Tech translator! Using regular words to explain tech terms

We really need to work on using regular words to explain technology. It’s no secret that in tech, buzz words and jargon appear everywhere. Sometimes we don’t even realize we’re doing it.

Part of my job is demystifying what we do. I try to explain our work using regular words. When people understand us, our client relationships improve. That’s what it’s all about for us — good relationships, helping people with technology, and enjoying our business.

I thought up a new game: “Tech Translator.” We take the tech words we use every day and translate them into regular language. Putting Colin and Nolan on the spot, I named the tech terms and asked them to say the first regular words that came to mind. It was a lot of fun.

Check out the video below:

Here are the tech words we discussed, with their translations:

IT

Translation: “Information technology,” or tech help. Specifically, help with technology you use at work, such as computers and phones. We call ourselves an IT company. A big part of our job is helping people with tech problems and questions.

Ticket

Translation: Problem, or request. When one of our clients has a tech problem, we ask them to open up a “ticket” using our email address [email protected] We ask that you describe the problem so that we have a record of it, and can get working on it.

Tickets can describe issues such as email not working right, a lost file, printer headaches, a connectivity problem, or software bugs.

Support

Translation: Help. “Support” is a tech word for taking care, helping with a tech problem. I mentioned earlier that we are an IT company. We sometimes also refer to ourselves as an IT support company, or tech support company.

User or end-user

Translation: Person. Specifically, the people employed by our clients. The people who use the technology we support (e.g. computers, phones). It’s our pleasure to help people with any tech issues that come up.

Help desk

Translation: Us. We run a help desk, which is the team of people assigned to helping our clients with tech issues. Our help desk is local to Toronto and Hamilton, and we serve people across Ontario.

Office 365

Translation: Your emails, or as Nolan put it during our Tech Translator game, “all-encompassing Microsoft.” Microsoft has changed its product names many times, so it can be hard to keep track. As of 2022, Office 365 is the collection of computer software that may be familiar to you: Outlook, Word, Excel, plus several other programs as well.

Cyber security

Translation: Keeping out “the bad guys.” Stopping hacking and other attempts to steal from and/or extort you. A lock for your computer.

2-factor authentication

Translation: Pressing a button on your phone when you log in. An important and necessary security measure.

This was our first game of Tech Translator, but it won’t be our last. It’s fun for us and it’s a helpful exercise in clear communication.