Tailoring the Message to the Receiver's Level of Expertise

Differences between communicating with an expert and a novice

A fundamental principle of effective communication is to recognize that you cannot use the same approach for all audiences.

There is a crucial difference between communicating with a subject matter expert and someone who is new to the field.

A novice requires more context, an explanation of basic concepts and simple, accessible language in order to understand the message.

In contrast, an expert already possesses that knowledge base and is more interested in nuances, specifics or strategic implications.

Communicating with an expert as if they were a novice can be condescending and a waste of time, while speaking to a novice with the complexity of an expert will only generate confusion and frustration.

Therefore, assessing the level of expertise of the interlocutor is the first step in correctly tailoring our message.

Strategies for adjusting the level of detail and technical language

Once the receiver's level of expertise has been identified, the main strategy is to deliberately adjust the level of detail and the use of technical jargon.

For example, when reporting on the status of a project, a department manager will need an overview focused on timelines and budget, as technical details are not relevant to his or her decision making.

In contrast, a developer on the same team will need to know those small technical details because they directly impact their work.

Similarly, it is a common mistake for technical experts to explain a solution to a non-technical audience (such as product managers) using jargon-filled language that is incomprehensible.

The effective communicator must make the effort to "translate" the information, focusing on the functional implications and results rather than the technical process.

The importance of asking "What does this person need to know?"

To guide message tailoring, the most important question a communicator must ask is, "What does this person need to know?"

This question is much more powerful than "What does this person know?" because it shifts the focus from a simple knowledge assessment to a strategic selection of information.

It forces the sender to filter his or her own knowledge and present only what is essential and relevant to the receiver in that specific context.

By answering this question, we avoid overwhelming the audience with unnecessary data and ensure that the core of the message is clear, concise and, above all, useful.

This simple mental exercise is the key to moving from simply "talking" to communicating with a clear, receiver-focused purpose.

Summary

A fundamental principle is to recognize that you cannot use the same approach for all audiences. A novice requires more context and simple language, while an expert is looking for nuance and specifics to understand.

Once the level of expertise has been identified, the main strategy is to deliberately adjust the level of detail and use of technical jargon. The effective communicator must make the effort to "translate" the information.

To guide the tailoring of the message, the most important question is, "What does this person need to know?" This question forces the sender to filter his or her own knowledge and present only what is essential.