Communication and Computer Science Fundamentals for the Web

1
Communication and Computer Science Fundamentals
for the Web

• September 28, 2006

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Revised Schedule

• Quiz Delayed to Tuesday
• Resumes Sign up for sessions today
• Assignment 1 2 combined Due Oct 19
• Posting 3 Cancelled
• Posting 4 Due Oct 5 (not on Oct 17)

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Resume Reviews

• If you have a resume
• Read through this presentation
• Locate an ad or job call (online, paper, career
  services) can be for a summer job, job after
  graduation, or internship
• Revise your resume to highlight your
  qualifications
• Write a draft cover letter

4
Resume Reviews

• If you dont have a resume
• Read through this presentation
• Locate an ad or job call (online, paper, career
  services) can be for a summer job, job after
  graduation, or internship
• Use the e-Portfolio tool (Entrepreneurial Skills
  Development Program) on the Home page of ACME to
  identify your skills and experience
• Bring a copy of the output from the Functional
  Resume Builder to the meeting

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(No Transcript)
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User Analysis

• Identify salient features of the audiences for
• http//www.hummer.com/ (Group 1)
• http//www.smart.com (Group 2)
• http//www.lexus.com/ (Group 3)
• http//www.honda.ca/MotorcycleEng/default.htm
  (Group 4)
• http//www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/ (Group 5)
• http//www.vw.ca/vwca/models/0,,48,00.html (Group
  6)

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User Characteristics

• Goal
• Age and Gender
• Purchasing power
• Attitude to technology
• Thrill-seeking behavior
• Interest in the environment
• Type of computer and connection
• Historical involvement with brand
• Primary/ Secondary/ Watchdog/ Gatekeeper
  Audiences
• Frequency of Use

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Link Between User Characteristics and Features of
the Site

• Text
• Graphics
• Interactivity
• E-commerce sites have same general
  characteristics need to sell some sort of
  product or service
• Differ in need for inspection, how often, where
  (bricks and clicks), how much ( security and
  trust), and audience

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• Understanding the needs of the audience is key to
  completing the site mission
• Informing
• Persuading
• Motivating
• How does the notion of audience relate to other
  types of writing?
• What genres (types of writing) particularly
  need to be audience-centred?

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Persuasive Genres

• Sales material needs to sell a product to a
  customer
• Proposals need to convince a client to hire/ fund
  your team to do a specific project
• Resumes and cover letters need to persuade an
  employer to hire you
• The same techniques work in most forms of sales/
  persuasive writing

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Four Initial Concerns

• What do you want the reader to do?
• now vs. later
• What objections will the reader have?
• What are the readers initial/final positions?
• Is the reader flexible or resistant to change?
• Does anyone have a vested interest in the status
  quo?
• How strong a case can you make?
• What arguments/ appeals can you use?
• Are objections based on emotion or reason?
• Do you have credibility?
• What are the expectations of the genre/
  organization/ national culture?

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Position Yourself

• Identify your resources
• Personal credibility (your ethos)
• Position power
• Expertise
• Trust/ Reputation
• Similarity
• Understand the motivations of the receiver (their
  desire)
• Food, shelter, safety, belonging, status,
  self-fulfillment (not necessarily in this order)

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Identify Appropriate Resources To Make Your
Argument

• Four different types of message appeals
• Appeal to reason
• Appeal to emotion
• Appeal to authority
• Appeal to evidence
• Work from your knowledge of your audience!

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Appeal to Reason

• Do you already share common ground?
• What opposing arguments will they have?
• Two strategies (compare and contrast)
• Begin with a concession statement (anticipate
  their argument) gt now show how your position is
  better
• Break their argument down gt address each point,
  one at a time

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• Be careful not to introduce negative information
  that a reader can use to justify non-compliance
• Our product is expensive but were sure youll
  agree the cost is worth it!
• Interior dialogue I dont agree the cost is not
  worth it!!
• We know that you are busy but we would value your
  help on the Evergreen Theatre Board!
• Interior dialogue Yes, I am busy, very busy, too
  busy!

