Effective communication is a pivotal aspect of a software developer's career. 

In your current role, you will often interact with other developers, non-technical team members, stakeholders, and end users of your software. Communication is the key, and the way in which you deliver your message is essential. It is a common misconception in the software development industry that engineers lack the ability to successfully present their projects and maintain close relationships with clients or project managers on their team. Along with technical abilities, interpersonal skills are extremely important in establishing yourself as a top-tier developer. How you present your projects, understand client objectives, and successfully deliver project proposals can be just as important as any level of technical expertise. Many software developers with great technical skills fall short in interpersonal qualities, frequently due to a lack of practise and communication with team members of varying levels. Whether you believe it or not, gaining interpersonal skills requires consistent practise.

So, how can you improve your presentation and interpersonal skills? We'll break it down into three stages:

Stage 1: Simplify Your Presentation

While it may be straightforward to communicate with fellow developers who can read your code, conveying complex technical concepts to project managers, designers, and client support can be challenging. It's essential to recognize that your code serves as the exclusive language of your development team. Even if you have skilled project managers or designers on your team, not everyone will understand the complexities of your task. As a result, it's vital to simplify your explanations and avoid technical jargon. 
For instance, while you may understand the term "WebSocket" not everyone does, so provide some context.

Bad Example: "For this feature, I implemented a WebSocket API to communicate with WebSocket servers using the WebSocket protocol."
Good Example: “For this feature, I implemented WebSocket, a real-time protocol enabling two-way communication between clients and servers.”

Stage 2: Avoid Being Overly Verbose

Prepare to modify your presentation as needed, and accept listener criticism and recommendations. Be ready to respond to questions, clarify points, and adjust your presentation based on the audience's response. Short presentations frequently have more influence than verbose ones. Focus on a few crucial things to avoid losing your audience's attention. The average adult's attention span is 10 to 15 minutes, so keep things brief.

Key Points For Your Weekly Presentation:

• Test your code for all possible scenarios before delivering it.
• Demonstrate your work rather than merely describing it.
• Share code, tests, or, in the case of front-end work, show before-and-after comparisons.
• Explain why your work represents progress, not setbacks.
• Consider user experience and whether your work enhances it.
• If you need significant explanation, it indicates a poor user experience.
• Limit your presentation to a maximum of 10 minutes, covering the previous week's progress, problem-solving, and future goals for specific tasks.
  Use slides, diagrams, or any other visuals that enhance understanding.
• If time permits, talk about anything that has caught the interest of you in the last week, such as new features, software, or market changes in the software industry, and leave a 5-minute gap available for questions and suggestions.
• The primary objective is to remain open to feedback. Even if you believe your work is flawless, it's important to maintain an open-minded approach during discussions
• Avoid attempting to persuade yourself or others if evidence suggests otherwise. We are all here to grow, improve our team, and enhance our company's performance.

Bad example (Only for demonstration purpose): 

Good example (Only for demonstration purpose): 

Stage 3: Practice, Practice, Practice

As mentioned earlier, simplify your presentations and refrain from using technical jargon, except when necessary. After achieving clarity in your presentations, the next step is continuous practice. Setting weekly goals to deliver short presentations of your work to various audiences, including friends, colleagues, and family, is an excellent way to improve. While your first attempts may confuse your audience, you will quickly realise the need of simplifying and slowing down.. There is no magic solution—only consistent practice. Seize every opportunity to practice and refine your communication skills.

Bad Example: "I don't need it. I'm here to write code and fix bugs."
Good Example: "I plan to participate in online meet-ups to enhance my presentation and communication skills, as it can be beneficial for my future prospects."
 

Conclusion

As a software developer, the ability to communicate clearly and concisely is fundamental to a successful career. Developers rarely work alone, and their interactions with numerous stakeholders, team members, and end users are extensive. While technical skill development is generally prioritised, improving communication skills is equally important.