Communication as reducing uncertainty

Abstract

Technical communicators are now generating large amounts of content (which may or may not be web-based), that is used to communicate concepts and ideas for decision making. They are creating information that helps readers reduce their uncertainty about the overall situation and its future development as they read to decide. The information needs of complex information situations can be redefined as working to reduce the uncertainty people have about the situation. It helps people build a clearer picture of the overall situation and reduces uncertainty about the future development of the situation. This redefinition reshapes a design team's goal from answering the question of "what information does the reader need?" to "what information reduces the reader's uncertainty?" As design teams work with their personas or other information analysis methods, they need to remain focused on determining how people use that information to reduce their uncertainty. Too many information creation projects suffer from different groups all lobbing for their content to be included; a focus on reducing uncertainty helps cut through that lobbying. By focusing on the reduction of uncertainty, we have a basis for determining what information is needed, measuring what information is used, and judging the communication effectiveness. Questions posed before, during or after a usability test should be constructed specifically to measure the reduction in uncertainty.