Technical Writing

This is an example of technical writing from my Build and Installation Project unit. It is a risk assessment of our work room.

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 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SGUL6Ex0DBVrtVNJZWaIxFHts_GfiD7K-IiL_rQCTMc/edit

Barriers to Communication

These are some barriers to communication that can prevent you from effectively communicating your message to the people you are speaking to.

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Type of Barrier	Explanation and Example	How to Overcome It
Physical Noise	This is when the person you are communicating with cannot understand you due to noise from other places in the background. E.g. A train driving past.	Background noise can be lessened by talking to your partner through a headset, or moving to a quieter location so you can hear well.
Technical noise	Technical noise occurs when people are attempting to communicate using a technical device such as a laptop or phone. Technology can sometimes fail which can cause people to lose connection and therefore not hear what the other person is saying.	Technical noise can be prevented or mitigated by moving closer to the person you are communicating with, lowering the chance that the signal will be lost. You can also move to a location that has fewer electronics that may interfere with the signal, or use a booster to strengthen the signal.
Psychological Noise	When someone is not concentrating on the message that is being given to them, causing them to misinterpret the message or not hear it at all. This type of noise can be caused by too much stimulation of the senses. E.g. From being outside near something exciting or being angry.	Psychological barriers can be overcome by waiting for the person to calm down before you try to give them the information, as this will make them more likely to understand it. More interesting media can be used (such as a PowerPoint) to make the message more interesting and understandable.
Poor timing	Poor timing is when someone tries to send a message when the receiver is unable to receive the message, or is too preoccupied to correctly understand the message. This can be as simple as talking to someone when they are angry, causing them to be unresponsive to you.	Poor timing can be avoided by assessing the person’s state before approaching the subject. You can talk about something else and then lead into your message gradually which will increase the chance of them taking in the information.
Language barriers	Two people who speak different languages will not be able to communicate effectively. For example, when people go abroad on holiday, they may not have a good understanding of the local language.	In these situations, a translator can be used to increase the level of understanding. Human translators or computerised translators like Babelfish can be used, but human translators are expensive and computer translators are less likely to be accurate.
Lack of interest	A lack of interest will most likely make it harder for people to pay attention when receiving a message. This is a common barrier when talking about something that they talk about every day, and can be hard to avoid in most circumstances.	Lack of interest can be mitigated by providing an interesting format on which your message is presented. This could be a presentation with helpful images, a video document, or some sort of game, depending on the situation. You must be careful to not make it too distracting, or else the message will be misunderstood.
Distracting graphical images and noise	Usually found in PowerPoints, images and noises can distract people and create psychological noise. Using images is fine in moderation but sounds should only be used when it is necessary if you are trying to effectively communicate a message.	The most distracting graphics are ones that move around constantly, or emit noise. By removing some of the more distracting features, you can leave the important messages and helpful images that will help you get your message across to your partners.
Information overload	Information overload is when someone is being given too much information in a short time span. This is usually experienced when there is a big project that requires a lot of time and effort.	Information overload is easily dealt with by taking short breaks between meetings, after you get through a large part of information. These breaks allow people to relax and process the information that they are given.

Bibliography

http://managementstudyguide.com/overcoming-communication-barriers.htm

http://hodu.com/barriers.shtml

http://www.csedev.com/the-seven-barriers-of-communication/