Explain Less, Align More: Explaining tech to non-technical stakeholders

Overview
The author reflects on a recent speaking engagement where she addressed the challenges of translating technical concepts for non-technical audiences. She emphasizes the importance of stripping away unnecessary detail, focusing on outcomes, and aligning communication with stakeholder priorities.

Key Takeaways

• Keep explanations concise and centered on business impact rather than technical minutiae.
• Align your message with the stakeholder's goals to foster agreement and action.
• Use analogies and familiar language to bridge the knowledge gap.
• Prepare a clear, short narrative before deep-dive discussions.
• Encourage questions and feedback to ensure understanding.

Who Would Benefit

• Engineering managers who need to brief executives or product owners.
• Technical leads presenting project updates to cross-functional teams.
• CTOs and directors communicating strategy to non-technical audiences.
• Anyone looking to improve stakeholder communication skills.

Frameworks and Methodologies

• The "Explain Less, Align More" approach (focus on simplicity and alignment).
• Use of the SCQA (Situation, Complication, Question, Answer) storytelling framework for structuring messages.