===Penguicon Communication Best Practices ===
  * (this is just a start, needs additions and to be cleaned up and improved, feel free to help)

  *“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” George Bernard Shaw
  * “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” Anthony Robbins
  * «All effective and engaging learning experiences provide frequent and meaningful feedback. Without feedback on whether or not one is getting closer to a goal, progress is unlikely.» Unknown
      * [[http://bexinfu.com/2011/10/02/10-best-practices-for-better-business-communication/ | 10 best practices for better business communication ]]

==Assistance: ==
  * Please email or otherwise contact your concom member if you need help 
  * Also feel free to contact the conchair or conchair's assistants for help
  * Letting others know when there are issues or you are in need of help is important. 
      * It is very difficult to know whether anything might be wrong from silence

==Announcements: ==
  * should be made as soon as the information is known and can be made public
     * for meetings sometimes time and date are known first. 
       * It is important to get the date and time out
       * Then update as soon as possible when a location is found.
  * having them in one place is good 
  * having each separate is good
  * people like it when both are done and others hate it when both are done

==Long Emails: ==
  * highlighting main points is good
  * **Drawing attention to the main point helps** those of us **on phone** or who **have ADD like me**

  * this also **helps when you are skimming** an email after a first read to **find the main points that you read before, adding particular strings to this could help with search-ability** as well this would take some discussion to find a good string

  * let the list know who can outright ignore a long email up at the top or in the subject


==Action Items: ==
  * it is good to remember to let it be known what if any action needs to be done
  * who is expected to do each action needed
  * if there is a due date.
  * have a backup line of communications for more urgent items, like a second contact or request for feedback or receipt of message to make sure they got it with enough time to respond to any due date
      * with unknowns in everyone's schedules such as travel, work, family events, sickness, dead batteries etc this could help out quite a bit