Good business writers maintain a listener centered approach

A01_BOVE2186_14_SE_FM.indd 1 11/16/16 7:46 PM

A01_GORD2302_01_SE_FM.indd 4 28/05/15 7:33 pm

This page intentionally left blank

Practice, Engage, Apply • Personalize Learning with MyBCommLab—MyBCommLab is an online

homework, tutorial, and assessment program designed to work with this text to engage students and improve results. Within its structured environment, students practice what they learn, test their understanding, and pursue a personalized study plan that helps them better absorb course material and understand difficult concepts.

• Branching, Decision-Making Simulations—Put your students in the role of manager as they make a series of decisions based on a realistic business challenge. The simulations change and branch based on their decisions, creating various scenario paths. At the end of each simulation, students receive a grade and a detailed report of the choices they made with the associated consequences included.

• MediaShare for Business—Consisting of a curated collection of business videos tagged to learning outcomes and customizable, auto-scored assignments, MediaShare for Business helps students understand why they are learning key concepts and how they will apply those in their careers. Instructors can also assign favorite YouTube clips or original content and employ MediaShare's powerful repository of tools to maximize student accountability and interactive learning, and provide contextualized feedback for students and teams who upload presentations, media, or business plans.

• Writing Space—Better writers make great learners who perform better in their courses. Designed to help you develop and assess concept mastery and critical thinking, the Writing Space offers a single place to create, track, and grade writing assignments, provide resources, and exchange meaningful, personalized feedback with students, quickly and easily. Thanks to auto-graded, assisted-graded, and create-your-own assignments, you decide your level of involvement in evaluating students' work. The auto-graded option allows you to assign writing in large classes without having to grade essays by hand. And because of integration with Turnitin®, Writing Space can check students' work for improper citation or plagiarism.

• Dynamic Study Modules—Helps students study effectively on their own by continuously assessing their activity and performance in real time. Here's how it works: students complete a set of questions with a unique answer format that also asks them to indicate their confidence level. Questions repeat until the student can answer them all correctly and confidently. Once completed, Dynamic Study Modules explain the concept using materials from the text. These are available as graded assignments prior to class, and accessible on smartphones, tablets, and computers.

CVR_BOVE2186_14_SE_IFC.indd 2 9/29/16 10:14 PM

with MyBCommLab®

• Reporting Dashboard—View, analyze, and report learning outcomes clearly and easily, and get the information you need to keep your students on track throughout the course with the new Reporting Dashboard. Available via the MyLab Gradebook and fully mobile- ready, the Reporting Dashboard presents student performance data at the class, section, and program levels in an accessible, visual manner.

• Enhanced eText—Keeps students engaged in learning on their own time, while helping them achieve greater conceptual understanding of course material. The worked examples bring learning to life, and algorithmic practice allows students to apply the very concepts they are reading about. Combining resources that illuminate content with accessible self-assessment, MyLab with Enhanced eText provides students with a complete digital learning experience—all in one place.

• Quizzes and Tests—Pre-built quizzes and tests allow you to quiz students without having to grade the assignments yourself.

• Video Exercises—These engaging videos explore a variety of business topics related to the theory students are learning in class. Quizzes assess students' comprehension of the concepts covered in each video.

• Learning Catalytics™—Is an interactive, student response tool that uses students' smartphones, tablets, or laptops to engage them in more sophisticated tasks and thinking. Now included with MyLab with eText, Learning Catalytics enables you to generate classroom discussion, guide your lecture, and promote peer-to-peer learning with real-time analytics. Instructors, you can:

■ ■■ Pose a variety of open-ended questions that help your students develop critical thinking skills

■ ■■ Monitor responses to find out where students are struggling ■ ■■ Use real-time data to adjust your instructional strategy and

try other ways of engaging your students during class ■ ■■ Manage student interactions by automatically grouping

students for discussion, teamwork, and peer-to-peer learning

A L W A Y S L E A R N I N G

A01_BOVE2186_14_SE_FM.indd 1 10/22/16 4:40 PM

Giving Students the Skills and Insights They Need to Thrive in Today’s Digital Business Environment The essential skills of writing, listening, collaborating, and public speaking are as important as ever, but they’re not enough to succeed in today’s business world. As business communication continues to get rocked by waves of innovation—first digital media, then social media, now mobile communication, and watch out for the upcoming invasion of chatbots—the nature of communication is changing. And the changes go far deeper than the tools themselves.

