Background:​
RiskLab is University of Toronto's premier fintech research centre.
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I was asked to design and deliver a 3-part workshop on engineering communication for their researchers.
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Workshop Design:
The workshop was to be delivered online via Zoom and intended as an overview of engineering/ technical communication for international researchers studying finance tech & computer engineering.
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I conceived of 3 sessions of 1.5 hours each covering:
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1) Strategies for writing - focusing on concision, precision, and structure in technical documents.
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2) Strategies for presenting - focusing on claim-making and making pitches 'sticky'.
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3) Professional Skill-Building - focusing on building an effective resume, portfolio, and interviewing.
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Each workshop began with theory and examples, then concluded with a group activity.
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RiskLab Online Workshop
Project Title: Engineering Communication Strategies Workshop
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Client: RiskLab @ UofT
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Type: Online Workshop Design
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Responsibilities: Curriculum content design, lecture slide design, leading online workshop
Engineering Communication I: Strategies for Writing
My first workshop dealt with strategies for technical writing. I emphasized concision, precision, and structure as the core criteria to achieve a high level of clarity in technical writing. The core example I used was the 'Columbia Space Shuttle Disaster' which was blamed, amongst other things, on its PowerPoint slides by Yale design guru, Edward Tufte. Utilizing Irish & Weiss' seminal text, Engineering Communication, I argued that there is always great risk and responsibility in engineering communication and thus clarity is paramount to ensuring public safety and economic wellbeing.
Engineering Communication II: Strategies for Presenting
My second workshop dealt with strategies for technical presenting. Here I focused on how to make persuasive arguments through structure claim-making. I utilized the guidelines in the book 'Made to Stick' by Heath & Heath to emphasize making presentations 'sticky'. This session concluded in a Dragon's Den style product pitch where participants delivered sticky pitches for a design problem to find lost arrows at an archery range.
Engineering Communication III: Professional Skill-Building
The last workshop was directed at researchers who were still completing their undergraduate studies, focusing on resume building, portfolios, and interview strategies. I focused on thinking through one's professional identity/core values, best practices for document design, how to highlight key projects and skills, and lastly, how to answer questions in an interview. The session concluded with me doing several mock interviews for the audience to watch and critique.