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Appeal to Emotion

• Use stories to make the problem and your proposed
  solution vivid
• Use psychological description to elicit sensory
  impressions
• use pictorial language (or pictures) to evoke
  pity when raising money for famine relief
• show happy, smiling people to sell beer
• make people feel something
• BUT Dont overdo the senses

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Appeal to Authority

• Rely on someone elses authority (not your own)
  to encourage action this is also called Reputed
  credibility
• Leader
• Expert
• Celebrity
• Trusted peer
• Use if you are unknown to the receiver or your
  own credibility is low

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Appeal to Evidence

• Very, very common in business depends on
• facts
• statistics
• measurable outcomes
• The newest, better, best!
• Goes from 0 to 100K in 4.8 seconds

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Basic Pattern

• Get the readers attention (brief
  attention-getter)
• Introduce the proposal/product and show how it
  will satisfy the reader
• define reader benefits
• anticipate reader objections
• tell the reader where to find more information
• let readers persuade themselves
• Identify an action and motivate the reader to act
  quickly

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Sales Letter Pattern

• A I D A
• A Attention
• I Interest
• D Desire
• A Action
• This can be used in proposals and cover letters

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Attention

• How do you get the readers attention?
• Startling fact
• Psychological description (to stimulate the
  imagination) or pictorial images
• Story
• Bargain
• Offer
• Rhetorical question
• Set off the story typographically

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Interest

• Identify reader needs
• Introduce your product or service
• State that you can satisfy the readers needs
• Focus on reader benefits

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Desire

• Pack on the details
• Good reasons (appeal to reason)
• You can keep your lawn in toptop shape!
• Testimonials (appeal to authority)
• Stephen Harper owns one
• Sensory description (appeal to emotion)
• Think how good youll feel behind the wheel
• Statistics and facts (appeal to evidence)
• Its 200 less than Brand X
• Its a good buy!

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Action

• Think about various stages of action
• request information, visit store, buy product
• Explicitly ask the reader to do something
• generally the minimum action
• Encourage prompt response
• identify a real time limit, or
• show how, by acting now, time or money are saved
  later, or
• meet the customer more than half way (when
  applying for a job, make yourself very available)

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Special Considerations

• Dont exaggerate problems or benefits
• dont overload readers cognitive ability
• dont focus on the negatives so there is no room
  for a solution
• Keep the tone neutral when persuading people to
  do what they dont want to do
• Collection letter
• Personnel appraisal

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• When dealing with personal information (debt,
  appraisal, policy memos that restrict personal
  freedom), always leave room for compromise and
  improvement
• begin by assuming there is a logical explanation
  for the negative behavior
• negative focus on the individual will not
  encourage change
• threats will only worsen the situation
• ask for small improvements
• Focus on win-win situations

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Use You-Attitude

• Dont focus on what benefits you Me-Attitude
  (I am qualified so give me the job)
• what benefits you demotivates your reader
• Present your arguments from the readers point of
  view (You want an excellent job done and I want
  to do it for you)
• Use the readers terminology
• Acknowledge that readers may find objections to
  your arguments identify these weaknesses and
  find counter arguments

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• Use this persuasive pattern with proposals and
  cover letters

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Four Types of Proposal

• Some of the most common types are
• RFPs
• Sales proposals
• Grant proposals
• Business plans

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RFPs

• An RFP (Request for Proposal) is a special type
  of proposal that needs to be broken down into its
  constituent parts and answered piece by piece
• Governments or large companies often ask for this
  type of proposal and score incoming proposals
  quite rigorously
• Creativity is not rewarded

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Sales Proposals

• Research the companys priorities to identify the
  right reader benefits for them
• Reader benefits should reflect reader goals
• Follow AIDA
• Summarize up to 3 reader benefits
• Discuss the benefits in order
• Deal with reader objections and concerns
• Mention other benefits briefly
• Ask the reader to approve the proposal
• Give reasons for prompt action

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Grant Requests

• Non-profit groups frequently send these to
• Non-profit foundations or organizations
• Government agencies
• Such organizations tend to be motivated by
  social, environmental, or economic needs.
• Show how your proposal produces a benefit that
  meets the goals of the granting agency.
• Grants often follow a strict format ( RFPs)

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Business Plans

• Raise capital for new ventures
• The more real, the better
• Strategic document with multiple purposes -
  internal to your organization as well as external
  to a venture capitalist
• Process of developing the plan helps develop the
  organization
• Venture capitalist will focus on the people
  involved in the project as much/ more than the
  financial details