In this exciting but complex new world, no other textbook can match the depth and range of coverage offered by Business Communication Today.

ChaPter 1 Professional communication in a Digital, social, Mobile World 15

the soCial CommuniCation model

The basic model presented in Figure 1.5 illustrates how a single idea moves from one sender to one receiver. In a larger sense, it also helps represent the traditional nature of much business communication, which was primarily defined by a publishing or broadcasting mindset. For external communication, a company issued carefully scripted messages to a mass audience that didn’t have many options for responding to those messages or initiating messages of their own. Customers and other interested parties had few ways to connect with one another to ask questions, share information, or offer support. Internal communication tended to follow the same “we talk, you listen” model, with upper managers issuing directives to lower-level supervisors and employees.

In recent years, however, a variety of technologies have enabled and inspired a new approach to business communication. In contrast to the publishing mindset, this social communication model is interactive, conversational, and usually open to all who wish to participate. Audience members are no longer passive recipients of messages but active participants in a conversation. Social media have given customers and other stake- holders a voice they did not have in the past. And businesses are listening to that voice. In fact, one of the most common uses of social media among U.S. businesses is monitoring online discussions about a company and its brands.19

Instead of transmitting a fixed message, a sender in a social media environment initi- ates a conversation by asking a question or sharing valuable information. Information shared this way is often revised and reshaped by the web of participants as they forward it and comment on it. People can add to it or take pieces from it, depending on their needs and interests. Figure 1.7 lists some of the significant differences between the traditional and social models of business communication.

The social communication model offers many advantages, but it has a number of disadvantages as well. Potential problems include information overload, a lower level

The conversational and inter- active social communication model is revolutionizing business communication.

The social communication model can increase the speed of com- munication, reduce costs, improve access to expertise, and boost employee satisfaction.

For all their advantages, social media tools also present a number of communication challenges.

Figure 1.7 The Social Communication Model The social communication model differs from conventional communication strategies and practices in a number of significant ways. You’re probably already an accomplished user of many new-media tools, and this experience will help you on the job.

Tendencies Publication, broadcast

Lecture Intrusion

Unidirectinal One to many; mass audience

Control Low message frequency

Few channels Information hoarding

Static Hierarchical Structured

Isolated Planned Resistive

Conventional Promotion: “We Talk, You Listen”

The Social Model: “Let’s Have a Conversation”

Tendencies Converstion Discussion Permission

Bidirectional, multidirectional One to one; many to many

Influence High message frequency

Many channels Information sharing

Dynamic Egalitarian Amorphous

Collaborative Reactive

Responsive

M01B_BOVE2186_14_SE_C01.indd 15 9/21/16 12:56 PM

Tools, Techniques, and Insights for Communicating Successfully in a Mobile, Digital, Social World 

CHAPTER 7 Digital Media 183

aggregating the knowledge of groups ranging from individual departments to the public at large.

●● Blogging and microblogging. The ability to update content quickly and easily makes blogs and microblogs (such as Twitter) a natural medium when communicators want to get messages out in a hurry.

●● Online video. Digital and online video have transformed what used to be a fairly specialized tool into a mainstream business communication medium.

The first four of these—email, messaging, web content, and podcasting—are cov- ered in this chapter. Digital media with a strong social element, from social networks to microblogs, are addressed in Chapter 8. Online video, along with other visual media, is covered in Chapter 9.

Note that the lines between these media often get blurred as systems expand their capabilities or people use them in new ways. Moreover, the mobile variants of all these technologies add another layer of challenges and opportunities for business communica- tors. For example, the ability to scan coded labels such as barcodes or the similar Quick Response (QR) codes attached to printed materials, products, or store windows (or the ability to pick up radio signals from near-field communication tags) gives smartphone users a way to get more information—from companies themselves and from other con- sumers providing reviews on social websites.

