DTSA 5842 Effective Communication: Writing, Design and Presentation

Writing well is one of the most important skills you can develop to be successful in the business world. Over seventy companies and thirty thousand students — from professional writers to new employees to non-native English speakers to seasoned executives — have used the techniques in Business Writing to power their ability to communicate and launch their ideas. This week will teach you how to apply the top ten principles of good business writing to your work, how to deploy simple tools to  dramatically improve your writing, and how to execute organization, structure, and revision to communicate more masterfully than ever. From the very first lesson, you'll be able to apply your new learning immediately to your work and improve your writing today. Your ideas are powerful. Learn how to deliver them with the clarity and impact they deserve. 

Welcome to Graphic Design, the second week in Effective Communication. Over 70 different companies have provided this material to their employees as a resource for internal professional development. Why? Because employers know that effective visual communication is the key to attracting an audience, building a relationship, and closing the sale. This week you will learn the tools required to create professional looking PowerPoints, reports, resumes, and presentations. Using a set of best practices refined through years of experience, you’ll make your work look fresh and inspired, apply simple design “tricks” to begin any project with confidence and professionalism, and receive and respond to criticism and revise your project from good to great. All of the assignments can be completed with basic presentation software such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Apple Keynote. You’ll also have opportunities to explore and apply more sophisticated tools, such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

Few kinds of communication can have the effect of a powerful presentation.  Even a short speech can motivate people to change long-held beliefs or to take action, and a wonderfully delivered speech can transform a normal person into a leader. In this week, Prof. William Kuskin provides a series of pragmatic videos and exercises for successful public speaking and presentations. The week develops four themes — mastering fear, developing a creative formula, using verbal and body language, and anticipating the room — so that you can discover your personal power as a speaker and give excellent presentations.  Successful presentations do not rely on perfect teeth, a deep voice, or an army of scriptwriters. They depend largely on the same skills as successful Business Writing and Graphic Design: clarity, structure, and revision. The goal of the course, therefore, is to enable you to discover your own internal power as a speaker and express it to the world.  With some practice, you will be able to go into any situation and command the room for as long as you like. 

You will complete a peer reviewed project worth 10% of your grade. You must attempt the final in order to earn a grade in the course. If you've upgraded to the for-credit version of this course, please make sure you review the additional for-credit materials in the Introductory module and anywhere else they may be found.