Business English Pod / Business English / Page 37

BEP 321 – Project Management 6: Launching User Testing

Business English, IT and Tech, Presentation in English, Project Management /

BEP 321 Lesson Module - English for Project Management 6: User Testing

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on English for project management and launching user testing for a software project.

At the heart of every software project is the user. If the user finds the software confusing, or if it doesn’t do what the user needs it to do, what’s the point? For this reason, user testing is an essential part of the development process.

User testing can involve a range of activities. You might watch how users interact with the software. You might track or monitor how they use it. And you might ask them for their opinions. In this way, you collect information and feedback that helps you create the best user experience possible. And just as the software itself needs to be user friendly, so does user testing. If people don’t have a clear idea of what they’re supposed to do during testing, you’ll be wasting an opportunity.

So when you launch testing, it’s important to outline what you’re going to be doing, and what kind of feedback you’re interested in. Because the software is new to the test users, you’ll need to give them clear instructions on how to use it and give them an overview of the main features. You might also find yourself emphasizing key points along the way. After all, it’s much easier to make sure everyone understands upfront than to deal with confused users during testing.

In today’s dialog, we’ll hear Jill, a developer with a software company called OptiTech. They’ve been developing software for a logistics company, and now they are ready to launch the first round of user testing. We’ll also hear Liam, the IT manager for the client, and Carla, one of the test users.

Listening Questions

1. What does Jill say will be the final step in this test?
2. What three aspects of the software does this test focus on?
3. What does Jill emphasize is absolutely necessary for the drivers to do?

Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

925 English Lesson 18 – Using Superlatives

925 English, A2, Business English, English Video /
YouTube video

In today’s 925 English video lesson, we’re going to learn how to talk about extremes using superlatives such as “best” and “worst.”

Business is a competition. And in competition we are always talking about who or what is at the top, or the bottom. Usually this means comparing with adjectives. I mean we’re talking about how small something is or how successful someone is.

925 English is a course of video English lessons for beginners. With 925 English lessons you can learn business English phrases and expressions to use in work and business.

Members: PDF Transcript | Lesson Module | Quiz | MP3 Audio

Download: Podcast Video

BEP 320 – English Idioms for Expressing Degrees of Certainty (2)

Business English, Business English Vocabulary, Business Idioms /

BEP 320 - Business English Idioms for Expressing Degrees of Certainty (2)

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on English idioms for expressing degrees of certainty.

There’s an old saying in English that “nothing is certain except death and taxes.” The idea behind that expression is that we can’t really be sure of anything. Of course, that doesn’t stop us from talking about what might happen or will probably happen or what is unlikely to happen.

This kind of discussion is all about degrees of certainty. In other words: how sure you are about something. It’s important to know, or at least to guess, how certain something is. How else can you plan? How else can you decide the right course of action? And just like other common topics of discussion, English has many idioms for expressing certainty. In today’s lesson, we’re going to look at some of these expressions.

We’ll hear a conversation between Maria, Tom, and Gavin, who work for a company that makes mobile apps for children. The three colleagues are talking about several new ideas being considered in the company. More specifically, they’re discussing how certain they are about the potential for each app.

Listening Questions

1. What does Maria think about the app called Waffle Bunnies?
2. Which app does Maria think they can successfully market and sell?
3. What expression does Tom use to show how certain he is that the music-making app will be a success?

Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

BEP 319 – English Idioms for Expressing Degrees of Certainty (1)

Business English, Business English Vocabulary, Business Idioms /

BEP 319 - Business English Idioms for Expressing Degrees of Certainty (1)

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on English idioms for expressing degrees of certainty.

There’s an old saying in English that “nothing is certain except death and taxes.” The idea behind that expression is that we can’t really be sure of anything. Of course, that doesn’t stop us from talking about what might happen or will probably happen or what is unlikely to happen.

This kind of discussion is all about degrees of certainty. In other words: how sure you are about something. It’s important to know, or at least to guess, how certain something is. How else can you plan? How else can you decide the right course of action? And just like other common topics of discussion, English has many idioms for expressing certainty. In today’s lesson, we’re going to look at some of these expressions.

We’ll hear a conversation between Maria, Tom, and Gavin, who work for a company that makes mobile apps for children. The three colleagues are talking about several new ideas being considered in the company. More specifically, they’re discussing how certain they are about the potential for each app.

Listening Questions

1. What does Maria think about the app called Waffle Bunnies?
2. Which app does Maria think they can successfully market and sell?
3. What expression does Tom use to show how certain he is that the music-making app will be a success?

Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

Skills 360 – Making your Ideas Stick (Part 2)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Communication, Persuasion /

Business English Skills 360 Lesson - Making your Ideas Stick 2

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 for today’s lesson on making your ideas stick.

Have you ever been in a meeting or listened to a presentation where someone talks about their big idea? And then, forty PowerPoint slides later, you’re still not quite sure what they’re talking about, or why their idea is so great? Well, there might be a good idea somewhere behind it all, but for some reason it didn’t stick.

On the flip side, there are ideas that you couldn’t forget if you wanted to. For whatever reason, people understand them, they remember them, and they get behind them.

Free Resources: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

Download: Podcast MP3