Soft Skill for testers: How to improve communication skill

Have you been facing problems in interviews? Do you fear to deliver any speech? Do you hesitate to speak in your company meeting? Do you have problems explaining your views to others? Do others disagree with you even though you are right?

If answers to these questions are ‘yes’ then it’s time to improve your communication skill. You should be perfect in all ways of communications like verbal, presentation skill and written communication.

Poor communication generally leads to disagreement and misunderstandings. Even in romantic relationship if you are poor at communication, chances are high that you will break up with your boy friend or girl friend.

Good communication skill is a must for software testers. You might have seen this line in every job requirements especially openings in QA and testing field. As testers require communicating with different project team members including clients, communication skill plays important role. If you want to win the arguments (I mean arguments that are right) and find the common solution for your problems with your subordinates then you should be able to express your views effectively.

As a part of ’soft skills for testers’ article series I am sharing detailed power point presentation on “How to improve communication skill”.

Keep in mind these simple rules for effective communication:

  • Listen carefully when others are clarifying their thoughts. Don’t interrupt others in-between.
  • Do not speak too fast. Slow down while speaking.
  • Speak clearly. Your pronunciation should be loud and clear.
  • Make eye contact with whom you are speaking. This increases chances of mutual agreement.
  • Read, read and read. For better communication and effective words in your speech your vocabulary should be very strong. Reading more and more will increase your vocabulary.

Besides these 5 golden rules for effective communication here is PPT presentation on improving your communication skill.

Main topics covered in this PPT:
1) What makes a good communicator?
2) Process of communication
3) Active listening
4) Using non-verbal communication effectively
5) Presentation skill while appearing for an interview.
Thanks SoftLogic Technologies for this presentation.

Update: You can also download the first PPT on communication skill.




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  • 63 comments ↓

    #1 Prashant on 02.15.08 at 4:22 am

    Hi All,
    It’s really a nice article and message not only for testers but also for other software professionals…

    But I didn’t find the PPT link……????

    #2 preethi on 02.15.08 at 4:33 am

    hi,
    really a nice article,but PPT link not found!!!

    #3 Shabeena on 02.15.08 at 5:49 am

    Hi,
    Very nice article. It really inform about importance of communication. Thanx for giving such a nice article.

    #4 santosh.r on 02.15.08 at 5:58 am

    Good article……..

    #5 Vijay on 02.15.08 at 6:39 am

    @Prashant and preethi
    I have embedded both the PPT’s in this page using slideshare flash player. This might happen that these PPT’s are not shown in some browsers. If you have another browser like Firefox or IE6 you can view these PPT’s without any problem.
    If you are still not able to see it, contact me I will mail it to you.

    #6 Robin on 02.15.08 at 6:55 am

    @ Prashant & preethi

    U can see the entire PPT slides by mouse over through the flash object.. No need to go to slideshare.com…

    #7 ashutosh on 02.15.08 at 7:15 am

    hi Vijay ,please tell how we can we download this PPT

    #8 Tirru on 02.15.08 at 7:55 am

    Hi Vijay,

    Can u send me to my mail id ya, any chances for download this article i eager to see the ppt file how it is helpful for communication

    #9 Karthik on 02.15.08 at 10:45 am

    Very nice article and very useful for all. PPT explain again one nice…

    #10 Pavan Ankus on 02.15.08 at 1:30 pm

    I have got Firefox browser but still it is not displaying.Can anybody suggest me suitably since i want to view ASAP i go through each & every sentence of this website with lots of interest since i found it to be most informative in the software testing world.
    Thanks to all of them who have initiated for the launching of this website.
    Awaiting your reply.
    Regards.
    Pavan Ankus.

    #11 Swetha on 02.16.08 at 12:08 pm

    Hi,

    All! it is very interesting topic. Everyone is having problem with communicating though they could express, but due to hesitation or not knowing the correct way to communite, for them it is very useful…

    #12 selva on 02.16.08 at 4:52 pm

    Hi,
    Could you please email these two presentations to my mail id ? If it is not possible, please upload them in any file sharing sites and give the link here.

    Thanks to you & Mr Jayanth.

    #13 kanchan on 02.18.08 at 9:17 am

    Hello Sir
    Very nice article !!!!!!
    Helpful to everyone.
    thanks

    #14 Anuj on 02.18.08 at 12:22 pm

    HI
    Very nice and useful article

    #15 Anuj on 02.18.08 at 12:22 pm

    HI
    Very nice and useful article…Thanks

    #16 gautham on 02.18.08 at 4:02 pm

    Its a really good article to read.According to me communication is first then work comes.

