If you think effective communication in tech is all about explaining things in plain English, think again. At Ridiculous Engineering, we’ve learned that communication isn’t just about words—it’s about creating clarity in the chaos, bridging worlds, and (most importantly) not making people’s eyes glaze over in meetings.
For small businesses like ours, where every conversation can make or break a project, communication is a superpower. It’s not just a skill; it’s a strategy.
Breaking Down Communication Myths
Myth #1: The Tech Jargon is Fine. Everyone Will Google It.
Reality: Nope. Nothing kills a meeting faster than throwing acronyms like APIs or CI/CD into a room with non-tech stakeholders. Jargon creates barriers.
At Ridiculous Engineering, we believe in “translation mode.” This means turning “refactor the legacy codebase” into “cleaning up old systems so they run faster and don’t crash.” No one needs to Google anything.
Myth #2: Email is the Answer to Everything.
Reality: Emails are like the unsorted closet of communication—everything gets dumped in there, but finding what you need later? Forget it.
Instead, we focus on streamlining communication. Tools like MS Teams or Slack keep our quick conversations snappy, while project management platforms let us track updates where they belong. Less clutter, more clarity.
Myth #3: Techies Can’t Be Storytellers.
Reality: We have to be. Building software or websites is more than writing code—it’s telling a story. What’s the problem? How does our solution solve it? How will it help users?
We frame every solution as a narrative. Why? Stories stick. They make complex ideas relatable and memorable for clients and users alike.
What Effective Communication Looks Like in Action
1. Bridging the Tech-Business Divide
Ever tried explaining a technical problem to someone whose expertise is marketing? Or justifying the cost of a new feature to a CFO? It’s tricky. But it’s our job to make sure everyone feels part of the conversation.
We keep it simple, visual, and interactive. Think analogies, flowcharts, and the occasional whiteboard masterpiece.
2. Feedback Loops Are Everything
At Ridiculous Engineering, we don’t just talk—we listen. Feedback, whether from clients or our team, is pure gold. By creating safe spaces for open dialogue, we ensure our projects are always aligned with expectations (and that no one is too shy to say, “This looks terrible!”).
3. Tone Matters
A little humor goes a long way. Tech can feel overwhelming, especially for small businesses trying to keep up with innovation. Our approach? Keep things lighthearted, approachable, and free of intimidation. If our emails don’t make you smile, we’re doing it wrong.
Why Small Businesses Can’t Afford to Ignore Communication
For a small business like Ridiculous Engineering, effective communication is our lifeline. We don’t have room for misunderstandings or lengthy delays caused by unclear instructions. Every conversation needs to count, whether it’s aligning on a project, winning a client, or troubleshooting an issue.
And here’s the kicker: communication isn’t just an internal asset—it’s a competitive edge. Our ability to make complex tech feel simple is what keeps clients coming back and sets us apart in a crowded marketplace.
Our Secret Sauce?
We treat communication as an ongoing experiment. We tweak, test, and adapt based on what works best for our clients and team. Whether it’s sending shorter meeting invites (because no one wants a novel), adding GIFs to Slack threads, or running better retrospectives, we’re always learning.
Let’s Talk (Nerdy or Otherwise)
At Ridiculous Engineering, we pride ourselves on making tech human again.
We’re committed to honing the art of communication—not just as a survival tool, but as a superpower that helps us build better software, foster stronger relationships, and grow as a small business.
Got a tech challenge or a great idea? Let’s talk. And yes, we promise to leave the jargon at the door. Ridiculous Engineering—Where communication meets innovation.