Why can no one handle facts anymore (or why are we dumbing down critical information for simpletons) ?
https://www.tiny-voice.com/max-headroom-30-years-into-the-future-blipverts/

Why can no one handle facts anymore (or why are we dumbing down critical information for simpletons) ?

Ian Milne Ian Milne

Ian Milne

Global QHSE Advisor| FIIRSM, CMIOSH | BSc (Hon) Open | Organisational improvement and full-spectrum QHSE , Management strategy, Systems control and boots on-the-ground. With hints of Humour and Satire.

Published Dec 12, 2024
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The [old] TV series Max Headroom showcased TV adverts called 'blipverts', a way to communicate to an illiterate public with short attention spans. Now that social media apps are bombarding us with highly profitable but useless adverts our ability to focus on tasks at hand has become ever increasingly difficult; social media apps are defeating their original connection between friends and family; have we been conned and sucked in ?

Our family and downtime were always under pressure; advent of multiple TV channels, all heavy using longer blipverts (advertising), pulling kids away from silly videos, later working since Covid (although I will state, that's always been the way in Oil, Gas and Projects). Quality relaxation with good friends and family has gone. We even have less time to consume and analyse valuable information, that can free up time as we get bombarded by spammers!

Organisations also have to contend with a lack of time. Not in producing quality goods or services but the whittling down of crucial information; it appears no one has time to read qualitative data and prefers just pretty pictures. I knew one company who made important decisions just based on PowerPoints slides. Could important decisions be made on the viability of your company, your region or your branch this way? Does this resemble your levels?

  • Operatives, who do most of the work, create the data points and SOPs, to do the job properly. they have to contend with a mass amount of information so they can produce the goods/services correctly or be blamed for everything.

  • First-line managers and supervisors, use the operatives' data to advise management on how well their team is doing, to spot issues and errors and recommend improvements. They love spreadsheets and accept working with PowerPoint slides.

  • Senior managers, do not have time for data and only have time for charts it appears. Again, they have little time to examine it so need legends, reference tables and short (very short) explanations on what it means. They used to love spreadsheets but since (moving up the corporate ladder) they now see spreadsheets as too complex and prefer dumb-it-the-fck-down software programs; they still love PowerPoint for their delivery.

  • Senior board members, want simple sentences and charts as their time is exceptionally limited; remember they run multi-million-pound empires. Pretty charts are the way to go however, although they are only fed (or want to hear) positive information from their senior managers ; they dont like the truth, just what works well and if bonuses or KPIs are affected. This is often the level where serious injuries, fatality, or polluting incidents are diluted as a statistic in the next ESG / CSR report.

  • Government ministers, too busy with constant incoming data and news reports on their last performance, use legions of scriptwriters and analysts to simplify and write what they should say using statements designed to baffle not inform (or hide the truth). This has led to many comedy moments filled with buffoonery:

Dr. Birx Reacts As Trump Suggests ‘Injection’ Of Disinfectant To Beat Coronavirus | NBC News NOW (youtube.com) and the reaction to the speech here Coronavirus: Disinfectant firm warns after Trump comments - BBC News

Coronavirus: 'You should go to work if you can't work from home' (youtube.com) and Boris Johnson praises Peppa Pig in bizarre CBI speech (youtube.com)

What if your liberty depended on the facts? Court cases require prosecutors or defendants to read masses of evidence and then summarise information while not always disclosing the full facts. They focus on grammatical errors and persuasive statements rather than on the crime to gain a winning position. This is why judges try to take the pragmatic approach (the test of beyond reasonable doubt, or balance of probability). Strange how politicians place judges in power, who may face trial in future; is this courting favour, WE SAY YES ?

I argue, no one could be as precise and defining as Her Majesty (QEII). She was a sense of pride in a world of tension and strife whose speeches were worded to encourage cohesion and a careful approach:

What about important reports that define how well a company did, for its investors and companies; I menton this as I used to assess these ESG/CSR reports every year, just to read the facts and what kooky reports they use ?

  • Annual statements. Financial data and company performance, incl its impact on its workforce, the communities and the environment. They are a legal requirement (as shareholders invest based on this and even customers benchmark suppliers using this) ; they do not always tell the truth. Will the latest CSRD regulations change this? They are the perfect example of pretty charts and graphs, and simplified explanations. Often, we spin through them to get at the real data to see how they spin anomalies, progress and declines. These reports are also underwritten by financial auditors so it makes you wonder why there has been so many large financial scandals (and fines); are they complicit?

To give you two ways to interpret data. Which of these is easier to understand? Let us look at charts to illustrate this point that senior managers have to contend with, which would you select?

  • CO2e = Tons Carbon Dioxide Equivalent, used to describes greenhouse gasses that cause environmental harm using MTCO2e (equivalence of 1 metric tons (not tonnes), or 1000 kilograms) of CO2 emissions. What figures makes you realise how much you pollute?

understand CO2e - Bing
understand CO2e - Bing

Which of the above would you read fully, a summary or full data? This may explain why many companies run their business based on PowerPoint slideshows. Your life may no longer be defined by facts and figures, just pretty words and pictures on a screen.

These observations are individual and not attributed to any organisation or person. The focus remains on sharing learning, and knowledge that drives best practices to enhance everything we do

References:

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