    #17 THANGAMANI.H.V. on 02.18.08 at 5:49 pm

    A SUPERB PPT FOR IT PROFESSIONALS………

    #18 satish on 02.20.08 at 3:48 am

    wow…excellent its very useful for all.

    #19 Jaykay on 02.20.08 at 7:59 am

    Hi frnds,

    If the page titles in our projects are wrong/missing then what priority should we give? pls reply immediately

    #20 FarAway on 02.20.08 at 11:22 am

    Please provide PTT link

    #21 Suhas M on 02.20.08 at 12:20 pm

    @ Jaykay,

    What do you mean by the “Page Title”, can you post this question with an example and your answer for it?

    Regards,
    Suhas M

    #22 Jaykay on 02.20.08 at 12:51 pm

    Hi suhas,

    Page title: at the top of the browser window– it will tell us the current page name where we are, that one is page title.

    In prj few of the modules have wrong page titles, that issues are identified by clients then it become big issue thats y I asked…

    #23 Sreenivasa Reddy on 02.21.08 at 5:07 am

    THis is very nice and very helpful to improve their confidence……

    #24 Rajender on 02.21.08 at 6:39 am

    Hi,

    I am not able to view the PPT’s.
    Can you please send it to my mail ID:ravula.rajender@gmail.com

    Thanks.

    #25 surya on 02.21.08 at 7:22 am

    what are the different names for STLC or test strategy

    and difference for methodology and test strategy in

    software testing.

    I found it to be most informative to the beginners of in

    the software testing world.

    Can you please send it to my mail

    ID:surya5111@yahoo.com

    Thanks.

    Thanks to all of them who haveinvolved in initiated for

    the launching of this website.

    #26 seethapathi on 02.21.08 at 10:57 am

    Hi,
    Can you send that PPT to me.
    seethapathik@broadline.co.in
    Thanks.

    #27 swamy on 02.21.08 at 11:28 am

    It’s very good artical.please send the PPTs.

    #28 Zahoor on 02.22.08 at 2:18 am

    In my company, I have been asked to study Perl scripting. Can anyone tell whats the use of Perl in testing?

    #29 Sreenivasa Reddy on 02.22.08 at 5:05 am

    There is some problem in PPT. It occur some error when it is opened.

    Thanx for ur message to all friends. I will send PPT to all.

    #30 maheswari on 02.22.08 at 1:40 pm

    their is no clear idea about topic

    #31 Shruti on 02.22.08 at 2:21 pm

    I know Testing (Manual and Automation) both, now I want to learn some thing more rather then testing, but I m not getting what should I learn which help me in my carrier in testing field.

    I know basic Sql but not so good as well unix basic commands as read in your PPT. So please can you help me out and suggest which things I can learn which will help me in my futur for my carrier.

    Thanks

    #32 sunny on 02.22.08 at 6:17 pm

    hi

    i need some information do people from medical background can for testing tools for career change or is it difficult to learn software.

    thanks

    #33 farhan on 02.25.08 at 10:40 am

    hi atlast ‘m here this is amazing which have seen on net ….. its v useful not only to beginers but for proffesionals as well who know something”"

    #34 Pooja on 02.26.08 at 9:35 am

    Hi Vijay,
    Your answ
    er are really helpful.
    I just want to thankyou for your efforts.
    Thanks a lot.
    Pooja

    #35 Arun Kalbele on 03.04.08 at 9:26 am

    Hi, i am Arun kalbele from nagpur, right now i am persuing MBA from raisono college ,nagpur. this artical is nice but i didn’t find ppt for this.

    Can you send me ppt on this topic.
    Thanks

    #36 Evangalin Golina. J on 03.12.08 at 4:02 am

    Hi
    It gained more knowledge with the information given in ppt. I need some more explanations on Communication skills.

    #37 narasingarao on 03.13.08 at 6:20 am

    hi all

    iam a BCA graduate in 2005 iam looking for a job in software testing and i have almost 3 years gap from when i passed out please suggest me how to plan for testing job
    waiting for ur replay

    thanku

    #38 kiran on 03.14.08 at 12:41 pm

    It is very nice to read & it’s so much helpfull to every one.

