IT Support - Acronyms Gone Wild

IT Support - Acronyms Gone Wild

IT Support - Acronyms Gone Wild

You are not alone! Acronyms are used all the time especially in IT Support. They make great time savers for streamlining communications. But for the uninitiated they may cause confusion, frustration, aggravation, bewilderment and even headaches. Bring on the ibuprofen. How about these:

I need to RDP into your W2K8 R2 server and check the RPC service.

What URL should I use to FTP you the MMR?

My SMB is having problems. What should I do?

If you are an IT Support professional, the first two examples may make perfect sense. If you are not an IT Support professional, good luck.

However, even an IT Support professional cannot be 100% sure what the third example means. Are the problems with the Service Message Block protocol or the System Management Bus? It may even be non-IT Support related. What if the person is referring to a Small to Mid-sized Business or even the Society for Mathematical Biology? The only way to be sure is to ask.

Clear communication is essential. Don't be afraid to ask what an acronym means. You may feel momentary embarrassment but it will be beneficial to everyone involved in the long run.

The advent of text messaging has generated a myriad of new acronyms. I can only imagine the number of carpal tunnel surgeries that have been avoided by the implementation of idk, bff, cul, lol, etc... Sorry docs. If the acronym is new or unique even an uber-texter might have difficulty understanding a text message.

My recommendation to those using acronyms is to be aware of your audience.

1. If you are using a non-verbal communications medium with someone outside of your business it is particularly important to make sure your message is understood. The first time you use an acronym explain it. e.g. RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol), RPC (Remote Procedure Call), SMB (Small to Mid-sized Business.) This will be appreciated by the receiver and show that you as an IT Support professional understand their pain.

2. What should you do if speaking to someone and you are not sure if they are familiar with your line of business? Make them feel at ease by stating up front to let you know if they need an acronym defined. Better yet, refrain from using acronyms if you are unsure of your audiences AQ (Acronym Quotient).

Concise communication can be a benefit to everyone. Clear communication is imperative.

BFN

Michael T. McLaughlin

Partner at Trigon Technology IT Support Solutions

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