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07.10

By Sharon C. Richardson

Technical Presentations – Book 1: Strategy – Preparation & Planning, is a new release from IEEE-USA E-Books, and the first in a four-part series that will help readers to prepare, write and effectively deliver technical presentations. Nita K. Patel, author of Technical Presentations, is a practicing systems/software engineer, an active IEEE volunteer member, and a Distinguished Toastmaster.

In Book 1, Nita shares her expertise in delivering technical presentations. The book is loaded with strategizing, preparing and planning examples to follow.

Nita writes that “a technical expert must know and understand technical facts, but to ensure that others interpret that complex data in the same way, the facts must be presented through clear, concise and correct speech… If your audience does not understand, they will not accept your idea.”

The technique to preparing the technical presentation involves what Nita calls “the 3Ws and an H”:  Who, When, Where, What, Why and How. For instance, you must know your audience — are they technical, non-technical, executives, high-school students? How many are there? Why are they there? What do they expect to learn from you? What kind of presentation is it, a briefing, training, keynote address, a tribute? All of these topics and more are addressed in this thirty-one page e-book that also includes a Sample Audience Analysis Questionnaire that professional speakers use.

Technical Presentations – Book 1: Strategy – Preparation and Planning can be downloaded at www.ieeeusa.org/communications/ebooks for the IEEE Member price: $9.95. Non-member price is $19.95.

To purchase IEEE Members-only products and to receive the Member discount on eligible products, Members must log in with their IEEE Web Account.

Ideas for New E-Books

IEEE-USA E-Books invites IEEE members and volunteers to submit queries for e-books they may want to write. If you’ve got an idea for an e-book that will educate other IEEE members on career guidance and development topics for engineers, e-mail your e-book queries and ideas to IEEE-USA Publishing Manager Georgia Stelluto at g.stelluto@ieee.org.

Sharon Richardson is IEEE-USA’s Communications Assistant and Editorial Assistant for IEEE-USA in ACTION.

Comments may be submitted to todaysengineer@ieee.org.