    #39 nirman on 03.23.08 at 12:16 pm

    send me solution how to download ppt

    #40 Subramanian on 03.31.08 at 1:19 pm

    It is very nice article & helpful to all

    #41 Pavitra on 04.01.08 at 2:36 am

    HI
    can you give the details of ISTE certification
    I am a fresher working as a software engineer- Testing
    I want to do that certification ASAP.
    please guide me.
    Regards
    Pavitra

    #42 Manual and Automation testing Challenges on 04.04.08 at 12:25 pm

    […] or testers can make when they are not agree with some points. For this tester also requires good communication, troubleshooting and analyzing […]

    #43 Subramanian on 04.14.08 at 9:57 am

    Hi Pavithra,

    There is no ISTE certification.

    CSTE & CSQA certification is there. If you want to do that just go to this website www.softwarecertifications.org and see the detailed information

    #44 Richard on 04.15.08 at 2:38 pm

    Hi
    Good grammar is necessary for good communications, and you do need to remember the definite and indefinite articles in your sentences.
    Otherwise, you express yourself well.
    R

    #45 Samia on 04.24.08 at 10:12 am

    Hi,

    Its a gud article but PPt is not opening

    #46 Samia on 04.24.08 at 10:14 am

    Hi,

    there are lots of gud points on this site but PPT is not opening

    #47 mahendra on 04.25.08 at 2:01 pm

    hi i think this site is very important and article also use full

    #48 Vimal on 04.29.08 at 12:42 pm

    Hi,

    I can able to see the PPT by saving it to my local drive.

    Thanks,
    vimal

    #49 saravanan on 05.05.08 at 6:05 am

    tis is very nice articles.and also we expect more articles related software tesing and improving communication skill

    #50 Jayant on 05.13.08 at 10:51 am

    Hi Evangalin Golina

    Please forwrd your queries regarding communication skills at jdev.1966@gmail.com

    #51 prashant on 05.19.08 at 3:54 pm

    hi

    its very nice

    actually looking for job for testerin mumbai

    help
    me

    #52 priyanka on 05.22.08 at 10:39 pm

    This website is excellent.Its really awesome.

    #53 Manisha on 06.07.08 at 10:36 am

    I hv to give training on one project. Describing project indetails. I don’t have detailed idea of some part and concerened is not taking interest in explaining. Pls guide how to answer if any question comes from that part.

    #54 Anand KK on 06.10.08 at 9:03 pm

    Hi,
    This is really a good article. Effective communication skills are essential for success. By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts, your queries and ideas effectively.

    #55 swanand on 06.13.08 at 8:37 am

    boss its really a nice thing for general human being.

    thanks a lot.

    #56 vikram on 06.16.08 at 9:35 am

    Hi ,
    This is very nice article .it is very useful for software testers and doveloppers . i was really apprisate for this article. this is used in general people also .key points are rally very good .
    But i did not find the PPT links
    THAX

    #57 Mohua on 06.17.08 at 10:43 am

    This article is very nice . I am working in a famous financial organisation and persuinf MBA finance. It is very helpful but Icouln’t find any ppt. Can anybody send me this ppt?

    #58 Thiya on 06.19.08 at 9:39 am

    hai,
    i am thiyagu doing my software engineering
    this power point presentation is very usefull and it make me to get aware about communication …….

    #59 S.Raja on 06.19.08 at 9:49 am

    Hai I am doing B.C.A in cherraan’s college of arts and science in Kangayam. This presentation helps me lot to know about communication. So keep doing such a nice presentations like this. Because this will bring a good morale for those who are facing trouble with thier communication. Thanks for such a good one…………

    #60 Ranjit on 06.23.08 at 5:36 am

    Nice article…
    Helped me lot.

    Thanks…

    Can you please for forward remaining PPT files at ranjit2709@gmail.com?

    Thanks in advance.
    Ranjit

    #61 harishkumar on 06.25.08 at 4:44 am

    hi,
    very good article, which is useful we espect more articles like this plz forward this articles/presentation to may mail address
    Thanks
    harishkumar.A

    #62 kapil on 06.27.08 at 1:53 pm

    hi ,
    It’s a good article and fresher can aslo get advantage at the time of interview from this article..

    Thanks
    kapil (QA)

    #63 Mallikarjun on 06.28.08 at 2:47 am

    Hi preethi u click on thumb nail at right side bottom, then u ll get PPT
    bye

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