Common Craft Blog
Sometimes, I Need a Decoder Ring
By leelefever on April 15, 2004 - 5:25pm
I’m considering having nasal surgery because I can’t breathe well through my left nostril. Yesterday, my doctor gave me a copy of an article that he said would help get a feel for the surgery and outcomes. The article might as well be in Latin. I get a lot of it, but it is filled with sentences these:
Terbinate Hypertrophy can be treated surgically with a wide variety of methods, commonly with partial resection of the bulbous anteroinferior portion of the terbinate. Terbinate procedures may be performed alone for terbinate hypertrophy or with septoplasty for patients with a combination of obstructing septal deformity and terbinate hypertrophy.
I’m sure he must give the article to most patients considering the surgery and I think he is guilty of not understanding his audience. I’d like to know if he thinks the article is useful to a majority of patients.
Whenever I see examples like these (and there are many) I’m reminded that simply communicating is not enough- to communicate effectively, the message has to be in the language of the audience. I’m always surprised at how often the mismatch occurs.
Sometimes, I Need a Decoder Ring
I had terbinate reduction surgery a few years ago. One of the best decisions I ever made! Not only can I breathe a lot better but I don't snore anymore! It was a fast outpatient procedure that took only a few minutes with local anesthetic. (More like going to the dentist than what you would think of as surgery.) If you're having trouble breathing, it really is worth the minor inconvenience. Good luck.
Sometimes, I Need a Decoder Ring
Thanks for the encouragement Carol! It'll be correcting a deviated septum and terbinate reduction.
I can't wait to breathe freely- my breathing has like this since 7th grade when I did a face-plant while horsing around on the playground.
Sometimes, I Need a Decoder Ring
Interesting post. I write about art, which I've been doing for so long (art, that is, not writing!), I sometimes forget how it feels to be a beginner. Your comment about communication needing to be 'in the language of the audience' nails it. How do you know when you are using the audience's language, and when you are being condecending? Its one thing to use jargon, but can I assume knowledge of words like perpendicular, moire pattern, archetypal?
Good luck with the nose!
cheers
Helen
Sometimes, I Need a Decoder Ring
Hi Helen,
I think you bring up great points. Being too simplistic can sound like you're talking down to people.
When I say "know your audience", I may really mean "know your *target* audience".
I think it is very hard to know who is actually reading what you write (particularly on the web), so I think it's important to target a specific type of reader and write for/to them. Your audience is a fluid thing that constantly changes - perhaps based on how targeted your writing is.
The savvy folks will find another outlet and over time you should be able to appeal to the group you set out to help by estimating their level of expertise on the "front" end.
You might say... the service I provide here is helping beginning painters who seek to learn the basics of acrylics and watercolors.
With this target in mind, the experts will quickly see the mis-match.
Anyway- hope this helps in some way...
Sometimes, I Need a Decoder Ring
i like the way folks on this site help one another along in their mutual healings