People often communicate indirectly at work, using hints and polite language to avoid conflict, but technical people may not pick up on these cues.
Technical experts prefer to be told the desired outcome, constraints, timeline, and motivation, not the exact method of execution.
Indirect communication (hints, stories) risks misunderstanding because technical people are trained to focus on explicit facts, not read between the lines.
To effectively communicate with technical people, be explicit about what you need and why, while leaving room for them to decide how to achieve it.
Stating the obvious is useful because much of our knowledge is subconscious, and articulating it can clarify our own thoughts.
Reading obvious truths that are rarely discussed can provide catharsis and validation, especially for junior engineers noticing unspoken workplace realities.
Stating the obvious is difficult because it requires dropping layers of interpretation to see what's actually there, similar to drawing what you see.
Articulating obvious truths is valuable in technical blogging, design documents, and literature, as it aligns understanding and captures essential human experiences.
Don't avoid writing down obvious ideas; they can recede from consciousness quickly, and they help newcomers feel less isolated.
Stating the obvious provides a foundation for exploring nuanced, non-obvious implications that would be inaccessible without first stating the obvious.