“Wait, is this good news or bad news?” When you don’t give enough context, your audience can’t always tell. To reduce cognitive load, remember to account for the emotional subtext.
Loved this read. Lots of great examples and actionable suggestions. The sub-title is genius - hooked me to read this, "why you should tell people how to feel" :)
An example I was reminded of from university application days - emotional signposting using the size of the reply envelope from the university - small letter = a rejection letter vs. a large package = acceptance + relevant admission forms to fill out.
You are so right in saying that now that you've put this thought in my head, I'm seeing signs of it everywhere since morning - both good and not so good :)
I resonate with this so much. Too often, in meetings or presentations, metrics are shown without clear context or emotional signposting, making it hard to grasp the insight.
Regarding the new user example, I find that using ratios and percentages is a powerful way to communicate relative change across all teams. This method avoids unnecessary details that may not be applicable to everyone. Comparing ratios, such as those from the last quarter or the previous release, allows for clear, like-for-like comparisons. This way, a single new ratio can provide insights from multiple angles, making it easier to understand what has been achieved.
Loved this read. Lots of great examples and actionable suggestions. The sub-title is genius - hooked me to read this, "why you should tell people how to feel" :)
An example I was reminded of from university application days - emotional signposting using the size of the reply envelope from the university - small letter = a rejection letter vs. a large package = acceptance + relevant admission forms to fill out.
You are so right in saying that now that you've put this thought in my head, I'm seeing signs of it everywhere since morning - both good and not so good :)
This reminds of general advice I like to follow for communication: make it clear & easy for the other person to understand.
Using a signpost makes it easy for the person to know if it's good or bad news.
It reminds of the Inverted Pyramid structure for storytelling that emerged from the US civil war.
You give the most important info first then details later.
For my emails, i modify it for the audience and put the most relevant info at the top & more details later.
I resonate with this so much. Too often, in meetings or presentations, metrics are shown without clear context or emotional signposting, making it hard to grasp the insight.
Regarding the new user example, I find that using ratios and percentages is a powerful way to communicate relative change across all teams. This method avoids unnecessary details that may not be applicable to everyone. Comparing ratios, such as those from the last quarter or the previous release, allows for clear, like-for-like comparisons. This way, a single new ratio can provide insights from multiple angles, making it easier to understand what has been achieved.