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In the presentation titled "Communication is a Technical Skill" by Sarah Allen, delivered at the Rocky Mountain Ruby 2016 event, the importance of effective communication within the software development community is emphasized.

### Key Points:  
- **Inspiration from Jim Wyrick**: Sarah opens with admiration for Jim Wyrick, a legendary developer known for his effective communication and joyful contributions to the Ruby community.  
- **Culture of Openness**: The Ruby community fosters a culture of openness where sharing code and collaboration are central. Sarah uses examples like Bundler and Sinatra, highlighting their welcoming documentation and ease of contribution.  
- **Effective Communication in Software Development**: Sarah outlines that software is fundamentally about people and communication, with three key attributes emerging:  
  - **Conveying a Big Vision**: Articulating goals invites collaboration and participation from others.  
  - **Workshops and Community Engagement**: Initiatives like RailsBridge workshops have transformed community dynamics by addressing diversity and inclusion.  
  - **Real-life Examples**: The impact of these efforts is evident, with a noteworthy increase in female participation in the Ruby community from 2% to 18%.  
- **Collaborative Work Environment**: Sarah reflects on her experience at Firebase, where strong communication and a clear shared mission enabled effective teamwork and a positive developer experience.  
- **Introduction of Rack**: The integration of Rack into Rails serves as an example of effective communication facilitating collaboration across web frameworks, highlighting how gradual adoption of shared conventions helps streamline development.  
- **Communication's Role in Development**: Sarah stresses that communication is essential for success in development, likening code creation to a form of magic and emphasizing the joy of coding as a collaborative journey.  
- **Insights from Government Experience**: Drawing on her time as a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow, she shares lessons on the importance of understanding collective goals and focuses on collaborative solutions rather than personal ambitions.

### Conclusion:  
Allen concludes by reinforcing that effective communication is about serving shared goals and engaging with others to drive meaningful change within the tech community.  
The presentation serves as both a reflection on the Ruby community's values and a broader call to enhance communication skills across the tech industry for improved collaboration and innovation.

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