Most of your business communication is likely to be via digital means, but don’t over- look the benefits of printed messages. (For more on formatting printed letters and memos, see Chapter 6 and Appendix A.) Here are several situations in which you should consider using a printed message rather than digital alternatives:

●● When you want to make a formal impression. For special messages, such as sending congratulations or condolences, the formality of printed documents usually makes them a much better choice than digital messages.

●● When you are legally required to provide information in printed form. Business con- tracts and government regulations sometimes require that information be provided on paper.

●● When you want to stand out from the flood of digital messages. If your audience’s computers are overflowing with Twitter updates, email messages, and messaging notifications, sometimes a printed message can stand out enough to get noticed.

●● When you need a permanent, unchangeable, or secure record. Letters and memos are reliable. Once printed, they can’t be erased with a single keystroke or surreptitiously modified the way some digital messages can be. Printed documents also require more effort to copy and forward.

COMPOSITIONAL MODES FOR DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA

As you practice using various media and channels in this course, it’s best to focus on the fundamentals of planning, writing, and completing messages, rather than on the specific details of any one medium or system.2 Fortunately, the basic communication skills required usually transfer from one system to another. You can succeed with written communication in virtually all digital media by using one of nine compositional modes:

●● Conversations. Messaging is a great example of a written medium that mimics spoken conversation. And just as you wouldn’t read a report to someone sitting in your office, you wouldn’t use conversational modes to exchange large volumes of information or to communicate with more than a few people at once.

●● Comments and critiques. One of the most powerful aspects of social media is the opportunity for interested parties to express opinions and provide feedback, whether by leaving comments on a blog post or reviewing products on an e-commerce site. Sharing helpful tips and insightful commentary is also a great way to build your

Even with the widespread use of digital media, printed memos and letters still play an important role in business communication.

Communicating successfully with digital media requires a wide range of writing approaches.

These tips will help you make the best choice in various business situations. Go to real-timeupdates.com/bct14 and select Learn More in the Students section.

REAL-TIME UPDATES

LEARN MORE BY READING THIS ARTICLE

Should you email, text, or pick up the phone?

M07B_BOVE2186_14_SE_C07.indd 183 9/20/16 6:26 PM

ChaPter 16 Developing Presentations in a social Media environment 477

incorporating technology in Your presentation Like much of the rest of business communication, presentations can be high-tech affairs in many companies. Two aspects you will most likely encounter on the job are the back- channel and online presentations.

emBraCing the BaCkChannel

Many business presentations these days involve more than just the spoken conversation between the speaker and his or her audience. Using Twitter and other digital media, audi- ence members often carry on their own parallel communication during a presentation via the backchannel, which the presentation expert Cliff Atkinson defines as “a line of com- munication created by people in an audience to connect with others inside or outside the room, with or without the knowledge of the speaker.”29 Chances are you’ve participated in an informal backchannel already, such as when texting with your classmates or live- blogging during a lecture.

The backchannel presents both risks and rewards for business presenters. On the negative side, for example, listeners can research your claims the instant you make them and spread the word quickly if they think your information is shaky. The backchannel also gives contrary audience members more leverage, which can cause presentations to spin out of control. On the plus side, listeners who are excited about your message can build support for it, expand on it, and spread it to a much larger audience in a matter of seconds. You can also get valuable feedback during and after presentations.30

By embracing the backchannel, rather than trying to fight it or ignore it, presenters can use this powerful force to their advantage. Follow these tips to make the backchannel work for you:31

●● Integrate social media into the presentation process. For example, you can create a website for the presentation so that people can access relevant resources during or after the presentation, create a Twitter hashtag that everyone can use when sending tweets, or display the Twitterstream during Q&A so that everyone can see the ques- tions and comments on the backchannel.

●● Monitor and ask for feedback. Using a free service such as TweetDeck to organize tweets by hashtag and other variables, you can monitor comments from the audience. To avoid trying to monitor the backchannel while speaking, you can schedule “Twitter breaks,” during which you review comments and respond as needed.

●● Review comments to improve your presentation. After a presentation is over, review comments on audience members’ Twitter accounts and blogs to see which parts con- fused them, which parts excited them, and which parts seemed to have little effect (based on few or no comments).

●● Automatically tweet key points from your presentation while you speak. Add-ons for presentation software can send out prewritten tweets as you show specific slides during a presentation. By making your key points readily available, you make it easy for listeners to retweet and comment on your presentation.

