Enhancing Clarity and Efficiency through IBCS Notation Standards
Abstract
This text highlights the crucial role of standardized notation in international business communication, drawing parallels with notation standards in diverse disciplines. It emphasizes the introduction of HICHERT®SUCCESS rules and the subsequent development of HICHERT®IBCS notation standards, showcasing their practical applications and growing influence. It underscores the benefits of adopting notation standards in business communication, offering improved quality, reduced reaction time, and cost savings. The text concludes by envisioning a future where standardized notation becomes a norm in business communication.
Time to Read: Approximately 2 minutes
Level: Advanced.
Category: Technical Note.
The global significance of standardized notation in international business communication cannot be overstated. From music to geography and engineering, numerous disciplines have long recognized the value of notation standards. Musicians depend on consistent sheet music notation, while geographers employ standardized cartographic symbols to convey complex geographical information.
In the realm of formal business communication and notation standards, the IBCS guidelines (International Business Communication Standards) emerge as a potent tool for elevating your communication practices. IBCS guidelines champion clarity, accuracy, and consistency in business communication, facilitating the effective conveyance of intricate information. By adhering to these guidelines, businesses can streamline their reporting processes, enhance decision-making, and foster better communication practices.
Building on the foundation of HICHERT®SUCCESS, the HICHERT®IBCS notation standards have evolved. These standards are already in practical use by numerous prominent entities, including Swiss Post, SAP, KPMG, and the German Military. A significant development in their adoption came when the HICHERT®IBCS notation standards were transferred to the non-profit International Business Communication (IBCS) Association for promotion, maintenance, and further development, underlining their growing influence.
The HICHERT®SUCCESS concept contributes seven primary rules to enhance formal business communication:
SAY - Deliver messages.
UNIFY - Standardize content.
CONDENSE - Concentrate information.
CHECK - Ensure quality.
ENABLE - Implement concept.
SIMPLIFY - Avoid complication.
STRUCTURE - Group content.
The HICHERT®IBCS notation standards primarily address two critical aspects:
Notation of Meaning: Uniform notation for similar content ensures that what looks the same also means the same. This extends to terms, measures, scenarios, time periods, and structure dimensions, fostering comprehensive understanding.
Design of Components: Standardized notation for communication products, pages, objects, and elements simplifies interpretation. These components, including charts, tables, axes, titles, and columns, must adhere to a unified layout.
The process supporting decision-making comprises three key stages:
A. Provide Data and Systems: This stage entails delivering accurate, valuable, and timely data, along with suitable systems for analysis and reporting, often overseen by IT departments.
B. Analyze Data and Create Messages: Business analysts dissect data to gain insights into the business's status, eventually conveying their findings in reports and presentations.
C. Evaluate Messages and Make Decisions: Executives assess these reports and presentations, using them as the basis for sound decision-making.
Adopting notation standards in business communication yields three major benefits:
Improved Quality: Enhanced clarity results in better-understood dashboards, more comprehensible reports, and ultimately, better decisions across all process stages.
Reduced Reaction Time: Notation standards expedite the decision-making process. Faster delivery of dashboards, quicker responses from analysts, and speedier executive decisions are the tangible outcomes.
Reduced Costs: Streamlining the creation of dashboards, data analysis, and reports reduces operational costs, representing a tangible economic advantage.
International business communication standards, exemplified by IBCS© notation standards, offer a transformative approach to business management. They bring business communication in line with other established disciplines and promise clarity, efficiency, and, most importantly, better decision-making. As these standards gain broader acceptance, it is conceivable that standardized notation may become as commonplace in business communication as it has been in music and cartography for centuries.
Reference:
Hichert, Rolf, and Jürgen Faisst. SOLID | OUTLINED | HATCHED: Success with Consistent Business Charts. 2nd ed. Munich, Germany: HICHERT+FAISST IBCS Institute, 2019.
Hichert, Rolf, and Jürgen Faisst. International Business Communication Standards (IBCS): Conceptual, Perceptual, and Semantic Design of Comprehensible Business Reports, Presentations, and Dashboards. Paperback ed. Munich, Germany: HICHERT+FAISST IBCS Institute, 2022.
Further Readings:
Minto, Barbara. The Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing and Thinking. 3rd ed. Harlow, England: Financial Times Prentice Hall, 2009.
Zelazny, Gene. Say It With Charts: The Executive’s Guide to Visual Communication. 4th ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Professional, 2001.
Duarte, Nancy. Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2010.
Duarte, Nancy. HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press, 2012.
Duarte, Nancy. DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story. Sunnyvale, CA: Duarte Press, 2019.