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Dual Notion of Audience

• Business proposals need to show you understand
  the needs of two audiences
• the client reviewing your proposal
• the audience the client wants to serve
• You need to demonstrate that you understand the
  underlying business problem but DONT do the work
  before you are hired!
• Your first goal is an agreement to begin the work
  with adequate resources

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Questions

• A proposal can be solicited (requested) or
  unsolicited
• Whatever the proposal, it needs to answer the
  following questions
• What problem are you going to solve?
• Define the problem as the client sees it
• Develop some common ground
• How are you going to solve it?
• Explain your methods
• If possible, triangulate with multiple methods

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• What exactly will you provide for the client?
• Specify tangible products
• Identify the benefits of your work
• How will you validate your findings?
• When will you compete the work?
• Break the work into phases
• Give a detailed schedule
• How much will you charge?
• Provide a clear budget/ schedule of charges
• Make it clear what level of personnel will be
  working on the project

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• How can you deliver what you promise?
• Describe your qualifications, resources, and
  previous experience
• What are the direct and indirect benefits of
  hiring your group?
• Contrast yourself with competing vendors
  (sometimes this contrast will be explicit
  sometimes, since you do not know all the
  competitors, you need to discuss your advantages
  more generally)
• Finish with a final call to action (show
  enthusiasm, ask for the job, give any info on
  your deadlines)

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Other Parts of a Proposal

• Formal proposals (and formal reports) include
• Letter of transmittal
• Title page
• Executive summary
• Table of contents (only if more than 8-10 pages)
• In addition, they may include illustrations,
  references, and appendices providing more
  information to persuasively back up your claims

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Proposals Resumes

• Research potential employers
• Internet sites (monster.com, workopolis, )
• Corporate Internet sites
• Ads (magazines, newspapers, specialized journals)
• Trade press
• Word of mouth
• Campus or professional placement services
• Personal contact

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What Do You Want Companies to Know About You?

• Evaluate yourself
• Likes
• Strengths/ weaknesses/ skills
• Size/ type of corporation
• Leadership/ team orientation
• Geography
• Preference for regimentation/ flexibility
• Willingness to do overtime work/ life balance
• Work from their ad/ website to match your skills
  to their requirements

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Three Categories of Skills

• Technical skills
• university degrees, certifications, technical
  knowledge
• Transferable skills
• management and people skills
• Personal qualities (character issues)
• personal initiative, how you respond under
  pressure, your ability to overcome problems

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Basic Strategy

• Collect a variety of ads for suitable jobs
• Deconstruct these job calls to find elements that
  match your self-assessment and personal goals
• Highlight these elements in your resume
  (objectives and experience sections)
• Place difficult-to-document (ethos-related)
  material in a cover letter

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Highlight Your Qualifications

• Write an appropriate objective statement
• Consider using a summary/profile
• Dont reflect back the exact words of the ad
• Back up claims to technical skills with
  measurable data
• List transferable skills (use the cover letter to
  show how they apply)
• Use positive, active language to create the
  impression that you will be
• a positive, active worker

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Four Types of Resume

• Traditional
• Scannable
• ASCII
• Web-based
• Resumes vary in terms of
• Usage
• Design
• Language

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Traditional Resume

• Usage Submitted by mail/fax for a posted
  position, ad, or request accompanied by a cover
  letter
• Design 1-2 pages long printed on high-quality
  stock uses extra-textual features (bullets,
  multiple fonts, etc.)
• Language
• clear concise language
• active verbs
• positive and accurate adjectives

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Scannable Resume

• Usage Similar to traditional resume or submitted
  electronically scanned by OCR software for
  keywords
• Design Can be longer than 1-2 pages to
  accommodate keywords must be as simple as
  possible (no italics, bullets, etc.) printed on
  white paper mailed unfolded
• Language
• mandatory keywords that reflect job titles,
  skills, etc. keywords used for search

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ASCII Resume

• Usage Most often posted to an online database,
  newsgroup, or list (but not as spam) sent as
  part of an email message (not as an attachment)
• Design Must be in ASCII (plain text) must be
  as simple as possible should not exceed 60
  characters in width
• Language
• depends on whether the resume will be scanned or
  circulated in traditional way

