Speaking in plain language

Hello! Today I would like to share with you a small story that should (at least, I hope) once again draw attention to the question of the acceptability of using professionalisms and specific technical terms when talking with people.

I have an appointment with the customer. Theme of the meeting: the modernization of network equipment in the central office. At the appointed time I approach the meeting room, where the discussion of the project with the customer has already begun. On the customer side, the CIO and technical specialist. Our manager holds the introductory word, and then passes the word to me. I decide to go straight to the point, give the following monologue:

- “In the core of the network we put two switches. We unite them in a stack of BCC. Access switches are set up through aggregated channels LAKPI. This will allow us to do without loops. In any case, STF is included along with all the guards on the ports. Vlans will rutit on the core of the network. The vlans themselves will be poured over the remaining switches through the VTP. On the core, configure ACLs, which will provide the initial network segmentation. For communication with branches we raise the dynamics. In the direction of the branches will only send sumizrirovannye routes, so there was less flapping. Plus we tweak timers to ensure fast network convergence. On access switches on ports, we launch security features (port security, DAI, etc.). To deal with storms, everywhere we turn on storm control and underpin the control-plan policy. From the point of view of management we will configure time synchronization through NTP. Centrally we will merge syslog messages. And through the snmp we will periodically water the devices: loading the CPU, memory, channels. To do this, set our monitoring system on equipment. ”

In the same vein, I described all other aspects of the modernization of the customer’s network. When I asked if there were any questions, they answered no. Well, well, it means that I have coped with my mission and can now give my colleagues a talk on more mundane topics.
')

After meeting with a sense of accomplishment, realizing that there are no more urgent matters, I decided to finally go to the car-care center. The car had long been asking for it, but there was no time, either desire, or suddenly a meteorite appeared on the horizon and it was not a hand to think about such trivial things. Since the crisis, I decided not to go to the dealer. Through friends I found a car service where I could go. In general, I make a call asking me to take it, I warn my colleagues that I will leave, and I am going to treat my car.

Arriving at the service station, park the car and make a call to the master. After 5 minutes, a man comes out of the boxes. A measured walk approaches me. Posing as Uncle Gena, he begins to ask friends in a friendly way how things are going, after which he proceeds to the goal of our meeting, namely: come on, tell what concerns you.

- “Why, the stop signal has blown. There was a knock on the front suspension. And it seems to me, the car was a little chat. Yes, even the car has become noisier to work, especially when you give gas "

“So let's see.” It’s good that the frog didn’t die, otherwise the task might have been gone. Suspension necessarily look. It will only be necessary to raise. Surely, the bones started knocking and the pancakes broke. More will need to similarity collapse check on the backside, as could acorns "

A picture of the late reptile appeared in my head and, worst of all, without a backside. Apparently, I was lucky that she was still alive somewhere, this frog. Bones? I wonder whose? Although not important, the main thing is not human. To present the torn pancakes was difficult. Break the pancake as a culinary product can be. But the pancake from the gym - already hard. As for acorns, a thought appeared: oh, now is winter, where will I take acorns? Probably in the store, where else?

- "And by the way there is no vibration while driving?" And then maybe the ring jumped out of the grenade? "

At that moment, I wanted to ask: is it time to hide, since the ring jumped out? Or is it too late?

- “As for the noise, the pants could burn out. All the same, we will drive the lift, at the same time and see. Do everything, do not worry, my friend. Let's see the timing belt, what's up with its wear. And then the valve pistons will catch up, here the repair will immediately pour out a pretty penny. ”

Then, with a smile on my face, I imagined how I was driven onto a lift to check if my pants had burned out. Then there was fun in my head: like pistons chasing valves. And when they catch up, it ends sadly: apparently, the valves go off to a different engine world. Since I told about all my experiences, it remains to find out when to pick up my car.

“You'd better get me tomorrow.” I'll tell you for sure. I need to finish with one thing and take care of your swallow. And then Andreevich arrived, and his shirt began to flow. Now it's hot all the time. By the way, do you understand everything? ”

I nodded back. Then, having imagined Andreevich in a dripping shirt, sitting near the fire to warm up (everything is logical, it’s winter in the yard and you don’t look like a wet shirt for a long time), I went towards the subway. At the same time, the feeling of easy discomfort did not leave me, as there was a feeling that we spoke different languages, although in Russian, and the whole conversation was nothing more than “white noise”.


What do we have in the end? On the one hand, the use of technical terms and professionalism allegedly raises our prestige in the eyes of other people who are "not quite in the subject." On the other hand, the abundance of such terms significantly complicates the dialogue, sometimes presenting it as a black box for one of the parties. A person ceases to grasp the essence and at the end of a conversation he has two options for the development of events: trust these people (it seems to be poured with cunning terms, which means they should understand this) or look for someone else who can explain on the fingers, as in As a result, the IT infrastructure will work. It is difficult to answer the question, which way will the person choose in this situation. In the first case, a certain behavior pattern works:
use specialized terms, means, understand the topic. In the second case, another pattern can play: I was told something, clearly decided to hang noodles on my ears in order to get more money.

I think it is clear that in order not to turn your performance in front of other people into an endless stream of professionalisms, you should definitely understand the depth of a person’s knowledge in the area under discussion with which we communicate. Everyone will tell me that this is obvious. Yes, you will be right. The only problem is that, for some reason, we often forget about it, and being fascinated by our story (and how differently, we are doing what we love, and therefore are ready to talk about it with sparkle in our eyes) do not take into account the fact that the interlocutor may not have specialized terms.