Why Techies
Talk Funny
The world is divided into two groups: the
"Techies" and the "non-Techies."
The later group knows that the former group talks and writes funny.
Both groups believe that clarity is key to quality communication. Why are they different?
"Techies" are taught through
their entire academic formation that they need to study, understand, and
communicate about objective reality,
the focus of science. For them,
precision is key to clarity. The
more detailed and accurate a description is, the clearer it is.
If the receiver (listener or reader) has difficulty with the language and
verbal discriminations made, then that listener is "impaired."
The imperative of Objectivity means the person receiving has the
obligation to increase his or her capacity to understand the technical
distinctions. There is no apology
at stake...for Techies believe that "models should be as simple as
possible, and no simpler." If
a Techie doesn't understand a non-Techie communication the conclusion is
"it's not precise enough." If
a Techie doesn't understand a Techie communication the conclusion is "I
don't know enough."
"non-Techies" believe that
quality communication is a subjective
challenge. What happens to the
receiver IS part of the quality. As
above, clarity is key to reaching that quality.
But precision is NOT synonymous with clarity, and in fact can work
against it. Simplicity can enhance
clarity at the expense of precision. Words
should be chosen so that they get the "right idea across" even if they
are not exact. The technically
correct words may be confusing, tiresome, distracting, and destroy clarity.
When frustrated by a Techie communication, there is a strong sense of
"I'm O.K., so I certainly should be able to understand this...this Techie
talks funny."
© 2002 Michael E. Doherty