04-01-2024
Stop speaking cryptic! You're not smart, you're just unbearable.
The number of times I've had conversations where you talk with someone for hours, only to realize all you hear is gibberish, is far too many. As professionals we tend to use technical terms to get to the point quickly and avoid any misinterpetation. But at some point, if you speak ONLY in terminology, you might stop making sense. It's time to stop this!
Ever had a conversation with someone who starts explaining their vision, and all you hear is "blah blah organic silhouettes", "blah blah chromatic harmony", "blah blah levels of abstraction" and you're just sitting there like, "What the heck are you talking about?" Technical terms fly around like confetti at a hacker wedding.And if in the beginning you can follow what is going on, after a couple of minutes you're somewhere in the deep deep forest of misunderstanding. I've seen projects hit snags because someone misinterpreted "move the whole animation 5 frames later" for "redo the whole animation pass and add 5 new frames to the timing".
I, too, am guilty of such convoluted talk. When I was working as Art Director and I was trying to look "cool" I used all the terminology I could come up with. The thought was, that everyone will see that and start to think that I'm a genius. No, I was not. There were instances where I'd say things like 'the gamut is off' or 'there's not enough depth'. And because you can understand these phrases differently, we had a lot of problems. I should've just said "I want a clear separation of character from background" and "The colors don't look right on the screen where we intend to display it".
At certain point, the ability to discuss complex concepts in simple terms becomes far more important than merely knowing fancy words.It might take more time, but at least everyone will know what is going on and what needs to be done.
But trying to be "efficient", people actually create a very weird barrier, where only a select few can participate in the conversation. It's like we're speaking a secret language, and hey, that's cool in a spy movie, but not so much in a team trying to get a project done.
Do not assume that everyone's on the same page. People had different life experience and different path then you. A quick "Does that make sense?" or "Let me explain that a bit more" can go a long way.It's not about dumbing down; it's about being clear and making sure the whole team is riding the same wave.
Here's the thing: communication isn't just about technical accuracy. It's about understanding. It's about bridging the gap between different levels of expertise, different disciplines, and even different personalities. And that means making a conscious effort to break down those jargon walls and speak in a way that everyone can understand.
Category: General topic