Media Manipulation: How The Broken Vertical Axis Ruins Your Credibility
The video graphic in a local news story raced by so quickly that I nearly missed the manipulation—the bar in the graphic animated...
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JD Solomon
Aug 4, 20221 min read
Five FAQs on the Second Edition of Communicating to Decision Makers
Five Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Second Edition of Communicating to Decision Makers. 1. What is the history of this book?...
JD Solomon
Aug 4, 20221 min read
Three Perspectives That Will Forever Improve Your Communication to Decision Makers
Check out our most recent guest articles related to technical professionals communicating complexity and uncertainty to decision makers....
JD Solomon
Jul 17, 20224 min read
Situational Awareness Is A Key To Improving Communication
We communicate in many forums. Unfortunately, most of us learn one formal communication style and apply it to every situation. Being...
JD Solomon
Jul 12, 20224 min read
Use These Colors To Convince A Decision Maker
The boss’s boss does not have a lot of time to make decisions. The boss’s boss also does not have a lot of background knowledge in the...
JD Solomon
Jun 28, 20224 min read
Why Three Ethics Matter When the Outcomes Are Complex and Uncertain
The Board of Adjustment was having a hard time making a decision. The property owner’s new woodworking shop extends six feet into the...
JD Solomon
Jun 21, 20223 min read
Synergy: Why Group Effects Matter Most When Facing Complexity and Uncertainty
The utility had an excellent opportunity to implement a green initiative. Energy could be created from excess digester gas at the...
JD Solomon
Jun 14, 20224 min read
How Do You Want Your Presentation to Be Remembered?
It is easy to get caught in this trap. After months of working on an issue, you are asked to provide an informational update to a group...
JD Solomon
Jun 5, 20224 min read
Communicating with FINESSE: Does Your Dog Have More Empathy Than You Do?
The comment is a common one. “It does not surprise me that they do not want to save $60,000,” quipped the second-in-command of the...
JD Solomon
May 31, 20224 min read
How to Avoid Putting a Stench in Someone's Ear (Noise)
“So, what did you think about the most recent five-year management assessment?” asked the Agency Director. I knew it was a loaded...
JD Solomon
May 24, 20223 min read
Communicating with FINESSE: This Is How to Make Your Graphics More Powerful, Understandable
“I have a question,” stated the Chief Financial Officer. “The second data point from the right end of the line the drastically different...
JD Solomon
May 20, 20222 min read
How I Got Clobbered with Eye Candy, Click Bait, and Decorative Visuals
The intentions are good. The results are not what I expected. In some cases, I have been accused of going over the top with click bait by...
JD Solomon
May 17, 20224 min read
Communicating with FINESSE: Why is Framing So Important?
“I just got through with a telephone call,” stated a concerned voice on the other end of the line. “We addressed the wrong issue. I am...
JD Solomon
May 10, 20222 min read
How to Make Your Communication Effective Despite the Required "Eye Candy"
You will certainly be provided with some "help" from the Marketing Department or the Communications Department if you do more than a few...
JD Solomon
Apr 26, 20222 min read
Have You Ever Been Lost? Guiding Graphics Help Navigate Complexity and Uncertainty
Making decisions in situations with high levels of complexity and uncertainty is iterative. The decision maker must understand the...
JD Solomon
Apr 19, 20223 min read
FINESSE: Take Lessons from Google When Communicating with Maps
Getting a Sick Dog to the Vet I heard one of the beagles yelp. Josie came running to the house with a limp. She was wobbling five minutes...
JD Solomon
Apr 12, 20223 min read
What Do Tornado Diagrams and the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes Have In Common?
I got to see the greatest of all sporting events, Game 7 of hockey's 2006 Stanley Cup Finals when the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the...
JD Solomon
Apr 5, 20222 min read
The Power of the Fishbone (Cause-and-Effect) Diagram in Effective Communications
The fishbone diagram is also known as a cause-and-effect diagram or the Ishikawa diagram, after its founder Kaoru Ishikawa. The fishbone...
JD Solomon
Mar 29, 20224 min read
How Senior Management Sidestepping Unintended Consequences Impacts Your Presentation
Why senior management desires to "do no harm" is critically important. Understanding the answer will make your technical presentations...
JD Solomon
Mar 21, 20223 min read
The Big Stuff, and the Small Stuff, of Communicating Complexity and Uncertainty
The Average Does Not Matter Biologist Stephen Jay Gould was told he was dying of a rare form of cancer. His time on this earth was...
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