As I was thinking about this topic, Information Overload, I started thinking about…how do I connect with someone’s writing? How do I comprehend and understand what is being said or written? For clarity in my writing, I sometimes like to start with a definition. When I looked up the definition of comprehension, Oxford Languages defines comprehension as: the action or capability of understanding something. But what really got me thinking was the archaic definition: inclusion.
Many times, when we are communicating, we get caught up in what we want to say and forget about the importance of including the audience on the journey. Who are we writing this information for? Who do we want to impact? Who needs to understand what we are saying?
In today’s highly connected world, people are overwhelmed with information from diverse sources. Between professional and personal, we are bombarded with information, so much so that sometimes, valuable information is missed or lost entirely.
How does this information overload affect us? Well, for starters, it may shock you to learn our brains are no better than a goldfish brain when it comes to attention spans. Studies show the average reader’s attention span is quite short and is on par with that of a goldfish’s attention span: just 7-8 seconds! Even more disturbing, there are other studies that show our attention span is even less: just a few seconds.
How do you break through the noise and combat sagging attention spans?
The best advice I could give anyone on how to break through the noise is to go back to the archaic definition and use the “inclusion” reminder to strategize and plan your communication efforts. To ensure your message is received, understood, and if needed, acted upon, take time before you start writing to think through the tips below.
Understand your Audience
First, determine who your target audience is for this information. Take some time to think about the audience and what channel you are using to communicate. Understand your audience’s knowledge level (General? Beginner? Intermediate? Expert?) and adapt your writing to this level. The audience and channel impacts what tone, word choice, length, and style that you choose. It is important to meet your audience where they are. If they have interacted with your company or product offline, maybe sending an actual hard-copy printed piece is more relatable to them. If they enjoy your app or technology, perhaps a text or in-app message is the best communication strategy.
Know your Goal
What do you want your audience to know or do? Determine what your goals are for your writing as this will provide a clear direction for you to follow. As you write, refer back to the goals to ensure your content is aligned.
Keep it Simple
Simplicity is key. Did you know the average reading level in the United States is measured at the middle school level? Publications and content creators (for the most part) target this reading level for their audiences. Between this statistic and our dwindling attention span, simple is the best strategy.
Keep your sentences short and clear. Review your content to see what words can be deleted (adverbs, redundant words, prepositional phrases). Watch for jargon that your audience will not understand. Write, take a break, review, edit, and then read it aloud to hear how your words and ideas flow together.
Get Feedback
Asking your peers and others not associated with the topic to review and edit your work is a crucial step to any communication. Ask for this feedback! You are invested in the piece and may not be able to see it clearly after spending so much time working on it. Before you publish, step back and get an objective perspective to understand what is and is not working for the reader and make improvements.
While it may seem counterintuitive to begin your communication with the end in mind, in my opinion, it is the single most effective communication strategy and is the one that will help you break through the noise and drive your audience toward your goal.
Lisa Stiver is a Principal Consultant at Avaap with more than 25 years of experience in change management, facilitation, business process analysis, and learning and development. Her experience spans the public utilities, healthcare, financial services industry in the US and UK, retail merchandising, and government. She is known for her customer-focused approach and building strong client relationships to achieve successful business outcomes.