Communicate via Abbreviations

Communicate via Abbreviations

Drive down to MCE, look out for ECP and TPE exit, turn right to MBS. Drive for another 2 junctions and you will enter to GBTB. When you return, use AYE. You need to drive into CBD. Before entering to CBD, you will see the ERP. Ensure you have sufficient money in your IU. If not LTA will summon you.

Do you know what the message really is?
If you are in that industry or country, you will know these terms are commonly used in Singapore public transport and referring to some attraction places name.

Foreigners will not know what you are talking about when you shared such directions that are full of abbreviations.

Abbreviation is the short writing of a long definition. Good for fast writing.
However, too much of abbreviation deviates the message.

Imagine a new employee onboard and is faced with a message that contains so many industry related abbreviations on the very first meeting.

To make matters worse, recipient got mixed up with some abbreviations.
Is it a scope of work(SOW) or statement of work(SOW)? Some organisations use the term “notation” to refer “re-baseline”. They use their internal terms so sparingly till its a common terms in the organization. Many people will get confused even for those who works in the same industry. When the same term is used interchangeably, many people will refer to the wrong item.

Use abbreviation sparingly. Introduce or spell out the abbreviation (if you can), define the meaning in the early part of your written message.

You can refer to any legal contract, they will define the terms in the first few paragraphs. Then the abbreviation or short term is used in their legal document content throughout.

To send message with clarity, you need to explain the abbreviated term to ensure the message is sent with little confusion. Reduce the use of abbreviations. If abbreviation is to be used, spell out the full term. Too many jargons will reduce the message impact.

AYE: Ayer Rajah Expressway
CBD: Central Business District
ECP: East Coast Parkway
GBTB: Garden By The Bay
IU: Integrated Unit
LTA: Land Transport of Authority
MBS: Marina Bay Sands
MCE: Marina Coast Expressway
TPE: Tampines Expressway

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