The burden is on the message sender, not the receiver when it comes to effective communication. This is especially true when it comes to technically trained professionals who are asked to provide input to senior management.
Effective Communication
Effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the exact information or idea the sender intends to transmit.
Signal-to-Noise Ratio
Successful communication is analogous to the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in electronics. The breakdown between the signal generator and the receiver occurs during message delivery.
Expertise
For technical communication, the receivers do not have the same level of expertise. As a subject matter expert, ask yourself why you would be asked to present information if the decision maker understood the information as well as you.
The Sender's Responsibility
The sender’s responsibility is to eliminate as much noise as possible so that the signal can be properlyreceived. This means that the burden falls on technical professionals and not their superiors, board members, or decision makers.
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