Clear Communication Techniques For Engineers

Most people talk too much and say too little. Master crisp communication and you win. It isn’t about using big words. It’s about using FEWER words that hit harder. Here’s how: 1️⃣ Replace adjectives with specifics ⤷ “It’s a big problem” → “This costs us 100K a month.” ⤷ Facts persuade. Fluff doesn’t. 2️⃣ Never hedge if you don't have to ⤷ “I could be wrong, but…” weakens your message. ⤷ Own what you know. Confidence is clarity. 3️⃣ Say the thing, then stop talking. ⤷ Rambling dilutes impact. ⤷ Make your point and shut up. Silence adds weight. 4️⃣ Front-load the punchline ⤷ Don’t bury your key point in a preamble. ⤷ Lead with the insight, then explain. (Attention is won in seconds!) 5️⃣ Use contrast to make ideas land ⤷ “Most people do X. The smartest people do Y.” ⤷ “Here’s the old way. Here’s the new way.” ⤷ Contrast makes your message STICK. 6️⃣ Ask questions that sharpen thinking ⤷ Instead of “Any thoughts?” .... ask “What’s missing from this plan?” ⤷ The right questions force better answers. 7️⃣ Use command statements for instant clarity ⤷ “Let’s summarize the decision.” ⤷ “Here’s the next step.” ⤷ Framing statements eliminate confusion and assert leadership. 8️⃣ End with impact. ⤷ Summarize decisions. State the next step. Leave no doubt. ⤷ If people are confused about what happens next, you failed. Crisp communication isn’t just efficient. It’s POWERFUL. What'd I miss? What else belongs on this list? ♻️ Repost to help your network level up their comms 🤓 Follow me Peter Shallard for more on productivity and psychology

In my 14yrs career in engineering working for Big Tech companies such as Google and Uber, there is no other skill I used more than writing. And no, I don’t mean writing code. I mean English writing. Emails, Design Docs, Presentations, Feedback, Code Reviews, you name it. Here's how I make my written communication clear, effective, and punchy. 👇 Written communication can sometimes be daunting, especially for non-native speakers—like me. That’s why I wanted to share  the 6 questions that I use when writing anything. This helps me communicate more effectively and connect with my audience better. 1. Who is my target audience? Identify the specific group or individuals you are speaking to. Knowing your audience assists you in customizing your writing to meet their requirements and interests. 2. What is my main objective or purpose? Clarify the primary goal of your writing. Whether it's to inform, persuade, entertain, or educate, knowing your objective guides your content. 3. What key points do I want to convey? Identify the main idea or key points you want to communicate. This will help you stay focused and make sure your message is clear and logical. 4. Why should the reader care about this? Consider the value or benefit your writing offers to the reader. Highlight how it addresses their needs or solves a problem. 5. Is my writing clear, concise, and organized? Make sure your content is clear and easy to understand. Keep the flow logical and avoid using complex language or jargon that might confuse the reader. 6. Can I make my writing shorter? The answer is always yes. So make sure to edit edit edit. Brevity saves time for both the writer and the reader. What else would you add to this list? How does your writing process look like? ♻️ Please repost if you found this useful

As a software engineer, I've learned the hard way that details ≠ clarity. When communicating with executives, every extra word dilutes your message. Despite coaching and training, I still catch myself diving too deep and losing my audience – but recognizing this tendency and having the right tools has been helpful. Three insights that changed how I communicate complex technical concepts: - Lead with impact: Start with what matters most. For that exciting GenAI proposal? "This will transform how users experience our product" comes before any technical architecture. - Context before complexity: Show why it matters before how it works. Your audience needs to care before they'll dig into details. - Layer your message: Start high-level, then provide paths to technical depth. Not everyone needs your debugging journey. The reality? In today's world, you have seconds to make your point. The clearer you communicate, the more influence you'll have. That’s not to say we shouldn’t have the details in our head. It’s just part of getting stuff done.

UCLA failed to teach me how to write for software engineering. At Amazon & Meta, I spent 1000s of hours learning how to write through trial and error. I reduced what I learned into 5 simple points: 1. Audience first, always - Be clear on who you're writing for and what the goal of the communication is. Your message should always be tailored to your audience. 2. Grab their attention - Put what is new, interesting or urgent at the beginning of your message. The reader won't read the rest of your message if the first line doesn't grab them. 3. Write simply - The easier your writing is to understand, the more the audience will engage with your ideas. One way to do this is to write like you talk. 4. Be concise - If you can remove words yet keep the same meaning you should remove them. Otherwise, you're forcing the audience to spend effort filtering out the words that don't matter. 5. Make it skimmable - Most people skim what they read (especially if it's longer). Break down your large paragraphs, bullet your lists, and add section headings to make it easy for them to skim. If your writing isn't landing, it's often because (1) and therefore (2) isn't being done well.

I was a Chief Customer Officer by 29 (4 years earlier, I was a Project Manager) I joined Buddy Media at 26 as a project manager In 2 years, I was a VP In 3 years, I ran a 100-person team as CCO In 4 years, we sold the company for $745M While everyone focused on strategy and tech … I focused on something simpler. Clear communication. (yes, it's that simple) Here’s what kills me. I get 20-50 terrible emails a day. - They ramble. - They bury the lead. - They’re unclear on the ask. - They use jargon to look smart. - They want me to do all the work. Here’s how you can fix it 👇 1. Main Point First - Don’t start with background - State the key result quickly - Make the ask right away 2. Context Second - Add only brief context - Share clear supporting data - Help boss see what’s happening 3. Be Specific - Avoid vague suggestions - Present your solution directly - Make a clear, actionable ask 4. Use Bullets - Break info into bullet points - Highlight key facts clearly - Make data easy to scan fast 5. Anticipate Questions - Think through boss’s concerns - Prep extra details in advance - Answer before they ask 6. Respect Time - Don’t force a long meeting - Summarize key points in email - Offer follow-up as optional Clear communication isn’t just a skill. It’s a career accelerator. Stop making your boss work to understand you. Make every email count. What's your biggest email pet peeve? 👇