Easy money

There is money to be saved. No cuts necessary. As easy done as said. Make sure that what you mean is what is heard. Mind the semantics. Keep it clear. You will be surprised of what that does for the results you can achieve, your efficiency, effectiveness and customer relations. Just by being a little more alert on how things are perceived and understood.

Information Technology: Two small words that describe a big world. Holding the honour of bringing us unprecedented possibilities in almost every single part of human life. To both businesses and consumers. Mostly referred to in its acronym IT. Extended with the ‘C’ of communication through the years to bring us even more.

Also the term that wins just about every award if one was given to the-most-fuzzy-notion-that-covers-just-about-anything-if-anyone-should-ask of the year contest. Heck, you would probably have a life time achievement on your hands for that matter before you could even blink an eye. And the funny thing is: we are usually not even aware of the fact that the term is so general in it’s description. We just nod our head in agreement. We know what it is about.

How come? Well probably because IT has become such an integrated and normal part of hour daily lives. We all have an automatically generated image of something or somewhat when talking or thinking about IT. An unconscious perception of the idea that suits the general need in conversation and communication. Compare it to talking about cars. No need to explain the concept of that in a conversation, everybody knows what you are talking about. But if you are out to buy one some elaboration on the subject might come in handy.

So what is the big deal, you might say? Haven’t really had a problem with that observation yet. True no doubt, when talking to your aunty on a birthday party and you find yourself desperately trying to explain how you spent your day at work debugging your socks off on the 2000 line app you just build that won’t get started. Not so true when in a professional environment, talking to your peers, your colleagues or even clients. Than it is (or at least should be) a big deal.

To simple and to obvious to state? I don’t think so. I find that making the assumption that the other party just knows what you are talking about, understands and uses the same semantics, isn’t that simple and obvious at all. Just because so many terms feel and sound familiar does not mean that they actually are. Especially in a wildly diverse and intricate environment like information technology. There the notion of what it actually means should not be taken for granted.

If you think or feel I am exaggerating it might be good to give my observation a try? Just verify if your discussion partner in coming conversations perceives the finesse of what you are trying to communicate. Build in some little tests and teasers. Try and find out how well the common understanding of a concept like ´service´ really is for example. See what that does with a technician, an architect, a sales or service manager, let alone a customer.

And of course it is important. As it is for a very simple reason so. What we build, sell and implement is the sum of a whole lot of different parts. They may be be a great many different parts, you might even not directly notice that what you do is part of the bigger chain, but to the eventual final receiver it is the sum of all that dictates his perception of goods received. In a (perhaps somewhat corny) analogy to the WYSIWYG acronym: What You Perceive Is What You Get.

It is obvious that you can not provide a written course every time you open your mouth in a conversation or correspondence with somebody. But the least you can (and my opinion should) do is be aware, if not convince yourself, of the fact what the level of understanding is of your counterpart. Adjust your communication. Make sure he or she understands. Make sure you understand. Provide supportive material. Take it up and trough all necessary levels of communication. Cross the boundary lines of your discipline or department. Provide access to explanatory (and understandable) material. Think of the ability to pickup on what you mean by those who are meant to pick up on.

And what does this small observation bring us then? I think we all would be amazed if we would put a price on the hours and effort spent that (unnecessary and unwanted) misconception caused. I also think that we would be amazed of what even a little more alertness would do here. It would unnoticeably generate quite a saving, not to mention the effect on efficiency, effectiveness and (customer) relations. And the best part of it? No need for funding or an elaborate business case, cause if your honest you already know it will.