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Section 4a: Communication and Working With Others

| 12 min read

Section 4 highlights how I communicate and collaborate with others in my professional practice. It includes examples of teamwork, peer learning, stakeholder engagement, and the ways I share knowledge through presentations, publications, and informal channels.

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Description

Effective communication underpins my work as an ICT Learning Technologist at Imperial College London. I prioritise clarity, empathy, and inclusivity, translating between academic, administrative, and technical groups so that shared goals are understood and achievable. In hybrid and remote settings, I use shared documentation, structured updates, and active listening to keep projects moving and to make contributions visible.

My communication strategies vary according to audience and purpose — from producing accessible written guides and visual technical documentation, to delivering departmental presentations and preparing structured meeting summaries. This adaptability is essential when collaborating across cross-functional groups such as the Digital Education Platform Project's (DEPP) technical and academic teams, and collaboration more broadly is central to my role. I work with colleagues across faculties and support teams to co-design learning experiences and advise on the use of Canvas LMS and related technologies.

For instance, I have been working closely with learning technologists from the Business School, Interdisciplinary EdTech Lab, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, and Faculty of Engineering, alongside ICT developers and platform specialists, ensuring that academic perspectives informed technical decision-making and vice versa. A significant part of my current work is within the DEPP, supporting Imperial's transition from Blackboard to Canvas. Within the Platform Integration and Migration and Testing and Evaluation groups, I help surface technical dependencies, coordinate feedback loops, and ensure actionable outcomes are captured in Asana so they can be implemented by the right teams.

In October 2024, I delivered a department-wide presentation on the DEPP, outlining milestones, testing processes, and feedback mechanisms. This improved shared understanding and aligned timelines between technical and academic teams. In June 2025, I collaborated with colleagues in the Business School on a Proof of Concept data-cleaning exercise, identifying and annotating discrepancies to streamline downstream work and reduce the time needed for subsequent data validation.

On 5 November 2024 — ahead of this Proof of Concept testing — I completed the Understanding Manual Testing course on LinkedIn Learning to strengthen my approach to testing and communication. Coming from a developer background, I was more familiar with automated testing frameworks such as unit and integration tests. This training helped me appreciate how manual testing complements automation by capturing the user experience and uncovering usability or accessibility issues that scripted tests can miss. It also improved how I communicate findings—translating technical observations into practical recommendations for non-technical stakeholders.

I disseminate practice through documentation, practical guides, and blog posts. Examples include:

I maintain a public repository of documentation and style guides which consolidate the conventions I follow when writing READMEs, CSS, comments, and Git commits. Creating and maintaining these guides reinforces my commitment to clarity, accessibility, and the open sharing of effective practice, aligning with CMALT principles.

These resources, along with my professional portfolio site, serve as an open record of my work and methods, helping colleagues and the wider community access concrete, reusable guidance. My professional development is sustained through internal learning sessions, self-directed study (for example, LinkedIn Learning courses on accessibility, JavaScript/TypeScript, and APIs), and engagement with technology blogs and YouTube channels. I regularly share useful resources with colleagues, contributing to a culture of collective learning.

Reflection

Working across multi-stakeholder projects has sharpened my communication practice. I have learned that plain-English explanations, clear documentation of decisions, and explicit next steps are essential for maintaining momentum and trust. In the DEPP, this has meant translating complex platform evaluations and test findings into concise updates that productively guide technical and academic teams.

Through my involvement in the DEPP meetings, I have learned the value of structured preparation and documentation from colleagues who model effective facilitation practices. Project owners consistently share agendas in advance and follow them closely during meetings, which helps maintain focus and ensure that all voices are heard. On two occasions, I prepared the meeting notes myself, adopting the same format — an agenda-linked structure with a brief executive summary and clearly marked Action: points. This approach, also informed by accessibility guidance from GOV.UK's Inclusive Communication resource, supports clarity and inclusivity by making information concise, scannable, and easy to follow for all participants.

The DEPP Proof of Concept testing also reinforced the communicative value of manual testing. Through collaboration with technical and academic colleagues, I learned that effective testing is as much about clear dialogue and documentation as it is about functionality. Different users engage with systems in different ways — some explore every feature, while others only use what they need — so structured feedback and observation are essential for understanding pain points and adoption barriers. This insight continues to inform how I test and present my own digital tools, ensuring that findings are framed in accessible, actionable language for all audiences. It also reinforced the importance of framing technical findings in language that prioritises user needs and accessibility. I now approach documentation and feedback summaries with greater attention to tone and structure, ensuring they are inclusive, actionable, and audience-appropriate.

Adapting communication formats — from technical documentation to plain-language guides and visual summaries — helps ensure accessibility for colleagues with differing technical confidence or learning preferences. This flexibility is key to inclusive and effective collaboration across Imperial's diverse academic and professional communities.

Producing guides and blog posts has likewise refined how I structure information for different audiences — from technical walkthroughs to accessibility-aware resources. In both meetings and published materials, I apply the same inclusive design principle: keep it simple, make it concise, and emphasise what matters most. I've also strengthened interpersonal skills central to collaborative work — framing feedback constructively, negotiating priorities when timelines compete, and closing the loop with clear, written next steps.

These experiences have also developed my interpersonal and professional skills — active listening, empathy, and diplomatic communication. By clarifying ambiguity, synthesising perspectives, and moderating between pedagogical and technical needs, I have built trust and fostered a supportive environment within hybrid teams.

Looking ahead, I will continue sharing effective practice through internal channels and my professional portfolio, while further developing facilitation and knowledge-sharing approaches that make communication consistent, scalable, and inclusive. In doing so, I reinforce my commitment to the CMALT principles of collaboration, reflection, and the open sharing of effective practice. By documenting and disseminating lessons learned, I contribute to collective professional development both within and beyond my institution.

Summary

This section demonstrates how I have:

  • Practised clear, inclusive communication to connect academic, administrative, and technical teams and ensure accessibility for diverse audiences.
  • Contributed to the DEPP through Integration/Migration and Testing/Evaluation groups, translating findings into actionable Asana tasks.
  • Delivered a department-wide presentation (October 2024) on the DEPP to align timelines, testing, and feedback processes.
  • Supported the Business School during Proof of Concept testing (June 2025) by annotating data discrepancies and clarifying follow-up actions.
  • Used structured meeting agendas, executive summaries, and accessible formatting to enhance clarity and inclusivity.
  • Disseminated practice via documentation and blog posts (Teams FAQ, Postman guides, Blackboard API article, Accessibility resources).
  • Maintained currency through internal CPD, LinkedIn Learning courses, and curated tech/media sources, sharing highlights with colleagues.
  • Aligned communication practice with CMALT principles of collaboration, reflection, and sharing effective practice across professional communities.

Evidence

Collaboration and Communication

Documentation and Dissemination

Professional Development

Further Reading

Questions about this section?

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