●● Establish expectations with the audience. Explain that you welcome audience participation but that to ensure a positive experience for everyone, comments should be civil, relevant, and productive.

giving PreSentationS online

Online presentations offer many benefits, including the opportunity to communicate with a geographically dispersed audience at a fraction of the cost of travel and the ability for a project team or an entire organization to meet at a moment’s notice. However, this format also presents some challenges for the presenter, thanks to that

4 learning oBjeCtiveExplain the growing importance of the backchannel in presentations, and list six steps for giving effective presentations online.

Twitter and other social media are dramatically changing busi- ness presentations by making it easy for all audience members to participate in the backchannel.

Resist the urge to ignore or fight the backchannel; instead, learn how to use it to your advantage.

Online presentations give you a way to reach more people in less time, but they require special preparation and skills.

moBile app

SlideShark lets you present and share PowerPoint slides with mobile and PC users.

M16B_BOVE2186_14_SE_C16.indd 477 9/7/16 2:19 PM

CHAPTER 9 Visual Media 251

Producing Business Videos No matter what career path you pursue, chances are you’ll have the need or opportunity to produce (or star in) a business video. For videos that require the highest production quality, companies usually hire specialists with the necessary skills and equipment. For most routine needs, however, any business communicator with modest equipment and a few basic skills can create effective videos.

The three-step process adapts easily to video; professionals refer to the three steps as preproduction, production, and postproduction (see Figure 9.15). You can refer to one of the many books available on basic video production techniques for more detail, but here are the key points to consider in all three steps. (A note on terminology: digital video- graphy has inherited a number of terms from film that don’t make strict technical sense but are in common use anyway, including footage to indicate any amount of recorded video and filming to indicate video recording.)

STEP 1: PREPRODUCTION

When you’re recording speeches, seminars, and other events, planning is crucial because you have only one opportunity to get the footage you need. And even when you have the flexibility to retake footage, thoughtful planning will save time and money and lead to bet- ter-looking results. For any video, be sure to think through the following seven elements:

●● Purpose and scope. With every communication effort, of course, it’s essential to iden- tify the purpose of your message and define the scope of what you will address before

6 LEARNING OBJECTIVEIdentify the most important considerations in the preproduction, production, and postproduction stages of producing basic business videos.

The process of creating videos is divided into preproduction, pro- duction, and postproduction.

Figure 9.15 Creating Effective Business Videos By following a methodical process in the preproduction, production, and postproduction stages, any business communicator with even basic equipment can create effective videos.

M09_BOVE2186_14_SE_C09.indd 251 9/20/16 6:31 PM

ChaPter 8 social Media 217

adaPting the three-steP ProCess for sUCCessfUl Blogging

The three-step writing process is easy to adapt to blogging. The planning step is particularly important if you’re considering starting a blog because you’re planning an entire commu- nication channel, not just a single message. Pay close attention to your audience, your pur- pose, and your scope.

●● Audience. Except with team blogs and other efforts that have an obvious and well- defined audience, defining the target audience for a blog can be challenging. You want an audience that is large enough to justify the time you’ll be investing but nar- row enough that you can provide a clear focus. For instance, if you work for a firm that develops computer games, would you focus your blog on “hardcore” players, the types who spend thousands of dollars on super-fast PCs optimized for video games, or would you broaden the reach to include all video gamers? The decision often comes down to business strategy.

●● Purpose. A business blog needs to have a business-related purpose that is impor- tant to your company and to your chosen audience. Moreover, the purpose has to “have legs”—that is, it needs to be something that can drive the blog’s content for months or years—rather than focus on a single event or an issue of only tem- porary interest. For instance, if you’re a technical expert, you might create a blog to give the audience tips and techniques for using your company’s products more effectively—a never-ending subject that’s important to both you and your audience.

Before you launch a blog, make sure you have a clear understand- ing of your target audience, the purpose of your blog, and the scope of subjects you plan to cover.

Figure 8.2 Business Applications of Blogging This Xerox blog illustrates the content, writing style, and features that make an effective, reader-friendly company blog. Source: Courtesy of Xerox Corporation.

