"Communication - the human connection - is the key to personal and career success." Paul J. Meyer

In large companies, a project often includes various departments such as project managers (PMs), designers, backend developers, frontend developers, QA testers, and delivery teams. Each team brings specialized knowledge, and not everyone may be familiar with the other domains. This creates a communication challenge where misunderstandings can occur easily. To foster better understanding among teams, here are some communication tips.

Simple Words Across Teams, Professional Terms in Documentation

"Never use a long word where a short one will do." George Orwell

When explaining concepts to different teams, especially those outside your technical expertise, use simple, common language that everyone can understand. Avoid overwhelming others with technical jargon that may not be familiar to them. For example, when speaking to a PM, explain in broad terms how a feature works rather than diving deep into technical implementation. However, when documenting the details for developers or technical readers, it's important to be precise and use the correct professional terminology. This ensures clarity where needed most while keeping communication effective across non-technical teams.

Use Visuals (Charts, Flows, or Images)

"A picture is worth a thousand words." Napoleon Bonaparte

When working across multiple teams, visual aids like charts, process flows, or diagrams effectively convey complex ideas quickly and clearly. People from different backgrounds and expertise levels can easily interpret visuals, which are often faster to understand than long blocks of text.

For instance, when explaining a software feature, you can use

• Flowcharts: to outline processes or workflows

• Diagrams: to illustrate system architectures or components interactions

• Graphs: to present data trends or statistics

By using visuals, you make communication more efficient and help team members grasp the core concepts without getting lost in text-heavy explanations. This leads to clearer discussions, faster decision-making, and fewer misunderstandings across different teams.

Give an Example Before Explaining a Feature or Issue

When communicating a feature or discussing an issue, start with a concrete example to provide context. This strategy helps bridge the gap between different levels of understanding and makes the technical details easier to grasp.

For instance, when explaining a new feature in your software, you might begin by saying, “Imagine you’re working on a project and need to track your progress. Our new dashboard allows you to see a real-time summary of your tasks and milestones.” This example sets a clear context for what the feature does before you dive into the technical specifics, such as how it integrates with other systems or the underlying architecture.

Similarly, when addressing an issue, start with a relatable scenario. For example, “Picture a user trying to submit a form on our website, but their information doesn’t get saved.” This example helps everyone visualize the problem. Once the issue is clear, you can explain the technical reasons behind it, such as a data synchronization error or a bug in the validation logic.

Using examples first helps ensure that everyone, regardless of their technical background, can follow along and understand the concept more clearly.

Feel Free to Use Private Conversations

Sometimes, addressing issues or explaining features can be more effective through direct messages rather than discussing them in meetings with many people. If a specific topic only concerns a few individuals, it can be more efficient to handle it through private conversations. This approach saves time for those who are not directly involved and reduces the chances of information overload.

For example, if you need to clarify a technical detail or troubleshoot a specific issue, reach out directly to the person or team involved. This targeted communication allows for a focused discussion without involving unrelated parties. Once the issue is resolved or the explanation is complete, you can summarize the key points in a group chat or report for everyone to stay informed.

Using private conversations when appropriate helps streamline communication, keeps meetings more relevant, and ensures that only those who need to be involved are included. It also helps maintain the productivity of meetings by allowing participants to focus on broader, more relevant topics.

Finally

Effective communication within a software team, especially in a large company with diverse teams, is crucial for smooth collaboration and project success. By following these tips—using simple language for cross-team interactions, leveraging visuals to explain complex concepts, providing examples before diving into technical details, and utilizing private conversations when necessary—you can enhance clarity and efficiency in your communications.

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