Concise communication can help technical teams clearly relay complex information, a crucial collaborative element as the workforce shifts online.
In the remote work era, organizations are often compartmentalized, siloed into specific departments with minimal overlap between teams, however, developers, programmers, and IT professionals routinely must collaborate across the business structure to achieve common objectives, reported @TechRepublic in a recent article.
"Soft skills are critically important for all professionals, especially those in a supportive function. IT professionals and programmers tend to be linear thinkers and goal-focused, but also, they have their own vernacular and their own technical language, pun not intended, that may not be easily understood by the people that they're working with or serving," said Cheryl Dixon, communications executive and adjunct professor, Columbia University.
Key Tips:
Be Concise, Not Quick
Ask Questions
Remember to Take Pause
Put the Audience in the Picture
Incorporate Abstract Concepts and Metaphors
Think About Your Communication Profile
"Ask questions to check in for understanding. When working with IT partners, people might feel intimidated or feel foolish if they don't understand some of the technology -- so they may not ask the questions they need to. So, checking in for understanding and comprehension as you go along is going to be key," Dixon said.