JUNE - JULY 2001  

Engineering Trends

Making an Impact at Work

by Todd Yuzuriha

Rushing toward the cleanroom, it appeared my group had just made a breakthrough. Yields for our integrated circuit process had plummeted by 50 percent over the last week, and it appeared we had finally found the root cause. "This could be huge," I thought to myself.

Unexpectedly, I happened upon the general manager in the hall. He was on his way to a meeting and casually greeted me with a "How are you doing?"

"Pretty good," I replied automatically. "How are you doing?" And we passed each other.

Wait a minute! I just missed a golden opportunity to spread the good news about solving our yield problem! Arghhh!

Always Seize the Opportunity to Communicate

Whether you like it or not, everyone is judged at work by how well they can present ideas and accomplishments — even engineers. This includes being able to make formal presentations as well as passing information on in informal settings or even casual passings.

Much of engineering involves coming up with new ideas to improve cost, performance or product features. Some of this work can be done alone, but it can never be done completely in isolation. You will have to be able to present your ideas and accomplishments to others at some point. Doing it with confidence and flair can enhance your career greatly.

Whether it's a chance 15-second meeting in the hallway, a one-minute presentation at your group meeting, or a formal presentation at a conference, be prepared to discuss your work. Be able to identify the single key point and go from there. In my example, the key point was that we discovered the root cause of our IC yield problem.

State the Benefits Clearly

Once you have identified the key point, express the benefits of your idea or accomplishment succinctly. Familiar themes include quantifying the benefit in terms of financial impact, new feature enhancements, or schedule improvements. In my example, I'd state the dollars saved per month in terms of cost of goods sold by improving the yield from X percent to Y percent.

It is also especially important to humanize the benefit, if you can. For instance, if you're talking about a new feature in an audio product, explain how that feature will enhance the listening experience for the end user.

Make a Visual Impression

Beyond describing your idea or accomplishment in words, find a way to describe it visually. An easy-to-follow graph, flowchart, or photograph really drives home your point. Consider comparing the world with and without your findings. For my IC example, I put together a simple graphic consisting of a scanning electron microscope photo of the defect with the corresponding yield, along with a photo of the same area without the defect with the corresponding improved yield.

Say It With Enthusiasm

Perhaps as important as anything, remember that if you are not excited about your idea, no one else will be. The single most important way to improve the impact of your presentation is to be excited about what you're discussing. Exude enthusiasm in your voice and in your manner.

By taking the time to prepare for impromptu presentations about your ideas and accomplishments, you can significantly improve the impact you make at work…and you won't have to worry about being caught off guard when the GM walks by.

Todd Yuzuriha is the author of How to Succeed as an Engineer: A Practical Guide to Enhance Your Career. For more information, go to www.engineeringsuccess.com