David Shevitz’s Post

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Technical Writing at Modular

Years ago, a manager of mine told me I needed to learn how to work with ambiguity. It was terrible advice. Don’t get me wrong. Ambiguity is a constant in many work environments. And I’ve heard many other managers give similar advice to their reports that mine gave to me. But the message is poor; it implies that ambiguity is something you’ll just have to put up with. Now, I would give different advice. I would say: “You should have a high intolerance for ambiguity. And when you encounter it, you should do everything you can to eliminate it.” I don’t want to “deal” with ambiguity, any more than I want to “deal” with a weed in a garden. I want to get rid of it and take steps to ensure it doesn’t come back. That’s how you make progress.

This is one of the areas that I've noticed the most change in my abilities and the way that I work, since joining Google 8 years ago. Now, I'll look for someone who can give me an answer in an area that seems ambiguous, but I don't wait overly long for a response. I seize the agency that we're given and make decisions on my own, when nobody else can or will. I agree that we should remove ambiguity where possible, but sometimes you just need to do an end run around it. :-)

Nick Richards

Senior Software Engineer

1mo

It sounds like you do work with ambiguity, Dave—you transform it into surety! What are some ambiguity scenarios you've encountered that you'd feel comfortable sharing? An experience with ambiguity (of process and focus) I'm still learning about is when tackling cross-functional goals, I’ve found I slide into a useful role of helping others achieve their goals while also focusing on mine. The challenge for me is knowing when to invest time in supporting others’ needs, especially when those goals are only barely tangentially related to mine. It’s about balancing personal productivity with a broader business impact—acknowledging when helping others aligns with my goals, without becoming overly self-serving or giving too much of my time. That balance can be tricky.

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Diane Olsen

Senior Technical Writer at Google

1mo

For a tech writer, surely "Work with ambiguity" should mean, "Hunt it down and remove it wherever you can in the docs," not, "Learn to embrace it."

Cash Vo

Sr. Technical Writer for Developers | API, SDK, Release Notes, Glossary | Successfully managed 12+ XFN teams globally

1mo

like you said..."ambiguity is a constant"...the sooner you can accept that fact, the easier it is to deal with it. The goal is then to learn how to "un-ambiguate" it as fast as possible so you can make progress....and stay sane! ^_^

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Donn Gabrielson

Retired - Principal Electrical Engineer 2N-Engineering

1mo

Hmm, a short post. Maybe that is as clear as it gets? 😊

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Buck Bard

Chief Harbinger, Futurist

1mo

It was good advice for someone who just wanted to survive. Lousy advice for someone with integrity.

Drive consistency. Create expectations.

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Curt Robbins

Senior technical writer and contractor. My clients include FedEx, Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, PNC Bank, USAA, and Wells Fargo. For hire. Deep experience with SOPs, training courses, process flows, and white papers.

1mo

Wise words, David. Thanks for sharing.

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