Let's Get Brainwashed.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Not Complicated (aka: Simple)
I'm working on making a chart for a project. They wanted it to be color coded, and have checkboxes to designate who pays what expenses. The color codes were to highlight when some is non-billable, potentially billable, or unknown.
Did I lose you? Those words were confusing to me. I told the project team that by using negative words (NON-billable), it makes the reader have to think. Instead of saying what it is NOT, just say what it is! So many light bulbs came on in the room when I said this, I was almost blinded.
So now we have a code for Corporate Pays (instead of Non-billable). Readers will know exactly who pays it instead of having to think backwards Ahh, much better.
Before:
Non-billable (Reader: "Okay, not billable means not paid by Party B, so therefore it must be Party A").
Corporate Pays (Reader: "Got it! The company pays, and not Party B.)
Did I lose you? Those words were confusing to me. I told the project team that by using negative words (NON-billable), it makes the reader have to think. Instead of saying what it is NOT, just say what it is! So many light bulbs came on in the room when I said this, I was almost blinded.
So now we have a code for Corporate Pays (instead of Non-billable). Readers will know exactly who pays it instead of having to think backwards Ahh, much better.
Before:
Non-billable (Reader: "Okay, not billable means not paid by Party B, so therefore it must be Party A").
Corporate Pays (Reader: "Got it! The company pays, and not Party B.)
posted by Hugo Minor # 2:08 PM 
Comments:
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YES! Say what IS!
We do this in the therapy world too. You know the whole idea that it's hard to not think about something if you're told not to think about it. Like if I say, "think about walking along a beautiful beach, but don't think about bananas." You'll inevitably think about bananas and only bananas. So, if people want to make a change, it's more helpful to envision the change they do want rather than the current behavior they don't want. Or instead of saying to yourself, "Don't forget the umbrella, don't forget the umbrella, don't forget the umbrella" (which actually will help you forget the umbrella), say "Remember the umbrella." It's a little woo-woo, but I swear it works! I love seeing your example.
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We do this in the therapy world too. You know the whole idea that it's hard to not think about something if you're told not to think about it. Like if I say, "think about walking along a beautiful beach, but don't think about bananas." You'll inevitably think about bananas and only bananas. So, if people want to make a change, it's more helpful to envision the change they do want rather than the current behavior they don't want. Or instead of saying to yourself, "Don't forget the umbrella, don't forget the umbrella, don't forget the umbrella" (which actually will help you forget the umbrella), say "Remember the umbrella." It's a little woo-woo, but I swear it works! I love seeing your example.
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