by Cheryl Reimold, IEEE Professional Communications Society, reprinted from PCS Newsletter
Last time, we saw how to create clean visuals that support your points. In essence, this involves 1) keeping text big (at least 18-point) so it can be read easily from the back of the room and 2) minimizing clutter (grids, numbers, legends, and unnecessary details). If you do that, your visual will work for you rather than compete against you.
This time, we will discuss how to make some of your visuals not just effective but memorable.
Why create memorable visuals?
A strong visual can help your listeners remember a key point. This is especially important when you want to persuade them to do something. By the time they are in a position to act, they may well have forgotten what you said! However, if you give them one interesting image, they often can reconstruct your message.
Sometimes, you can also use a visual to introduce humor without diluting your credibility. Most audiences are secretly hoping for relief from boredom or tension. Even the gentlest touch of humor in a visual will immediately improve their receptiveness to you.
Creating the kinds of visuals I am talking about requires two skills: 1) symbolization and 2) graphic execution. Neither is difficult.
Symbolization is the skill of finding symbolic images for the concepts you want to express. For instance, I wanted to illustrate the idea that "the key to powerful delivery is connection with the audience." A natural image for "connection" was that of a plug connected to an extension cord so that power could flow.
I arrived at this image simply through the cliché "plugged in." You will find similar clichés useful in many cases.
Sports, everyday life, and nature are other good sources. For example, two runners easily express "competition"; a scale can illustrate "balance"; and a dog and cat exemplify "natural enemies." If you have trouble with this, study ads in technical and business journals; you can learn a lot about effective symbolization from them. You may even want to save some ads in a file to spark ideas later.
Executing such graphic ideas has become possible even for nonartists, thanks to improved graphics software that includes plenty of "electronic clip art." Sometimes, you cannot find suitable pictures and have to draw things from scratch with a program like Harvard Graphics. With a little luck, though, you can simply combine and adapt readymade clip art.
By definition, a memorable visual draws attention to itself - and therefore away from you. Isn't that just the sort of competition I urged you to avoid?
Yes - and that's why you should be careful not to overdo this. Besides losing your audience to your graphics, you risk getting a reputation as someone who "likes to play on his computer" instead of working on the real problems. I would consider a special visual only for my main message or the most important key point - and even then only if the ideas naturally lend themselves to strong symbolic representation.
So build the skill - but use it sparingly!
In 1967, Vannevar Bush, electrical engineer and physicist, wrote "Science has a simple faith... that it is the privilege of man to learn to understand, and that this is his mission... Knowledge for the sake of understanding, not merely to prevail, that is the essence of our being."
In writing this, Bush states very clearly the notion that our mission is to learn to understand. I can remember, perhaps all of us can, sitting in high school geometry class wondering how I was going to pass the next test. I was somewhat disappointed to find that this gut wrenching anxiety only worsened in college. But for all that we went through, circuits, differential equations, electronics, electromagnetic field theory; the single most important skill I acquired is the ability to learn.
Think for a moment about those you have worked with in the past. Remember the ones you may not care to ever work with again? They seemed to know how to push your hot button. And no matter how hard you tried, it seemed you never agreed. I would suggest to you that these differences that placed you at odds became the very strengths of the product or project produced through your confrontations. Think of all the things that occurred through out your life, the chain of events that shaped you. In the end we must compromise. I challenge you to appreciate differences, race, religion, gender, because these individual differences will become our strengths. Those who learn to appreciate differences and work richly diverse organizations will be contributing to the groups success.
I recall taking my first debate class. Who wants to stand up in front of your peers, shaking. sweating, nervous, and present your ideas? I suggest that you do!
You could have the greatest electrotechnology based invention in the history of the world and it is not worth a dime, until you can convince somebody of it. How? Read, read, read. Then write, write, write. I had a English teacher tell me that good readers are good writers. I contend that reading, writing, and speaking are key to an engineers success. Our training, character, and drive to learn put us at the fore-front of information. Engineers are the people who often understand problems the best but are the worst at explaining them.
This can change! Remember, Education - learn to learn, Appreciation - Work as part of diverse teams, Communication - Read, write, and speak. Wernher Von Braum, a German born rocket engineer, said in 1958, "Don't tell me that man doesn't belong out there ( in space). We belong wherever we want to go - and we will do plenty well when we get there!"
Jim Painter, Chairman
The Fort Worth Section recognized excellence and outstanding contributions to the profession during the Awards Ceremony on Feb. 15. Those recognized included:
The Section Nominations Committee has announced the following candidates for officer positions for the 1997-98 term:
Nominations by petition may be submitted through April 11 to the Nominations Chairman. Petitions must contain the names and signatures of 20 voting members of the Fort Worth Section (member level or above).