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Web-based Resume

• Usage Stands alone or supplements traditional
  resume posted in online database or given as url
  in letter or resume employer may need to print
• Design and Language
• begin with a main page that resembles a
  traditional resume (and can be printed)
• take advantage of hypertext links to add details
• think about usability and aesthetics (avoid dark
  backgrounds, small fonts, outrageous pictures,
  etc.)
• consider whether additional personal data on your
  website will help you get your desired job

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Four Resume Formats

• Reverse Chronological (most common) lists
  education and work experience from most ? least
  recent
• Modified highlights memorable, measurable
  achievements of work experience
• Functional focuses attention on relevant skills
  and personal characteristics (not concrete record
  of work experience)
• Unconventional breaks the traditional form best
  for creative organizations

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Develop a Chronological Resume

• Keep in mind how the company will use it
• to decide who to interview
• to prepare the company for your interview
• to anticipate your standards of accuracy,
  completeness, and design
• to justify the interviewers decision
• Accent strengths (but dont lie about omissions
  or weaknesses)
• Choose a reverse chronological or skills-based
  format (based on your strategic needs)

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Develop a Chronological Resume, cont.

• Focus on what you can offer the company
• Be concise use active verbs
• Demonstrate measurable effects
• Use indentation and fonts to highlight and direct
  attention
• Develop alternative resumes for different
  industry segments and different resume
  technologies
• Get someone to review!

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Resumes Should Change

• Your resume should reflect your goals and respond
  to the needs of every employer
• Dont be afraid to change it
• Name and address
• Objective, profile, or summary
• Education
• Work experience
• Professional affiliations
• Honors
• Computer skills
• Activities (focus on volunteerism, leadership)
• References

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Treat Cover Letters as Sales Documents

• Your product is yourself!
• Combines needs to inform, persuade, and build
  goodwill
• Tell the employer about yourself
• Persuade them to give you an interview
• Display your understanding of their needs
• Show them that you are really interested
• Stress reader benefits give enough detail for
  the employer to imagine you working for them

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• Cover letters rarely exceed one page
• cover a few points
• dont repeat yourself
• leave the rest of the details to the resume
• Make your cover letter memorable (job recruiters
  read hundreds a day)
• first decide what you want to reader to remember
  about you
• be careful with salutations (Ms. Mrs. Dr.)

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• Develop an effective, attention-getting opening
• Directly address the organization with a bridge
  that links your interest to their needs
• I have been interested in working for IBM ever
  since I owned a PC Jr. (this was an early home
  computer IBM produced)
• Refer to the job call (where you heard about the
  job)
• I am applying for the position of Human Factors
  Engineer (position 06-1759) advertised in the
  September 23rd Globe and Mail.
• Make your qualifications match the ad but dont
  use the same words
• You advertised for someone with an extensive
  knowledge of interface design, strong
  communication skills, and a passion for computing
• Display your knowledge of the corporations
  identity
• The InfoSys slogan, DO IT ALL, appeals to my work
  ethic.

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• Use the rest of the opening paragraph to
  structure the rest of the letter (advance
  organizer)
• Pick 3 4 character attributes (work ethic,
  creativity, etc.) or skills (degree, previous
  projects) to discuss in further detail
• Refer to your resume dont repeat it
• Work on memorable summary sentences
• use vivid words
• show yourself as motivated and active
• dont apologize be positive
• focus on what you and we can do together
• Bring in personal references if appropriate

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• Remember the goal of the cover letter is an
  interview, so the last three things you do are
• Show your desire for the job
• Ask when it might be convenient to meet
• Say Thanks...

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Resume Reviews

• If you have a resume
• Read through this presentation
• Locate an ad or job call (online, paper, career
  services) can be for a summer job, job after
  graduation, or internship
• Revise your resume to highlight your
  qualifications
• Write a draft cover letter

59
Resume Reviews

• If you dont have a resume
• Read through this presentation
• Locate an ad or job call (online, paper, career
  services) can be for a summer job, job after
  graduation, or internship
• Use the e-Portfolio tool (Entrepreneurial Skills
  Development Program) on the Home page of ACME to
  identify your skills and experience
• Bring a copy of the output from the Functional
  Resume Builder to the meeting