Like many large corporations, Xerox has a variety of blogs. This menu give quick access to all of them. The search box lets visitors quickly find posts on topics of interest. A large photo helps draw readers in.

Readers can subscribe to future posts via email or RSS newsfeed.

The post title is brief and clear, and it incorporates key terms likely to trigger hits in search engines (Internet of Everything and energy).

These links provide access to other posts by this author and other posts tagged with “innovation.” Social media share buttons make it easy for readers to share this post with their followers.

The sidebar lists recent posts and recent com- ments left by readers.

The post positions the company as an expert in an important technology field, without overtly selling Xerox products and services.

H er

o Im

ag es

/G et

ty

Im ag

es

M08_BOVE2186_14_SE_C08.indd 217 9/21/16 1:03 PM

CHAPTER 2 Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 45

by invitation only). Many intranets have now evolved into social networking systems that include a variety of communication and collaboration tools, from microblogging to video clip libraries. For example, the performance troupe Blue Man Group uses a social intranet to help its 500 employees plan, stage, and promote shows all over the world.30

Social Networks and Virtual Communities Social networking technologies are redefining teamwork and team communication by helping erase the constraints of geographic and organization boundaries. Some companies use social networks to form virtual communities or communities of practice that link employees with similar professional interests throughout the company and sometimes with customers and suppliers as well.

Social networks foster collaboration by identifying and connecting the best people to work on each problem or project, no matter where they are around the world or what their official roles are in the organization. Such communities are similar to teams in many respects, but one major difference is in the responsibility for accumulating organizational knowledge over the long term, beyond the duration of any specific project. For example, the pharmaceutical company Pfizer has a number of permanent product-safety commu- nities that provide specialized advice on drug safety issues to researchers throughout the organization.31

Social networking can also help a company maintain a sense of community even as it grows beyond the size that normally permits extensive daily interaction. At the online retailer Zappos, fostering a supportive work environment is the company’s top priority. To encourage the sense of community among its expanding workforce, Zappos uses social networking tools to track employee connections and encourage workers to reach out and build relationships.32

Collaboration via Mobile Devices Mobile devices add another layer of options for collaborative writing and other commu- nication projects, particularly when used with cloud computing. Today’s mobile systems can do virtually everything that fixed-web collaboration systems can do, from writing on virtual whiteboards to sharing photos, videos, and other multimedia files.33 Mobility lets workers participate in online brainstorming sessions, seminars, and other formal or infor- mal events from wherever they happen to be at the time (see Figure 2.3). This flexibility can

A community of practice links professionals with similar job interests; a key benefit is accumu- lating long-term organizational knowledge.

Internal social networks help companies assemble the best resources for a given task, regard- less of where the employees are located.

Collaboration apps for mobile devices support nearly all the features of computer-based platforms.

Figure 2.3 Collaboration on Mobile Devices Mobile connectivity is transforming collaboration activities, helping teams and work groups stay connected no matter where their work takes them. For example, this team was able to discuss and edit a press release using their tablets in different locations.

C ou

rte sy

o f C

af e

R ia

M02_BOVE2186_14_SE_C02.indd 45 9/20/16 6:17 PM

A01_BOVE2186_14_SE_FM.indd 2 10/22/16 4:40 PM

The Unique Demands of Mobile Business

Communication

Intriguing Glimpses into the Future of Business Communication 

16 Part 1 Understanding the Foundations of business communication

of engagement with tasks and other people, fragmented attention, information secu- rity risks, reduced productivity, and the difficulty of maintaining a healthy boundary between personal and professional lives.20 All business professionals and managers need to choose and use digital tools wisely to control the flow of information they receive.

Of course, no company, no matter how enthusiastically it embraces the social com- munication model, is going to be run as a club in which everyone has a say in every business matter. Instead, a hybrid approach is emerging in which some communications (such as strategic plans and policy documents) follow the traditional approach, whereas others (such as project management updates and customer support messages) follow the social model.

