Clarity in Context: Rethinking Misunderstanding
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/stc/tc/2002/00000049/00000002/art00009
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  peer-reviewed

Schneider, Barbara
Technical Communication Online
2002

Abstract:

Technical communicators are well aware of the potential for misunderstanding in their roles as communicators within organizations and as translators of information from technical to lay people. In fact, they spend much of their working lives trying to communicate clearly and avoid misunderstanding. Lack of clarity can lead to delays in completing work, to lost business, and to customer dissatisfaction. It has been blamed for everything from the delay in starting yesterday's meeting to the Challenger space shuttle disaster. If we are to address the problem of misunderstanding and try to avoid it more often, we have to understand what misunderstanding is and why it occurs.