These two types of metaphors will help you explain software development to non-technical stakeholders.
Explaining software development to non-technical stakeholders is often a daunting task.
A well-chosen metaphor can save you a lot of time on communication and help you establish a shared understanding with your stakeholders faster. These 2 types of metaphors can help you communicate better while working on fixed-time or fixed-scope projects.
If you are working on a project with both fixed time and scope, seek advice from a professional therapist.
When working against a deadline, use metaphors of a familiar, sequential process:
1. Cooking — adding chocolate icing before baking is not a viable strategy to save time.
2. Construction — once the concrete pour is completed, it will be very hard to take it elsewhere and reshape it.
3. Surgery — the patient was prepared for a particular procedure, and changing it on the fly to a different one is dangerous.
Put emphasis on the sequence in which different team roles contribute to the project, and how it affects the timeline.
1. It is impossible to unbake a cake to change its composition from sponge to puff pastry.
2. Plumbers won’t be able to complete any piping if the building has no walls yet.
3. You can’t start a procedure without an anaesthesiologist and expect safety compliance.
When working on a fixed scope, use familiar metaphors of a structured team using complementary skills to achieve your goal:
1. Team sports — you can’t compete with only half of the team or without a key player, such as a goalkeeper.
2. Airlines — it is not the plane crew’s task to figure out today’s destination.
3. Restaurant — even the best cooks won’t serve dinner if the supplies are still not there.
Emphasise the interoperability, but highlight limited possibilities for role switching as some roles are not interchangeable.
1. Many players switch positions on the field to deliver the coach’s strategy, but goalkeepers will not be good strikers as their training routine is completely different.
2. Ground control will do everything they can to ensure aircraft safety, but they cannot come on board mid-flight to help serve champagne in business class.
3. A chef may replace the waiter, but you shouldn’t expect the waiter to come up with an award-winning menu.
The best metaphors are those relatable to your audience.
The more relatable a metaphor is, the bigger chance it will help you achieve your goals. Try to use metaphors as distant from the industry you work for as possible. Keep in mind that using the wrong metaphors can backfire.
Most people you work with understand how cooking works, and what a construction project looks like, but be mindful of cultural or geographical differences, e.g. sport-related metaphors are super effective but can be tricky.
Experiment — the effort is worth it.
After all, good communication leads to good products.
Read this one next if you’re working with a complex organisation. 👇