You can learn more about business uses of social media in Chapter 8.

the mobile Revolution As much of a game changer as social media have been, some experts predict that mobile communication will change the nature of business and business communication even more. The venture capitalist Joe Schoendorf says that “mobile is the most disruptive technology that I have seen in 48 years in Silicon Valley.”21 The researcher Maribel Lopez calls mobile “the biggest technology shift since the Internet.”22

Companies recognize the value of integrating mobile technology, from communica- tion platforms to banking to retail. Mobile apps and communication systems can boost employee productivity, help companies form closer relationships with customers and busi- ness partners, and spur innovation in products and services (see Figure 1.8). Given the advantages and the rising expectations of employees and customers, firms on the leading edge of the mobile revolution are working to integrate mobile technology throughout their organizations.23

This section offers a high-level view of the mobile revolution, and you’ll see coverage of specific topics integrated throughout the book—everything from collaborative writing and research to presentations and job search strategies.

4 leaRninG oBJeCtiVeOutline the challenges and opportunities of mobile communication in business.

Figure 1.8 Mobile Communication Tools Mobile technologies offer multiple ways to improve communication and other key business processes. For example, note-taking apps such as Note Taker HD offer an easy and unobtrusive way to take notes during meetings, site visits, and other business functions.

S of

tw ar

e G

ar de

n

M01B_BOVE2186_14_SE_C01.indd 16 9/21/16 12:56 PM

ChaPter 1 Professional communication in a Digital, social, Mobile World 17

the rise of moBile as a CommuniCation Platform

Whether it’s emailing, social networking, watching videos, or doing research, the percent- age of communication and media consumption performed on mobile devices continues to grow. For millions of people around the world, a mobile device is their primary way, if not their only way, to access the Internet. Globally, more than 80 percent of Internet users access the web with a mobile device at least some of the time.24

Mobile has become the primary communication tool for many business professionals, including a majority of executives under age 40.25 Email and web browsing rank first and second in terms of the most common nonvoice uses of smartphones, and more email mes- sages are now opened on mobile devices than on PCs.26 Roughly half of U.S. consumers use a mobile device exclusively for their online search needs, and many online activities that eventually migrate to a PC screen start out on a mobile screen.27 For many people, the fact that a smartphone can make phone calls is practically a secondary consideration; data traffic from mobile devices far outstrips voice traffic.28

Moreover, mobile phones—particularly smartphones—have become intensely per- sonal devices in ways that PCs never did. For many users, the connection is so close they feel a sense of panic when they don’t have frequent access to their phones.29 When people are closely attached to their phones, day and night, they are more closely tied to all the information sources, conversations, and networks that those phones can connect to. As a result, mobile connectivity can start to resemble a continuous stream of conversations that never quite end, which influences the way businesses need to interact with their stakeholders. If wearable technologies become mainstream devices, they will contribute even more to this shift in behaviors (see Figure 1.9).

The parallels between social media and mobile commu- nication are striking: Both sets of technologies change the nature of communication, alter the relationships between senders and receivers, create opportunities as well as challenges, and force business professionals to hone new skills. In fact, much of the rise in social com- munication can be attributed to the connectivity made possible by mobile devices. Com- panies that work to understand and embrace mobile, both internally and externally, stand the best chance of capitalizing on this monumental shift in the way people communicate.

hoW moBile teChnologies are Changing Business CommuniCation

The rise of mobile communication has some obvious implications, such as the need for websites to be mobile friendly. If you’ve ever tried to browse a conventional website on a tiny screen or fill in complicated online forms using the keypad on your phone, you know how frustrating the experience can be. Users increasingly expect websites to be mobile friendly, and they’re likely to avoid sites that aren’t optimized for mobile.30

Mobile devices are rapidly taking over as the primary communica- tion platform for many business professionals.

Will wearable technologies influence business and business communication? These presentations explore the potential. Go to real-timeupdates.com/bct14 and select Learn More in the Students section.

real-time uPdates

Learn MOre by vieWing these PresentatiOns

exploring the potential of wearable technologies

Figure 1.9 Wearable Technology Smartwatches and other wearable mobile devices offer intriguing possibilities for business communication. The Uno Noteband incorporates Spritz speed-reading technology that makes it easier to read message content quickly.

U se

d by

p er

m is

si on

o f U

no In

c.

