Internal and external communication in systems engineering
There is no question that communication is important in systems engineering. Due to increasing complexity, the topic has also become very important. This is about the direction in which communication is directed and which aspects need to be considered.
Internal and external
Internal/external initially refers to communication within and outside the company: externally, work is carried out with customers and suppliers, perhaps even competitors. As a rule, communication is clearly regulated by contract and confidentiality must be ensured.
Internally, on the other hand, communication is a good deal more relaxed: contracts are the exception, where the question is more about which cost center something is booked to. Confidentiality can also be an issue here, but it tends to be the exception.
The whole thing is of course a simplification, because the world is rarely black or white. There are often many shades, from the very inside to the very outside. There is communication...
- with yourself,
- with your own team,
- with your own department,
- with others in the company,
- with partners and suppliers,
- with target groups,
- with the whole world.
Aspects of communication
Communication with oneself is also important - certainly one reason why there are so many Checklistsself-organization systems and productivity apps. On the other hand, communication with the whole world is important, and not just for the spokesperson. The various aspects are now described in tabular form between these two extremes:
| Aspect | Internal | External |
| Liability | As long as something is recorded in writing, it is usually binding - a short memo by e-mail is also useful. But be careful: this can lead to problems in politically charged organizations. | Depending on the type of relationship involved, written agreements may also conflict with existing contracts. In case of doubt, this should be checked. |
| Culture | It can be assumed that all participants understand the corporate culture. This applies to terminology, formalities and the like. However, caution is advised, as the culture of individual departments can still differ greatly, and across locations anyway. | Externally, cultural misunderstandings can arise much more quickly - although awareness of this is much more pronounced nowadays, especially in public relations. Cooperation with suppliers abroad is more problematic, as often all parties involved communicate in a foreign language. |
| Language | Close, harmonious cooperation generally also promotes a shared understanding of language. This applies to both technical and colloquial language | Even British and US English differ (e.g. the word "momentarily" has a different meaning in the two languages). Always amusing is the Anglo-EU Translation Guidewhich also falls thematically into the area of "culture". |
| Confidentiality | Unless we are talking about military projects or companies with several customers that are in competition with each other, internal confidentiality is hardly an issue. That was different a few decades ago, when departments guarded their secrets like silos. | In contact with the outside world, employees must - unfortunately - be sensitized to confidentiality. Especially in today's world, a supplier can quickly become a competitor, whether through acquisition or growth. However, this should not stand in the way of productive cooperation. |
| Synchronous exchange | In addition to the telephone, internal networks (chat, screen sharing, video telephony, etc.) are sometimes also available. And you can "just sit down together". | Face-to-face must be planned if it is possible at all. Otherwise, the telephone is usually the best tool for synchronous communication. Proprietary networks (chat, etc.) can be used if this is permitted in the organizations involved, which is surprisingly often not the case. |
| Access rights | Regulated via intranet or file server. Are assigned in some companies "through official channels" | Companies rarely open up their internal network to outsiders. Therefore, the exchange takes place informally via e-mail (attachments) or via corresponding file sharing portals. External data is rarely processed automatically without first being checked. |
Do not block communication!
This list could make you feel like you're walking on eggshells. Because a lot can go wrong. But the biggest danger must not be overlooked: Communication is blocked for fear of saying the wrong thing or giving something important away. I have seen this happen in companies where the release of a technical article took many months. This ensured that hardly anything was published. That's a shame, because publications demonstrate expertise and are a valuable marketing tool.
The greatest danger is to block communication out of fear.
Living communication in practice
What's the best way to deal with it? Here is my advice:
- Every large company should have a pragmatic guide to communication. This should fit on half a page and contain the Principles do not describe the details.
- When a new dialog begins (e.g. with a supplier), then the points above should be marked as Checklist are understood and the points that require attention are clarified. The fewer these are, the better.
- Especially in this day and age, communication should only be restricted in well-founded cases. Communication should as light as possible be.
Conclusion
The importance of communication has often been mentioned here. This article is intended to help you approach this topic more systematically. Are important aspects or views missing? Then share this in the Comments section.
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