If you assume something, you’ve already made a mistake.
In the case of instructions, you should always assume the person you are speaking to is an idiot.
You need to be as specific as possible.
It’s fine to tell someone that they have 1 week to work on something, but what you really meant was that they had 1 working week. Instead of being able to hand it in on Sunday, you actually meant Friday.
Of course, the above example is a minor one and actually quite rare, but there are many more places this can be applied to. If you tell someone to get a screwdriver, what one would you be talking about? What type of head do you need?
Just saying the easiest, or the bare minimum won’t always be enough.
To avoid errors you should always say exactly what you mean.
Computers are just like this. Computers do exactly what you type in code. This is why, when the code doesn’t work, it’s an issue with your code and not the computer’s fault.
The mistake comes from the person saying the instructions.
However, humans are a bit stubborn. Some struggle to admit their mistakes. If you come back with the wrong screwdriver, you would explain to them how they weren’t specific enough, and then a little argument may form.
But no one is truly at fault. If anything, perhaps you both are. Maybe you should have asked for more details, but then, they were the ones who should have stated it clearly.
Think of it as a contract. If the instructions on your contract stated that you needed to get a flathead screwdriver, then you would. But if they just said ‘screwdriver’ then you can’t be at fault for bringing up any old one.
I suppose you should ask yourself ‘would it be fine for a court?’. If it would convince a judge, then you’re probably good and your instructions are clear.
What may seem obvious to some, isn’t as obvious to others. Everyone thinks differently, and some people need to be explained slower.
Thanks for listening. This was a very short and strange one today. I’ve recently been super super busy working on a little YouTube video project that I released two days ago. I’m trying to balance everything but that doesn’t seem to be going well. But, if you wish to know about that game project, you can read about it here.
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