Language
“A language is a structured system of communication used by humans, based on speech and gesture (spoken language), sign, or often writing.” Wikipedia
“Words define who we are”
When I first started working in software development I struggled to understand the language. I would often use my previous work industry terminology and overlay it with words or concepts in software development to help translate its meaning. I still do that. I write down words and their meaning to help me process what is meant. To help understand what is being said.
Without realising it, language is powerful. It can connect or disconnect. We use it in our daily lives to communicate to our families, friends, colleagues, on social media and just about everything in life.
Have you noticed that if you can speak another language, you automatically gain more respect? Whether its culturally, socially or at work. For example, there’s one problem to solve but two perspectives — one from product and the other from engineering. Same problem - different language used to communicate the problem. How do you ensure you solving the right problem?
Someone once told me, “understand the problem before diving into solution-mode as you may be solving the wrong thing or worse, creating more problems without realising it.“
How do you ensure a common understanding — a common goal?
There’s a post I recently came across about Steve Jobs. A few things stood out for me…
“If you can’t explain something in a common language, no matter how good you are at what you do, you will not be able to bring people together to a common goal”
A big part of a Scrum Master’s role is doing just that.
It involves language, communication and people. Three things to ‘get right’. Most times we get one right, but all three areas takes knowledge, intention and hard work. And courage. Lots of it.
Another aspect in communication which this post speaks about is emotional intelligence…
“It’s funny; I don’t know if people would often think of Jobs as having been an emotionally intelligent person. But that’s because many people have an incorrect understanding of emotional intelligence to begin with.
- It’s not about simply being nice to people, or connecting with them on an emotional level.
- It’s also not purely about empathy. (Those can all be wonderful side-effects, but they’re neither the core definition nor the purpose of emotional intelligence.)
- Instead, emotional intelligence is about being aware of how emotions affect your communication and organization efforts, and even leveraging human emotions to make your points clearer, more relatable, and more persuasive.”
What is an Ambiguous Language?
“Open to more than one interpretation; not having one obvious meaning. ‘ambiguous phrases’”
Software development is complex and often ambiguous in its language.
It’s not the software that’s complex. It’s people. People are complex. Language is complex.
But! There are tools to help us simplify and create a common understanding.
I wrote a blog post on using visuals to help us think and communicate clearly. Visuals help us see the same thing… a common understanding.
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
Assumptions are dangerous and what people say often lead to other interpretations. Emotions play a part. Sleep deprivation, stress etc.. These aid miscommunication because verbal language alone is not enough to create a common understanding. We think and process language differently. Visuals is less likely to be misunderstood. What you SEE is what you get.
So how do we create a language that is not ambiguous?
- By asking questions to clarify
- By having the courage to ask questions, even if only for the benefit of others who don’t have the courage to ask or worse rely purely on their assumptions.
Why should we care about this?
- Because we’re human.
- It’s about finding your tribe. At work or socially… its a sense of belonging and language has the ability to connect.
- Because if we don’t find common understanding, it makes work harder than it needs to be.
It is not enough to be an expert in your field without being able to communicate your ideas in a way that is easily understood by anyone.
Some Interesting reads/videos to watch…
California Typewriter is a documentary not only about typewriters, its about history and how it shaped our work, the Digital Age and the impact on how we think, process information and create new ideas.
Another interesting insight about Language from Gapingvoid. A blog I’ve followed for years…
“So when a newbie arrives on the scene, in order to assimilate into their new chosen ecology, the first thing they do is learn all the buzzwords, and then start obsessively repeating them. Politics, business, media, academe, it doesn’t matter. They all do it.
This is why so many newbies come off sounding like complete zealots. They know all the right words but have not had the actual industry experiences to match.”
Language matters.
Words have power. Understanding the language and its meaning in the right context is everyone’s responsibility.
Use it intentionally. Use it wisely.
