Final Weblog

Written communication is the most common form of communication used in construction firms. Civil Engineers in the construction planning emphasis must keep organized thorough written documents during project planning. Since there are so many people outside the office that will handle these documents, they must be universally written and formatted for understanding. It is important that the engineer that creates these forms is a conscious, methodical writer for the best results. The engineer must have the ability to write these documents to cater to the reader. For instance, if the engineer is writing a schedule timeline for the construction workers’ manager, he must be sure to use language familiar to him and not a lot of interoffice lingo that would not be understood. The best way to learn these skills is to practice and get others to critique your writing. Letting someone else read your work, who understands what audience you are directing it to and what information you are actually trying to convey, will be a great way to get feedback.

Other than outstanding written skills, an engineer must possess efficient verbal communication skills. It is thought that most engineers are not very outspoken. This is not true being that verbal communication is imperative to complete all projects since they work in teams. These verbal skills should include being able to express themselves clearly and listening. Construction planning requires numerous meetings with the interoffice team, contractors, and the client so engineers must be comfortable speaking in groups large and small. There may also be a few brainstorming sessions outside of meeting with other members of the planning team, so within these verbal skills must be respectability and consideration of the ideas and opinions of others. The best way to learn these skills are to gain confidence and learn professional and effective language for your field.