M01B_BOVE2186_14_SE_C01.indd 17 9/21/16 12:56 PM

ChaPter 1 Professional communication in a Digital, social, Mobile World 17

the rise of moBile as a CommuniCation Platform

Whether it’s emailing, social networking, watching videos, or doing research, the percent- age of communication and media consumption performed on mobile devices continues to grow. For millions of people around the world, a mobile device is their primary way, if not their only way, to access the Internet. Globally, more than 80 percent of Internet users access the web with a mobile device at least some of the time.24

Mobile has become the primary communication tool for many business professionals, including a majority of executives under age 40.25 Email and web browsing rank first and second in terms of the most common nonvoice uses of smartphones, and more email mes- sages are now opened on mobile devices than on PCs.26 Roughly half of U.S. consumers use a mobile device exclusively for their online search needs, and many online activities that eventually migrate to a PC screen start out on a mobile screen.27 For many people, the fact that a smartphone can make phone calls is practically a secondary consideration; data traffic from mobile devices far outstrips voice traffic.28

Moreover, mobile phones—particularly smartphones—have become intensely per- sonal devices in ways that PCs never did. For many users, the connection is so close they feel a sense of panic when they don’t have frequent access to their phones.29 When people are closely attached to their phones, day and night, they are more closely tied to all the information sources, conversations, and networks that those phones can connect to. As a result, mobile connectivity can start to resemble a continuous stream of conversations that never quite end, which influences the way businesses need to interact with their stakeholders. If wearable technologies become mainstream devices, they will contribute even more to this shift in behaviors (see Figure 1.9).

The parallels between social media and mobile commu- nication are striking: Both sets of technologies change the nature of communication, alter the relationships between senders and receivers, create opportunities as well as challenges, and force business professionals to hone new skills. In fact, much of the rise in social com- munication can be attributed to the connectivity made possible by mobile devices. Com- panies that work to understand and embrace mobile, both internally and externally, stand the best chance of capitalizing on this monumental shift in the way people communicate.

hoW moBile teChnologies are Changing Business CommuniCation

The rise of mobile communication has some obvious implications, such as the need for websites to be mobile friendly. If you’ve ever tried to browse a conventional website on a tiny screen or fill in complicated online forms using the keypad on your phone, you know how frustrating the experience can be. Users increasingly expect websites to be mobile friendly, and they’re likely to avoid sites that aren’t optimized for mobile.30

Mobile devices are rapidly taking over as the primary communica- tion platform for many business professionals.

Will wearable technologies influence business and business communication? These presentations explore the potential. Go to real-timeupdates.com/bct14 and select Learn More in the Students section.

real-time uPdates

Learn MOre by vieWing these PresentatiOns

exploring the potential of wearable technologies

Figure 1.9 Wearable Technology Smartwatches and other wearable mobile devices offer intriguing possibilities for business communication. The Uno Noteband incorporates Spritz speed-reading technology that makes it easier to read message content quickly.

U se

d by

p er

m is

si on

o f U

no In

c.

M01B_BOVE2186_14_SE_C01.indd 17 9/21/16 12:56 PM

144 PART 2 Applying the Three-Step Writing Process

In some instances combining approaches in a single para- graph is an effective strategy. Notice how the example pro- vided for “Problem and solution” in Table 5.6 also includes an element of illustration by listing some of the unique products that could be part of the proposed solution. When combining approaches, however, do so carefully so that you don’t lose readers partway through the paragraph.

In addition, before settling for the first approach that comes to mind, consider alternatives. Think through various methods before committing yourself, or even write several test

paragraphs to see which method works best. By avoiding the easy habit of repeating the same old paragraph pattern time after time, you can keep your writing fresh and interesting.

Writing Messages for Mobile Devices One obvious adaptation to make for audiences using mobile devices is to modify the design and layout of your messages to fit smaller screen sizes and different user interface features(see Chapter 6). However, modifying your approach to writing is also an important step. Reading is more difficult on small screens, and consequently users’ ability to compre- hend what they read on mobile devices is lower than it is on larger screens.18 In fact, research shows that comprehension can drop by 50 percent when users move from reading on a full-size screen to reading on a smartphone, and they can scroll right past vital information without noticing it.19 Use these five techniques to make your mobile messages more effective:

●● Use a linear organization. In a printed document or on a larger screen, readers can easily take in multiple elements on a page, such as preview or summary boxes, tables and other supporting visuals, and sidebars with related information. All these elements are in view at the same time, so readers can jump around the page to read various parts without feel- ing lost. With small mobile device screens, however, a complicated organization requires readers to zoom in and out and pan around to see all these elements at readable text sizes. This makes reading slower and increases the odds that readers will get disoriented and lose the thread of the message because they can’t see the big picture. In addition, using a touch screen momentarily obscures some of the information, so the more that users have to hunt and scroll, the more likely they will miss something.20 To simplify reading, organize with a linear flow from the top to the bottom of the message or article.

