How to bridge the communication gap between technical and innovation teams

Communication is essential for any organization to function effectively, especially when it comes to innovation. Innovation requires sharing ideas, feedback, and information across different domains, functions, and teams. However, communication can be difficult when there are different cultures, languages, and tools used by different departments.

Here, I will share some of the challenges and solutions for communication between technical and innovation departments, based on my research and experience.

Mind the gap!

The communication gap is a common challenge that can hinder collaboration and innovation between technical and innovation departments. It occurs when there are misunderstandings or misinterpretations that result from differences in communication styles, preferences, or expectations.

One of the main sources of these differences is culture. Culture is the collection of shared characteristics of a group of people, such as habits, beliefs, and behavioral norms. Culture affects communication in various ways, such as:

Language: Culture determines the language or languages that people speak and write, as well as the meanings and connotations of words and expressions. Language also reflects the values and assumptions of a culture, such as how to address people with respect, how to express emotions, or how to make requests.

Communication styles: Culture influences how people communicate verbally and nonverbally, such as how loud or soft they speak, how direct or indirect they are, how much they use gestures or eye contact, or how much they rely on context or logic.

Communication preferences: Culture affects what people prefer to communicate about, such as personal or professional topics, facts or opinions, problems or solutions, or positive or negative feedback.

Communication expectations: Culture shapes what people expect from communication, such as the purpose, the outcome, the process, or the etiquette of communication.

For example, technical departments typically have a culture that values precision, accuracy, and clarity. They tend to focus on delivering quality products and services that meet the specifications and requirements of their customers and stakeholders. They tend to use technical terms and data to support their ideas and feedback. They tend to prefer direct and concise communication that focuses on facts and solutions. They tend to expect communication to be logical, structured, and formal.

Innovation departments typically have a culture that values creativity, diversity, and openness. They tend to focus on exploring new opportunities and generating value for their customers and stakeholders. They tend to use stories and visuals to convey their ideas and feedback. They tend to prefer indirect and elaborate communication that focuses on opinions and problems. They tend to expect communication to be contextual, flexible,and informal.

These cultural differences can create communication gaps when technical departments and the innovation department interact with each other.

For example:

• Technical departments may not understand the innovation department's use of stories and visuals and may find them irrelevant or confusing.
• Innovation departments may not understand the technical department's use of technical terms and data and may find them intimidating or boring.
• Technical departments may perceive the innovation department's indirect and elaborate communication as vague, ambiguous, or dishonest.
• Innovation departments may perceive the technical department's direct and concise communication as rude, aggressive, or insensitive.
• Technical departments may be frustrated by the innovation department's preference for opinions and problems and may think they are unprofessional or incompetent.
• Innovation departments may be frustrated by the technical department's preference for facts and solutions and may think they are narrow-minded or arrogant.
• Technical departments may not follow the innovation department's expectations for communication context, flexibility, or informality and may appear as rigid, inflexible, or disrespectful.
• Innovation departments may not follow the technical department's expectations for communication logic, structure, or formality and may appear illogical, disorganized, or impolite.

These communication gaps can lead to confusion, frustration, conflict, or missed opportunities for innovation.

Bridge the gap!

To overcome the communication gap problem and foster a culture of collaboration between technical and innovation departments, you may want to try some of these tips:

Align on a common vision and goal: Before starting any collaboration project, make sure that both teams have a clear understanding of what they are trying to achieve and why it matters. Establish a shared purpose that motivates both teams to work together.

Build relationships and trust: To collaborate effectively, both teams need to respect each other's expertise and contributions. Spend time getting to know each other personally and professionally. Share your backgrounds, interests, strengths, and challenges. Celebrate successes and learn from failures together.

Communicate frequently and openly: To avoid misunderstandings and conflicts, both teams need to communicate regularly and transparently. Use multiple channels and formats to share information, feedback, and progress. Listen actively and empathetically to each other's perspectives and concerns. Seek clarification and confirmation when needed.

Leverage diversity and creativity: To generate innovative solutions, both teams need to embrace diversity and creativity. Encourage both teams to share their ideas, opinions, and suggestions, no matter how unconventional or risky they may seem. Challenge each other to think outside the box and experiment with new approaches. Appreciate and acknowledge the value of different perspectives and experiences.

Adapt to cultural differences: To bridge the communication gap caused by cultural differences, both teams need to adapt to each other's culture. Learn about the language, communication styles, preferences, and expectations of the other team. Avoid using jargon, slang, or idioms that may be confusing or offensive. Use simple, clear, and respectful language. Adjust your tone, volume, and gestures to suit the situation. Be aware of the context, purpose, and outcome of the communication. Follow the etiquette and norms of the other team.

I hope you found this article useful and interesting. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share them below.