# S4E42 Pam Hurley | Technical Writing, Presentations, & Communications

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2023-11-03
- Length: 48m
- Episode: 42
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-11-03-s4e42-pam-hurley-technical-writing-presentations-communications
- Listen: https://teampipeline.us/Pam-hurley-technical-writing/

## Summary

Pam Hurley, founder of Hurley Write, Inc., explains that technical writing is a critical career lever for engineers, arguing that poor documentation stifles promotions and business opportunities regardless of technical skill. She emphasizes that writing is 'thinking on paper,' urging engineers to prioritize clear logic and audience-centric strategy over perfect grammar, which tools like Grammarly can fix. Hurley provides specific advice on avoiding common pitfalls in proposals and presentations, such as burying the lead or cramming slides with information, and advocates for starting with the end goal to reverse-engineer effective communication.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-11-03-s4e42-pam-hurley-technical-writing-presentations-communications#t=0) Introduction: Aaron Moncur and the value of technical writing
- [1:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-11-03-s4e42-pam-hurley-technical-writing-presentations-communications#t=84) The gap between academia and real-world engineering communication
- [3:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-11-03-s4e42-pam-hurley-technical-writing-presentations-communications#t=228) Career consequences: Promotions, fellowships, and missed opportunities
- [7:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-11-03-s4e42-pam-hurley-technical-writing-presentations-communications#t=439) Grammar vs. Thinking: Why AI cannot fix poor logic
- [13:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-11-03-s4e42-pam-hurley-technical-writing-presentations-communications#t=815) Planning, incubation, and the value of writing for clarity
- [20:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-11-03-s4e42-pam-hurley-technical-writing-presentations-communications#t=1222) Presentation mistakes: Reading slides and 'Death by PowerPoint'
- [25:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-11-03-s4e42-pam-hurley-technical-writing-presentations-communications#t=1528) Writing strategy: Starting with the end and reverse engineering
- [29:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-11-03-s4e42-pam-hurley-technical-writing-presentations-communications#t=1746) Proposal writing: Focusing on the client's problem, not the vendor's history
- [33:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-11-03-s4e42-pam-hurley-technical-writing-presentations-communications#t=2032) Email specificity: The meaning of communication is the response
- [40:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-11-03-s4e42-pam-hurley-technical-writing-presentations-communications#t=2443) Live communication, tone, and when to pick up the phone

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Hurley Write, Inc. (company)
- Grammarly (tool)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)
- Toastmasters (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [28: A Lot of Wish Fulfillment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-11-20-28-a-lot-of-wish-fulfillment) (Embedded.fm)
- [Marketing to a Technical Audience with Wendy Covey](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-09-01-marketing-to-a-technical-audience-with-wendy-covey) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [How Communication Affects the Outcomes of Quality Activities](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-02-23-how-communication-affects-the-outcomes-of-quality-activities) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [020- "The Right Words" with Kathy Walsh](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-02-16-020-the-right-words-with-kathy-walsh) (Let's Combinate)
- [BONUS: Publishing & Promoting Strategies for Marketing to a Technical Audience](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-09-04-bonus-publishing-promoting-strategies-for-marketing-to-a-technical-audience) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-11-03-s4e42-pam-hurley-technical-writing-presentations-communications. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Being an Engineer.