Skills Action Plan: Communication Skills

Objective Tasks Resources/Help

needed:
Potential barriers to success: Evidence of success: Completion/review
date:

Improve my oral
communication skills by
delivering a clear and
confident presentation.

1. Complete
Skills@Library
presentation skills
online tutorial

Skills@Library webpage

My internet isnt working
The tutorial doesnt work on my
PC


Completed online tutorial

1
st
November

2. Attend Skills@Library
Effective presentations
workshop.

Skills@Library

Dates clash with lectures/work

Participated in a
workshop

10
th
December

3. Write a presentation for
module xyz

Skills@Library (online
help and drop-in)
ISS (online software
guides)
Tutor (feedback on
draft)

I dont know how to structure it.
I dont know how to use the
software.
I struggle to find the time to
draft and edit it.

I have written a clear and
engaging presentation

18
th
November

4. Practice in front of
people and ask for
feedback

Friends and classmates
(John, Aaron, and Lucy)

I havent built in enough time to
write the presentation and
practice it.


I have practiced the full
presentation in front of
friends and they have
pointed out ways to
improve.

22
nd
November

5. Deliver my 10 minute
presentation to class

The PowerPoint
document (memory
stick)
Presentation handouts
Prompt cards

I forget all the materials I need
I get very nervous


I have clearly and
confidently delivered a 10
minute presentation to my
class.

28
th
November



Headings:

Skill: This is the employability skill that you are planning to develop.

Objective: This is a broad idea of what you are going to do to develop that skill.

Tasks: This is where you need to go into more detail. Here you should break down your objective into a few tasks that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable,
Realistic, and Time-bound.

Resources/help needed from: You should think about the people, services or resources that you will need to help you achieve the tasks youve set
yourself. These could be within the University or beyond. This will help you determine how Achievable and Realistic your objectives are.

Potential problems: This is a space to think about any potential barriers to you completing the task youve set. You should think about how you would
overcome them if they started to hinder your development. You may need to amend your Resources needed column as you think of potential problems.
Often being aware these potential problems is enough to avoid them, but you might also need to alter your plan if any of them arise.

Evidence of success: Here you will write what measurement you will use to determine whether or not you have achieved your objective. Again, avoid
being vague or you wont when youve completed your task!

Completion/review date: It is important that you set a deadline for when you plan to complete the individual tasks. This avoids procrastinating and keeps
your development on track. If a task is ongoing, have you determined whether this is to be completed daily, monthly, weekly etc? You should still set a date
for review to make sure you are keeping on top of an ongoing task. You will have quite a few of these, so make sure you stagger them and set a reminder in
whatever calendar/diary you use.