●● Prioritize information. Small screens make it difficult for readers to scan the page to find the information they want most. Prioritize the information based on what you know about their needs and put that information first.21 Use the inverted pyra- mid style favored by journalists, in which you reveal the most important information briefly at first and then provide successive layers of detail that readers can consume if they want. Note that you may need to avoid using the indirect approach (see page 114) if your message is complicated because it will be more difficult for readers to follow your chain of reasoning.

●● Write shorter and more focused messages and documents. Mobile users often lack the patience or opportunity to read lengthy messages or documents, so keep it short.22 In some cases this could require you to write two documents, a shorter executive sum- mary (see page 425) for mobile use and a longer supporting document that readers can access with their PCs if they want more details.

●● Use shorter subject lines and headings. Mobile devices, particularly phones, can’t display as many characters in a single line of text as the typical computer screen can. Depending on the app or website, email subject lines and page headings will be truncated or will wrap around to take up multiple lines. Both formats make reading more difficult. A good rule of thumb is to keep subject lines and headlines to around 25 characters.23 This doesn’t give you much text to work with, so make every word count and make sure you start with the key words so readers can instantly see what the subject line or heading is about.24

●● Use shorter paragraphs. In addition to structuring a message according to discrete blocks of information, paragraphs have a visual role in written communication as

7 LEARNING OBJECTIVEList five techniques for writing effective messages for mobile readers.

Usability experts at Nielsen Norman Group offer dozens of research- based articles on effective communication using mobile devices and other technologies. Go to real-timeupdates.com/bct14 and select Learn More in the Students section.

REAL-TIME UPDATES

LEARN MORE BY VISITING THIS WEBSITE

Expert advice on making technologies usable

To write effectively for mobile devices • Use a linear organization • Prioritize information • Write short, focused messages • Use short subject lines and

headings • Use short paragraphs

M05_BOVE2186_14_SE_C05.indd 144 9/20/16 6:23 PM

168 PART 2 Applying the Three-Step Writing Process

Regarding, is sometimes used instead of Subject.) Memos usually don’t use a salutation, complimentary close, or signature, although signing your initials next to your name on the From line is standard practice in most companies. Bear in mind that memos are often distributed without sealed envelopes, so they are less private than most other message formats.

DESIGNING MESSAGES FOR MOBILE DEVICES

In addition to making your content mobile-friendly using the writing tips in Chapter 4 (see page 108), you can follow these steps in formatting that content for mobile devices:

●● Think in small chunks. Remember that mobile users consume information one screen at a time, so try to divide your message into independent, easy-to-consume bites. If readers have to scroll through a dozen screens to piece together your message, they might miss your point or just give up entirely.

●● Make generous use of white space. White space is always helpful, but it’s critical on small screens because readers are trying to get the point of every message as quickly as possible. Keep your paragraphs short (four to six lines), and separate them with blank lines so the reader’s eyes can easily jump from one point to the next.6

●● Format simply. Avoid anything that is likely to get in the way of fast, easy reading, including busy typefaces, complex graphics, and complicated layouts.

●● Consider horizontal and vertical layouts. Most phones and tablets can automatically rotate their screen content from horizontal to vertical as the user rotates the device. A layout that doesn’t work well with the narrow vertical perspective might be acceptable at the wider horizontal perspective.

Compare the two messages in Figure 6.4; notice how much more difficult the screen in Figure 6.4a is to read.

Figure 6.4 Designing for Mobile Devices Compare the readability of Figures 6.4a and 6.4b. Even simple changes such as revising with shorter paragraphs, choosing cleaner typefaces, and making generous use of white space in and around the text can dramatically improve readability on mobile screens.