We’ve all been there. It’s the middle of a meeting that you have complete control of. You give all the right answers, all the right figures. But then someone asks for an update on the EQT.
The what? EQP? Did she say P or T? You panic. You nod your head in complete understanding and dart out of the room at the first sign of the meeting wrapping up. Back at your desk, you consult with your fellow coworkers only to discover that no one knows what the EQT is.
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. But what IT experts and Marketing Professionals forget is that abbreviations should be meaningful to everyone - Not just to those who created them.Everyday, consumers are bombarded with a wide array of abbreviations. Some they know, many they don’t. The average citizen knows FedEx, Amex, MBA, NYC, DMV, AOL and NBC. But what about ORD, AI or D&E?
Not all abbreviations are used to short phrases, some are used as brands. AOL was America Online for the longest time, much like Kentucky Fried Chicken. But people change and so AOL, KFC and HP enter the venacular.
Here are a couple questions to ask when considering or creating an abbreviation for the masses:
- Think. Will this abbreviation serve the user in the end?
- Is the abbreviation memorable?
- Does the abbreviation relate to the product or service it promotes?
- Is the abbreviation easy to use, say, type, write or pass along?
There will always be those who wish for abbreviations when they are not needed, but hopefully these questions can stir conversation surrounding an often short conversation.
On a side note, I use abbreviations almost daily with the websites I manage. This post was spured by a request for a two letter abbreviation for a web and email address. I feel that two letters if often to short to create a connection with the user. Memory serves us best when we relate to the stimulus.
Here’s to shortening the world, one phrase at a time.
