Here are a few communication tips that have benefited me:
- Ask 1. Who is my audience/listener? 2. What do I want him/her to think and/or feel? Based on these answers tailor my message/website/software etc.
- Be very meticulous about the requirements and goals of the software of system. This means asking many questions about the use cases or work flow.
- Use pen and paper to think, plan, brainstorm. Think on paper. Using just a pen and paper and jotting down 2-5 ideas can help me organize and plan better. The extreme version is something like the 20 Idea Method