Final Blog Post

In computer engineering and software development, the two most important forms of communication are documentation (of things that you've done) and oral communication (during meetings or demonstrations). Being able to write a document on something that you have accomplished is an absolute necessity. It must be very accurate and succinct. If someone comes after you, and tries do write a program similar to yours, or even compile your software after making changes, having a document with instructions is a great benefit. It saves very much time and allows everything to operate more efficiently. Essentially, if one engineer learns how to write a certain program or design some embedded system, it would be worthless without proper documentation. This is because no other engineer would be able to replicate it without investing a huge amount of time searching google. The best way to learn to do this is simply by just making it a habit to write down all the steps you take while you're developing, compiling, designing, etc. That way you won't forget all the steps you took. To learn proper formatting, take a gander at documentation written by experienced engineers.

Now, oral communication is also crucial in my field. If you can't demonstrate a product to your peers and supervisors, then it is unlikely that you will even be able to describe it in a written format. There are a lot of cases when written forms of communication can become confusing or the message gets "lost in translation", so to speak. This is one reason why people still talk face to face, believe it or not. The best way to learn or adapt your oral communication skills is to pay attention to the environment in which you work. Observe how the experienced engineers give presentations or demonstrations. Figure out what the best methods for oral communication are by seeing what happens more, face to face contact, meetings, or phone calls.

If an engineer can master these two forms of communication, he or she is bound to have a successful career.