The Tribune

Have you ever tried explaining technical matters to ‘not-so-technical’ people? Was it a treat? Maybe, but then again, maybe not. Yet it is safe to say that most persons in technical posts are, at some point, faced with the challenge of communicating with persons who know little about technology.

At whose feet does this problem lie? It’s a long-standing cliché that technical people chirp and beep like robots, instead of talking with words that “normal people” understand. This is often uttered when a brilliant web developer shifts a simple conversation about URL structure to a history of the HTTP protocol in 2.7 seconds.

Whether you are explaining a design, showing someone how to use a CMS or justifying expenses, talking to people with vastly different skillsets is a crucial part of 21st century business.

Here are some tips to greatly improve the process of talking about technical topics with non-technical people, framed in the context of a ‘presentation’. However, the core concepts are the same whether you are lecturing a room full of primary school children or teaching your grandmother how to check her e-mail.

As a technical person, your first priority is to destroy the perceived intellectual divide between yourself and your audience. Remember, you already know a lot of stuff that they are barely aware of, which makes them uncomfortable. So your aim is to establish commonality and raise their confidence level. Convince them you are a peer, and that they could potentially know the same stuff you know, which will make the communication better.

Brief personal anecdotes are very effective, too, especially about past struggles to wrap your head around the stuff you are talking about. Be mindful that as you begin to get more technical, your audience may begin to drift away.

If you are naturally personable, you may find no stress in talking about things outside of their comfort zone. One guiding principal here borrows heavily from the world of UX (User Experience): “Filter absolutely everything through the lens of your audience”. This is obviously easier said than done.

By the same token, I am somehow convinced that people’s interest and patience in anything is directly proportional to their personal investment in the subject. For example, if you start explaining something that’s difficult to understand without convincing people that it is in their best interest to understand it, they will quickly lose interest.

The first instinct with technical presentations may be to skip to the good stuff and avoid boring an audience, in order to maximise time. This instinct can be dangerous, so be careful to avoid glossing over basic details.

Another common pitfall that seems especially ubiquitous among ‘technical folks’ is the use of acronyms. Just the other day, I used the acronym ‘POC’. While I thought this was universal language, it turns out they thought I meant: “Piece of cake”. I was actually referring to a ‘Point Of Contact’. Oversimplification and bending can be a handy method, but be careful with short form.

Never get flustered when non-technical persons’ ‘lights never, ever, seem to come on’. Matters which may often seem logical to you may be completely novel to your audiencee. The key to helping people quickly understand difficult concepts is to carefully engineer and arrange proper stepping stones.

I recall participating in an extremely technical class filled with geeks of every category. However, I was able to swim only because I paid keen attention to principles and concepts. Nonetheless, I recalled a few who struggled, which was very uncomfortable for them, as nerds tend to get weird and nervous when things are moving a little too slow.

Finally, try to assume that the people you are teaching are not pointless. Although you may know much more than they do about a certain technical topic, they most likely are more prudent in a number of other areas that you are not. Be humble.

Knowing to whom you are speaking is of the utmost importance. If you assume too much about your audience or select the wrong technical level to address, the results can be disastrous. You can actually leave your audience not only just as ignorant as when you started, but also much less likely to ever attempt learning the topic again.

It is your job to find the middle ground between the inevitable edge and bridge the gap. Until we meet again, fill your life with memories as opposed to regrets. Enjoy life and stay on top of your game!

• NB: The columnist welcomes feedback at deedee21bastian@gmail.com

ABOUT THE COLUMNIST: Deidre Marie Bastian is a professionally trained graphic designer/marketing coordinator with qualifications of M.Sc., B.Sc., A.Sc. She has trained at institutions such as: Miami Lakes Technical, Success Training College, College of the Bahamas, Nova South Eastern University, Learning Tree International, Langevine International and Synergy Bahamas.