Trust is an interesting social phenomenon, but it may lack a clear definition.

In my trial lecture lecture on designing for trust a year ago, I referred to three key technology-related trust beliefs:

• Competence: The perceived ease with which a user can use the system to successfully complete a task.
• Benevolence: The user's belief and expectation that the system will act in his or her best interest.
• Integrity: The user's subjective assessment of the system's potential threats and consequences.

But how do you ensure trust in your communications with users?

A blog post on Mynewsdesk identifies some key strategies:

• Focus on personal and quality content rather than quantity.
• Develop a strategy that focuses on creating valuable content that prioritizes authenticity and real value over marketing.
• Share customer stories to build connection and credibility.

One interesting takeaway from the article is that we often oversimplify complex issues in an effort to make them understandable. However, these simplifications can be misleading to the recipient. Complex issues sometimes require education, and while not everything can be fully explained, we should help our customers understand the nuances.

This goes back to the trust belief of competence: Users' different levels of expertise influence their risk assessments. For example, novice and expert users may evaluate systems differently based on their familiarity and understanding.

Moussa Mchangama, quoted in the blog, emphasizes that helping people navigate complex issues is an opportunity to build stronger relationships with your audience.

Finally, it's important to note that your audience can be very diverse, and their needs will vary. Depending on whether your users are novices or experts, you may need to design systems and content that address their unique needs in order to gain their trust.