“You have excellent PowerPoint skills.”

Joe Schutz had requested two slides on Weak Write Test Mode to include in a presentation to his manager. On loan to Joe’s microprocessor design team I reported into him via Doug Guddat who managed the memory design group. Joe had asked me directly for the slides and I delivered. Apparently I exceeded his expectations.

Joe’s compliment would have pleased my PhD advisor, Wojciech Maly. He drilled all of his student’s in effective slide creation and delivery. Every student’s presentation practice presented an opportunity for all us to provide feedback.  Color, font type, font size, number of words, size of images and graphs all subjected to critiquing. Order of slides also came up for discussion. You’re telling a story so the order of the slides needs to be considered. Wojciech’s training prepared me well for my return to the corporate environment.

Technical speak—skillfully present technical concepts/projects to meet the audience’s needs. Notice the focus on the listener as opposed to the speaker or the technology. Engineer often focus on the technology.

While I had presented Weak Write Test Mode to my peers I instinctively knew that Joe needed slides for a management audience. One slide explained the technology.  The other highlighted the benefits. Based upon my memory both slides used text and graphics. Also I used precise in the language something Wojciech Maly insisted upon. Precise consistent language for a new technology helps engineers and managers get behind a new technology.

Picking a name for a new technology—well that’s another story in the WWTM Saga because it started off as Data Retention Test Mode.

Have a Productive Day,

Anne Meixner

Dear Reader, please share your comments and stories that are sparked by this story. Perhaps as a newbie you made a new contribution or provided key information to your manager. Please share your comments or stories below. You too can write for the Engineers’ Daughter- See Contribute for more Information.