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"Can You Put That In English"

“Can You Put That in English”–Definition


"Can You Put That in English” refers to a person in the workplace’s ability to research, understand, implement, mentor, and communicate to others applicable technical solutions. Understanding and being able to explain in less technical language the work in which our teams (engineers, developers, technicians, etc.) are engaged and the needs of our customers is essential to the success of a project or a product. Included in this process are managing realistic expectations of both management and customers, being able to say no when no is the appropriate answer, clearly defining the requested user experience and the end product, understanding the processes for change and release management, and helping all team members feel valued and needed for the success of the project.

Assistant: Has little to no experience in the assigned technical area. However, uses existing people skills (friendliness, industry, personal demeanor, etc.) to make meaningful connections to those on his/her team. Can adequately gather user experience needs with some coaching from senior team members. Is teachable and willing to learn more about the assigned technical area and seeks additional knowledge by asking questions.

Associate: Has minimal experience in the assigned technical area. Starts to independently research information about the assigned technical area. Has begun creating meaningful connections with customers and is considered an important member of the internal team. Can recognize when a simple product/project is not going to be/do what the customer needs, and is willing to start inserting clarifying information for development and user experience. Asks more informed questions of both customer and team member, and can identify some key components of UX design. Also is beginning to grasp essential principles of change and release management.

Senior Associate: Has moderate experience in the assigned technical area. Has spent significant time researching UX design principles and recognizes their role in the product/project deliverables. Can clearly communicate to customers and team members the needs of a system/product, and can recognize when additional development is needed. Can properly identify stages of release management, and is managing different projects successfully through each stage. Has developed a strong relationship with all team members and is considered an asset to any team. Finds the strengths of all team members to enable their best performance and the best end product. Can clearly define what “done” means for both customer and team.

Professional: Has significant experience in the assigned technical area. Can be relied upon to provide accurate user requirements for assigned projects with little to no coaching by other team members, and has developed the ability to say “no” to scope creep and unrealistic expectations by team members or others. Consistently leads teams to the successful installation/implementation of products that meet all communicated requirements of the customer. Also helps to navigate when management and customer expectations do not align. Has demonstrated expertise in change and release management, and is actively training others on essential principles.

Senior Professional/Principal: Is considered an expert in the assigned technical area, and other team members seek out this person for clarification and questions. Also meaningfully contributes to the field on an industry level. Seeks out new opportunities and new partners for exploratory/innovative products/projects.

Willingly coaches junior team members to help improve personal performance and to develop additional needed skills. Clearly communicates to both management and customers current status of products/projects (including budgets, schedules, change orders, etc.), and helps to keep needed developments on the strategic roadmap.

“Can You Put That in English” –How to Develop


University Courses:

  • Masters of Technology (various emphases)
  • CFM 155—Construction Modeling (Revit)
  • IS 551—User Experience Design (requires admission to Marriott School graduate program)
  • FM 415—Construction Project Management & Control
  • IS 405—IS Project Management
  • MPA 641—Organizational Behavior

Training / Other Courses:

  • University HR “The Unofficial Project Manager” course
  • UniversityHR “Multipliers” course
  • OIT training (found in YTrain in the OIT section): Managing Without Micromanaging
  • OIT training (found in YTrain in the OIT section): Organizational Management

Professional Associations / Certifications:

  • Certified Technology Specialist (for A/V)
  • ITIL Certification

Books / Publications:

  • Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
  • Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute
  • Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarterby Liz Wiseman
  • Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend
  • The Art of Saying No by Damon Zahariades
  • Where to Draw the Line by Anne Katherine, M. A.
  • UX for Beginners: A Crash Course in 100 Short Lessons by Joel Marsh
  • Project Management: Best Practices for IT Professionals by Richard Murch
  • Managing Software Projects by Frank Tsui
  • Leading Change: An Action Plan from the World’s Foremost Expert on Business Leadership by John Kotter
  • Our Iceberg is Melting by Holger Rathgeber and John Kotter
  • http://electric-cloud.com/wiki/display/releasemanagement/Release+Management(Release Management wiki)

Experiences:

  • Role play three customer-requirement gathering conversations. Present the notes of the role play to an engineer or developer and have them identify areas that need additional information.
  • Meet with the OIT UX Design team to discuss principles they use regularly in their work
  • Watch five UX Design tutorials on YouTube and record any new information you glean
  • Find and complete several trainings on LinkedInLearning (lynda.byu.edu) on a subject like UX Design, setting boundaries, or some other applicable subject. Using the gained knowledge, implement a few changes in your job execution and document the results (both positive and negative). Decide if these changes are worth permanently adopting.
  • Conduct post-mortem meetings after 5 of your projects complete. After each meeting, focus on one thing you can improve upon, and actively work on improving that skill during your next project. At the end of the 5 projects, compare the success (budget, timeline, customer satisfaction) of the first and the fifth project. Make note of the changes you made that you want to permanently adopt.
  • Talk with the OSC about trainings they have for their students and complete some of them related to this field.

“Can You Put That in English” –How to Demonstrate

DO: Describe what you did in completing / achieving your development plan. Describe the agreed-upon assignment or activity and if anything differed from what was planned;

  • Ask a customer to allow you to observe as they interact with your product and ask them for feedback about pain-points, etc.
  • Conduct post-mortem meetings after 5 of your projects complete.

ASSESS: Share, if applicable, any assessments that were taken / provided related to your activities. Indicate whether assessment was part of the experience and to what extent;

  • Survey customers to gauge the way customers view their interactions with you
  • Review customer feedback and share insights with your team
  • Actively track your time spent doing different job-related tasks. Identify areas of improvement and places you could automate your work to free you up for better customer interactions.

LEARN:Explain what you felt that you were able to learn during your journey / experiences. Discuss the specifics of the developmental experience, including the specifics regarding the knowledge acquired;

  • Study best practices for your department/field
  • Complete experiences aimed at helping you improve your interviewing skills for better user requirements gathering
  • Actively track your time spent doing different job-related tasks. Identify areas of improvement and places you could automate your work to free you up for better customer interactions.

APPLY:Give specifics examples where you have / plan to make direct application to your work. Explain how the experience and knowledge gained has helped you (or is expected to help you) in your responsibilities.

  • How have you applied the lessons learned from individual assessments or courses taken
  • Institute changes in your workflow that are geared toward improving the experience for all parties. Share what you’ve learned with others.

REFLECT:Review / consider things you would have done differently had you had this experience earlier. Describe what went well and what was different than you expected. How your experiences were or were not transformational (eg. how are you a different person because of the experiences you had).

  • How will this experience/learning opportunity change the way you view user experience?
  • How does your role impact the impression campus customers have of OIT?