Lucy Chambers: How to translate tech language into languages understandable to “ordinary” people

On the second day of the POINT Conference second panel talked about how to “translate” tech language into languages understandable to “ordinary” people. Panel was moderated by Feđa Kulenović, and panellist was Lucy Chambers.

Lucy Chambers is a specialist in finding common language between people who deal with technology and experts in other fields. Currently she is employed as a Product Owner for eHealth Africa, where she helps design products that boost immune systems, improve psychosocial support to families victims of diseases, and help bring decisions regarding public health based on information they provide.

“I am telling everyone we need API, because everyone talks about it, but I have no idea what is it about……”.

This sentence perfectly exposes the problem of language in technology. According to Lucy, one of the main issues in communication between different types of people that deal with techniques and those that do not is the fact we mostly use abbreviations and words we suppose everyone knows, and in reality interpret in a different way.