERING SERIES

Reporting to Colleagues Audience of colleagues has background relatively similar to yours Audience is familiar with the situation You apply expertise by analyzing a problem or answering a question for them

Technical Colleagues Care about Your conclusions Implications for the project Quality of evidence Type of models you used Limitations of your analysis Need for future or additional work

Colleague Knowledge Affects Information Selection, Detail Indicate situation through introductory headings, title, project number, and so on Give brief signals of what you were asked to do Put your answer in the title or first paragraph: For example: “Recycling filtrate will increase recovery and profits.”

Plan by Imagining Your Colleagues’ Questions Why was your work necessary? What task did you perform? What are your conclusions and recommendations? How does your technical work justify these conclusions? (Calculations? Application of a model? Data gathering?) What are the costs and implementation issues? Any limitations, exceptions?

Structure Memo Report Efficiently Headings establish context Brief statement of work requested and done Conclusions and recommendation (if any) Main reason to accept recommendation Evidence organized by importance or relevance –NOT ” I did X, I did Y, then Z... “ –Use figures to sum up work done Costs (if relevant) Limitations or work needed Offer to answer questions or provide additional information, Appendices OVERVIEW SECTION (20-25%) DISCUSSION SECTION (75%)

What Details Make Your Work Understandable to Peers? Types of support material –Your analysis of data –Your calculations –Examples –Expert Testimony Criteria for evaluating sources –Relevant to primary questions? –Recent? –Credible? –Biased?

Use Evidence Familiar to Engineers Tables / graphs / photos / diagrams/ schematic / cross- sections / other technical drawings Water treatment example

Organize Memos for Efficiency Use rich (high content) subject lines Help reader separate one memo from another on the same project Allow fast reader to glean crucial details Most valuable info first, least valuable at end Reader is not obliged to finish reading memo Put in details of action needed early

Evaluate Your Memo Accessibility –Important info in subject line, first paragraphs? –Subheads to guide reading? –Organized from necessary to supporting information? Comprehensibility –Sufficient info to take action? Usability –Appropriate info for purpose (for example, meeting date, place, etc.) –Right type of technical info? Interpersonal / Intercultural Effectiveness –Tone appropriate for relationship?

More resources are available for you under “Engineering Communication” at Connexions at at the Cain Project site at in your course Communication Folder in OWLSPACE. Lead through Excellence in Engineering Communication