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Same: I struggle with finding a balance between too much and too little information for different people. For a while I wrote detailed, (and in my opinion, clear) status reports for my higher-ups, but nobody ever read them, so I stopped. There was a line in an old TV show that stuck with me: one of the characters asks, “When’s the date of that dinner again?” The other character says, “It’s Saturday, I just told you that.” The first character replies, “Yeah, but I only listen when I ask.” In my experience, each person has their own way of listening, and it’s a challenge to keep straight who consumes information in which way: * Person A only reads the first line of any email, so you have to ask each question or offer each nugget of information in a separate email and there can only be a maximum of two sentences in the message * Person B only wants to be told the information verbally in the hallway or in a meeting or over lunch, not in written form * Person C has a lot going on and only has mental RAM, no long-term storage, so they want to be reminded of everything repeatedly: “Just a reminder, I’m out Feb. 15th.” Then “Just a reminder, I’m out next week.” Then, “Just a reminder, I’m out later this week.” then, “Just a reminder, I’m out tomorrow.” * Person D needs quantified data, charts, and graphs Etc. I’m not complaining – it’s the human condition, it is what it is – but personally I find it challenging to thread the needle. |
My response is that I will now be on the lookout for new strategies, ideas.
I imagine some kind of HR, team building, skill training exercises where everyone discovers each other's communication style(s). Most of it will be hooey, but there will certainly be some kernels of truth.
It also now occurs to me that UX & ethnography types could observe users to infer what works. Eye gaze, like buttons, time spent, etc. Imagine building "emotional intelligence" like feedback tools into Skype.
I know it's creepy. But brainstorming might lead to something useful.
Anyway, thanks again.