Career Conversations: If You Can’t Explain It, Do You Understand It?

Imagine you're asked why a system isn't working.

You know exactly what happened, you understand the technical issue, you've identified the cause and you know what needs to happen next.

Then three different people ask you about it.

A fellow engineer asks what went wrong, your manager asks when it will be fixed and a customer asks whether they need to do anything.

The technical problem hasn't changed but the answer probably should.

Knowing how something works is an important part of building a career in technology. Knowing how to explain it clearly, to different people, for different reasons, is another skill entirely.

And as your career develops, the difference between the two becomes increasingly important.

Knowing isn't the same as explaining

When you spend enough time learning a technology, certain terminology and concepts eventually become second nature.

You know the acronyms, understand the systems and you can follow conversations that might have sounded like another language when you first entered the industry.

But familiarity can make it surprisingly difficult to remember what it was like not  to know.

You might explain an issue using terminology that makes perfect sense to another engineer but leaves somebody outside your field with more questions than answers.

That doesn't necessarily make the explanation wrong. Technically, it might be completely accurate.

But being technically correct and being understood are not always the same thing.

Good technical communication requires you to recognise the difference.

Same problem, different explanation

One of the most useful communication skills you can develop is understanding what the person in front of you actually needs to know.

Take the system outage example from earlier. Another engineer might need to know the root cause, which components are affected, what troubleshooting has already been completed and what still needs investigating.

A manager may be less concerned with every technical detail and more interested in the business impact, how long the disruption could last and whether anything needs escalating.

A customer might simply need to understand what has happened, how it affects them and what they should expect next.

None of those explanations are inherently better than the others.

They're useful because they're appropriate for the person receiving them.

Being able to make that distinction becomes increasingly valuable as you begin working across different teams, supporting users, dealing with customers or communicating with people who don't share your technical background.

Jargon isn't proof of expertise

Technical language has a purpose.

It allows professionals to communicate complicated ideas precisely and efficiently when everyone involved understands the terminology.

The problem begins when technical language is used simply because it sounds more knowledgeable.

An explanation filled with acronyms and specialist terminology might demonstrate familiarity with a subject, but if the person receiving it walks away without understanding what you've said, very little has actually been communicated.

Simplifying something doesn't mean removing the important details.

It means identifying which details matter.

In fact, explaining a complicated idea simply can sometimes require a deeper understanding than explaining it technically. You have to separate what is essential from what isn't, recognise what your audience already knows and find another way of communicating the same idea without losing its meaning.

The goal isn't to sound less technical, it's to make your technical knowledge useful.

Could someone else follow your explanation?

Technical communication doesn't only happen in conversations.

It also happens every time you document a process, write troubleshooting notes, leave comments for another engineer or explain how something has been configured.

A useful question to ask yourself is:

Could somebody understand what I've done if I wasn't here to explain it?

If another person has to message you six months later because nobody can understand the notes you left behind, the knowledge never really transferred.

Good documentation gives your work a life beyond the moment it was completed.

It allows somebody else to retrace your decisions, understand why something was done and continue where you left off without having to start again.

For someone early in their career, documentation can also be a useful way of testing their own understanding. Writing something down forces you to organise what you know, identify gaps in your reasoning and explain a process from beginning to end.

Sometimes, you don't realise which parts you don't fully understand until you try to explain them.

From solving problems to sharing understanding

Early in your career, a lot of attention naturally goes towards developing your technical ability.

• Can I solve the problem?

As you gain experience, another question starts becoming just as important.

• Can I explain how I solved it?

Eventually, that develops further.

• Can I explain it in a way that makes sense to whoever needs to understand it?

That progression matters because very few technical roles exist completely independently.

Engineers collaborate with other engineers. Technical teams communicate with customers. Specialists explain recommendations to leadership. Experienced professionals mentor people who are still learning.

The further your career progresses, the more likely it is that your knowledge needs to travel beyond you.

And that is where communication becomes more than simply a "soft skill".

It becomes part of how effectively you can use your technical expertise.

Making knowledge useful

You don't need to become the world's greatest public speaker to communicate technical information effectively.

Sometimes it is as simple as considering who you're speaking to before you start explaining.

• What do they already know?
• What do they actually need from you?
• Which details will help them understand the situation, and which will only make the explanation harder to follow?

Technical knowledge gives you the ability to understand and solve complex problems but it's value doesn't stop with what you understand.

Because the ability to find an answer is valuable.

The ability to make that answer useful to somebody else is what allows your knowledge to go further.

FAQ:

Why is communication important in technical careers?

• Technology professionals rarely work in isolation. Engineers regularly communicate with colleagues, managers, customers and other stakeholders who may have very different levels of technical knowledge. Strong communication helps ensure technical information is understood, decisions can be made effectively and problems are resolved collaboratively.

What is technical communication?

• Technical communication is the process of explaining specialised or complex information clearly and accurately. It can include conversations, documentation, reports, troubleshooting notes, presentations and instructions. Effective technical communication considers both the information being shared and the needs of the person receiving it.

How do you explain technical concepts to non-technical people?

• Start by identifying what the person actually needs to understand. Avoid unnecessary jargon, provide relevant context and focus on the impact or outcome rather than every technical detail. Analogies and practical examples can also help, provided they don't oversimplify or misrepresent the concept.

Is using technical jargon a bad thing?

• Not necessarily. Technical terminology can make communication faster and more precise when everyone understands it. Problems arise when jargon creates unnecessary confusion or is used with an audience unfamiliar with the terminology. Good communicators know when specialist language is useful and when simpler language would be clearer.

Why is documentation important in technology?

• Documentation preserves technical knowledge so that other people can understand systems, processes and decisions without relying on the original person being available. Good documentation can make troubleshooting easier, improve knowledge sharing and help teams maintain systems more effectively over time. Additionally, explaining a technical process in writing forces you to organise your thoughts and examine your understanding more closely. If you struggle to explain why a particular step is necessary, it can reveal an area where your own knowledge could be strengthened.

What makes good technical documentation?

• Good technical documentation should be clear, accurate, structured and written with its intended audience in mind. It should provide enough context for another person to understand what was done, why it was done and, where relevant, how to repeat or troubleshoot the process.

How can I improve my technical communication skills?

• Practise explaining the same concept to different audiences, reduce unnecessary jargon and ask yourself what information the other person actually needs. Writing documentation, presenting your work, contributing to meetings and explaining your troubleshooting process can all help you become a stronger technical communicator.

How Hamilton Barnes Can Help

Building a career in technology isn't only about developing technical expertise. As your responsibilities grow, your ability to communicate that expertise can become just as valuable. 

At Hamilton Barnes, we support technology professionals at every stage of their careers. Whether you're looking for your first opportunity, considering a change in direction or exploring new specialisms, our consultants can provide market insights, career guidance and access to opportunities across networking, cloud, cybersecurity, telecoms and more.

We offer:

• Interview preparation
• Mock interview sessions
• Real scenario practice
• Communication coaching
• Guidance on how to explain your technical thinking
• Support to help you stay calm and confident

Whether you're exploring career options, looking to develop new skills or searching for your next opportunity, we're here to help you make informed career decisions and build a future that's adaptable, resilient and aligned with your long-term goals.

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