[Unit 02] DONE

Unit 2 

1.1  

• Verbal and visual communication 

• Giving presentations 

• This could be in various forms. You may stand in front of an audience and give a presentation without any aids. You may also use a PowerPoint so you can show your audience information or visuals that can accompany your speaking. 

• Talking over the phone 

• You could be talking in a conference or having an interview over the phone. 

• Recording a video  

• Having a video recorded is a form of visual and verbal communication because it could contain you demonstrating an idea and/ or talking about a certain topic. 

• Non-verbal communication 

• Instant messaging (social media) 

• This form of communication is usually the fastest non-verbal form as messages are able to be sent and read instantly. This is normally used on social media where fast interaction is needed. 

• SMS / MMS 

• This is basically the same as instant messaging however it can usually take a bit longer due to and SMS/MMS needing to be sent through a mobile carrier and then delivered to the recipient. 

• Email 

• Probably the slowest out of the non-verbal digital communication techniques but is still widely used and can be useful for attaching files or photos to be sent to either 1 or multiple recipients. 

• Letters 

• Handwritten letters could be considered quite a formal way of non-verbal communication. They're usually used when you're unable to access a computer or the recipient isn’t able to use any of the digital messaging services described above. They can also take quite some time as they have to be physically delivered from one place to another. 

1.2 - There are various ways that you can influence and persuade a particular audience. Some methods are more effective than others for some audiences. Speaking assertive and as though you are well informed without using 'um' or 'errm' means people are more likely to believe what you are saying. Use of facts and statistics also makes you seem more believable if they're delivered in a strong manner. These two methods are both verbal but there are also non-verbal ways that can be used. Mirroring others movement makes them subconsciously feel more empathy toward you. This must be very subtle or it can be embarrassing to both parties if they detect this conscious mirroring. Other body language such as sitting upright and having arms unfolded show you to be more open and trustworthy while slumping back and having arms folded could be shown as defensive or that you're bored. 

1.3 - Feedback is essential to someone if they wish to improve. Individuals usually always have something they can improve on. For instance, when I gave my presentation to an audience there were certain things I did well and other things I could have made better. The feedback I was given was that it was informative and said information was delivered well however I tended to talk to the board on occasion. Hearing the negative is useful as I can then try and act on that next time to make for a better presentation. I believe that it's extremely important to be self critical and not to get offended when hearing 'negative' feedback because it's allows you to progress certain skills. 

1.4 - Describing technical terms to someone who doesn't know what they are is a skill in itself. Analogies are usually a useful method as they describe a relatable and simpler scenario that someone can then apply to the more technical term to understand it better. 

2.1 - Having a variety of good techniques in a presentation can be very effective. How you actually address you audience can be detrimental to having a good presentation. Determining what terminology you use and the way you get say it should be done by looking at what kind of audience you have. If you're talking to a much younger audience you would most likely use simpler wording so you're understood better whereas if you're talking to adults you may be able to include more complex terminology that they can make sense of. Humour can be a useful tool as it can be a sort of ice breaker and will make your presentation memorable. That being said it can also be a downfall if not thought about correctly. Speaking with confidence is also major factor in a good presentation. Speaking with a tone that connotes that you know what you're talking about grabs an audiences attention, makes you sound interesting and again, can make you more memorable. It's often easier to speak with confidence when you actually do know what you're talking about so researching and practicing what you're going to say can go a long way in helping how you deliver it to your audience. When giving a presentation such as a PowerPoint it's often a good idea to provide some sort of visual stimulation. This can be photos or diagrams to do with what you're talking about. They can also be useful in the sense that you can use them as references to what you're going to talk about next. Using a photo and talking about it instead of reading off a large amount of text makes you look much more professional and rehearsed. 

2.2 - If you're giving a presentation on a specific creative idea it's important to include techniques that show off and emphasize that particular idea. For example if you're pitching a creative product, including preliminary sketches and designs of what the product might look like can give an audience an idea of what you hope to achieve. It'd be important to include lots of visuals so people know what you're describing and know how and where you might use the product. Most creative idea presentations will include a some form of visuals. More technical information could be included for things such as pitching a website idea. It would allow you to explain the coding behind the site and how it would work. 

2.3 & 2.4 - See separate evidence