Local engineering students impressed judges with both their written and oral presentations at the 1997 Section Student Paper Contest. Winners will advance to the Area Contest and then on to the Region.
Joining in the contest this year were two Dallas Section papers:
ADMINISTRATION MODIFIED STANCE ON INTELLECTUAL-PROPERTY TREATIES following strong criticism from IEEE-USA and other groups. The Clinton Administration has backed away from controversial provisions in two new treaties pending in the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). IEEE-USA asserted that "new intellectual-property domestic and/or international laws may be needed to keep up with the rapid changes in technology - but not at the expense of allowing international treaties to adversely dictate US domestic policy in an industry where the United States is the world leader."
CHAIR DANIEL R. BENIGNI FORWARDED IEEE-USA RECOMMENDATIONS on the U.S. civil space program to selected congressional leaders and administration officials n Jan. 13. The position paper, drafted by IEEE-USA's Aerospace R&D Policy Committee, urges that the space program promote economic growth and international competition, open up space to the private sector, and sustain activities of direct societal benefit.
IEEE-USA WILL PRESENT ITS ELECTROTECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AWARD on Feb. 4 to Dr. B. Don Russell, Executive Associate Dean and Director of the Energy Systems Laboratory at Texas A&M University for his achievements in applying microcomputer and signal-processing technology to electric-power distribution protection and automation. The award will be presented at the Winter Meeting of IEEE's Power Engineering Society.
IEEE-USA endorsed new federal legislation that will enable more Americans to contribute to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). A new "Super IRA" bill was introduced on Jan. 22 by Sen. William D. Roth, Jr., R-Del., and Sen. John B Breaux, D-La., and follows identical legislation already presented in the House by Rep. William M. Thomas, R-Calif., and Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Mass.
IEEE-USA strongly supports the Roth-Breaux Savings and Investment Incentive Act, especially the provisions that will restore universal eligibility to make tax-deductible IRA contributions over a four-year period.
After modest success in 1996 in passing employment benefits-related legislation, Congress is set this year to tackle other pressing benefits concerns. Here's a rundown of the major issues that are likely to see legislative action:
See IEEE-USA Web site for more information
IEEE is introducing a slogan to help provide a stronger identity for the Institute among its members and customers. "IEEE: Networking the World" will soon begin appearing on many communications from the Institute. The slogan was approved by the IEEE Board of Directors in December.
The new slogan underscores the ability of the Institute's members to share technical and professional information by virtue of their bond as colleagues in the world's largest technical professional society.
The Standards Status Report contains a wealth of information about IEEE published standards and standards projects under development, including:
A key feature of the on-line report is the ability for users to search by word or standard number. What's more, it will be updated monthly.
IEEE members can read the latest issue of Spectrum on-line in its entirety on the first day of every month. In addition, they now can browse or search issues dating back to January 1996. A searchable index of past issues from 1990 onward will be available soon.
The site also includes original content such as an expanded version of Spectrum's Newslog; departments like Webware Reviews and Web Watch, and a "Site of the Week" selected by Spectrum editors.
On 20 February, during National Engineer's Week, the Institute dedicated as an IEEE Electrical Engineering Milestone the world's first commercial three-phase AC generating station. The Mill Creek No.1 Hydroelectric Plant, built in 1893, is Southern California Edison Company's oldest operating generating facility. This 250kW generator made history on 7 Sept 1893 when it lit up the City of Redland, CA, and a nearby ice house by transmitting 2400 Volts 7.5 miles. Previously, electricity was generated either by DC power, which could go only limited distances, or by one-phase AC sources, which were difficult to start and synchronize. This new energy source met with resounding success, and the original generator was used until 1934. Contact: Rik Nebeker, 908-932-1066 or f.nebeker@ieee.org.
IEEE Web site has received accolades from:
IEEE-USA Employment Services Web has also been racking up praise:
The IEEE has launched the first electronic version of the National Electrical Safety Code® (NESC®) to enable fast and efficient, searchable access to this authoritative source on good electrical engineering practices. The 1997 NESC has been released both on CD-ROM and diskette, as well as in print, with extensive updates and critical revisions to the previous edition published in 1993. The new software formats are compatible with Microsoft Windows® 3.1 and Windows '95. For a copy of the printed or electronic 1997 NESC: IEEE Customer Service, 1-800-678-IEEE.
Recognizing our Section members for their long-time commitment to the profession on the anniversary of their joining IEEE.
40 yrs
35 yrs
25 yrs
What are the next two letters of this sequence?
O T T F F S S _ _
Answer to last month's Brainbuster:
Number the sets of coins from 1 to 10. Remove a number of coins from each set equal to the set's number, and weigh these coins all together. The number of grams less than 550 is thenumber ofthe set with the nine-gram coins.
Jean Eason, Editor