Same fault, three messages
A server will be off for two hours on Sunday. The technician must tell three groups.
The director needs one line. The staff need to know what to do. The other technicians need every detail.
One fact, three messages. Choosing the right words for the right person is a skill.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can choose the right words and the right way to talk to a user, a manager and a colleague.
Key words
| Word | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Incident ticket | a written record of one problem and what was done | |
| Audience | the people you are writing or speaking to | |
| Open question | a question that needs more than yes or no | What happened before it stopped? |
| Body language | what your face and body say without words | |
| Negotiation | talking to reach an agreement both sides accept | |
| De-escalation | calming a tense situation | |
| Screen sharing | letting another person see your screen | |
| Remote support | fixing a problem without being in the room |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Starter: what you already know
Have a go
Starter: what you already know
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Written messages: tickets, updates, forums
An incident ticket records a problem, who reported it and what was done. A system update notification tells users what will change and when. A forum is a shared board where people ask and answer questions.
Each one must be clear and short.
Fit the message to the audience
Think about four things. Who is the target audience? How big is the audience? How much do they already know? How much detail do they need?
A message to all staff should be short and plain. A note to a colleague can include technical detail.
Worked example: one fact, three messages
| Audience | Size | Knowledge | Message |
|---|---|---|---|
| The director | One person | Low | The server is off on Sunday 2 to 4am. No staff impact. |
| All staff | About 200 | Low | The system will not work on Sunday 2 to 4am. Save your work on Saturday. |
| The technical team | Five people | High | Patch the file server on Sunday 2am. Reboot. Check the backup job. Report by 4am. |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Check: the right message
Have a go
Check: the right message
4 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.