TLA WTF?
Last night we were talking about abbreviations – or more to the point: recalling a meeting where a manager used an acronym I’d not heard before which triggered my rant. I dislike the habit of turning every phrase into a three letter acronym (TLA), a habit rife with middling micro and networking managers in all forms of the IT industry.
I liken using jargon and acronyms to speaking a different language, French for example – there may be some people in your native English-speaking audience who speak French, but what of the others? are you sure they can understand what you’re saying? If you don’t know positively that your audience can speak French then you need to take the safer option of speaking the language that is understood by the majority. It may be considered rude not to.
It is sometimes argued that acronyms are verbal shorthand that can save time when trying to communicate ideas and concepts. I don’t believe abbreviating terms always ensures efficiency – where is the efficiency in always having to stop and explain to those who ask what the acronym stands for? Words flow, but uttering three letter acronyms can cause the flow of the words to staccato and make it more difficult and less enjoyable to for the listener. It can also cause miscommunication – one man’s SME (Subject Matter Expert) is another man’s SME (Small to Medium Enterprise), and while context might determine which is which, why are you making your listeners work that much harder to gain understanding? Using jargon and acronyms also has the potential to make the listener feel less knowledgeable, and stop their flow of understanding as they try to decrypt the puzzle of the three letters. Do you really want to put your audience in that position? your colleagues? your boss? your client?
I do, however, agree that it is a great shorthand in-house with colleagues and familiars who literally speak the same language. Don’t, however, assume that because someone works in your company, they automatically know what you’re on about when you use an abbreviated term. The receptionist is less likely to know what an SLA is than a member of the Business Analysis Team.
Never put your client or customer in the position where they feel they don’t know what’s going on. Never put your client or customer in a position where they feel confused. Never put your client or customer in the position of having to ask for clarification of your fluffy language – there are much more important questions to be asked. Never, above all, forget that your work colleagues are your clients and customers too – you are providing a service within your office to them as much as to the clients with the dosh and drive behind your company’s projects.
As a rule of thumb, I think it’s a good habit to use all the words in the English language; completely and fully – to ensure your instructions, documentation and general communication is rich with meaningful, understandable and interesting. It comes down to that old adage “Know Your Audience”. Be aware of who is listening to you – if in doubt of their level of knowledge in your chosen subject, do not abbreviate or use jargon – or, if you do – make sure when you use an acronym or specific descriptors, explain them the first time you use them because a customer might not give you a second chance, having left your meeting to find someone who can speak to them in plain English.
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