Tech Leadership in Plain English: Demystifying Engineering Management Concepts

The technology industry loves its jargon. We have acronyms for everything, buzzwords that change every quarter, and concepts that sound intimidating but are often quite simple underneath. Inspired by the excellent AWS in Plain English guide that translates complex AWS services into understandable terms, this post breaks down common engineering leadership concepts into language that everyone—from new managers to seasoned executives—can understand.

Why “Plain English” Matters in Tech Leadership

The Jargon Problem

Technology leadership suffers from the same problem as AWS services: we use complex names and acronyms that obscure what we’re actually trying to accomplish. Consider these common scenarios:

In Meetings: “We need to improve our DORA metrics through DevSecOps integration in our CI/CD pipeline to enhance our developer experience.”

Translation: “We want to deploy software faster and more reliably by automating security checks and making developers’ jobs easier.”

In Strategy Documents: “Our organization needs to implement a service mesh architecture with observability-driven SRE practices to achieve our reliability SLOs.”

Translation: “We want our systems to be more reliable and when problems happen, we want to find and fix them quickly.”

The Communication Challenge

As outlined in our culture framework, clear communication is fundamental to organizational effectiveness. When we hide simple concepts behind complex terminology, we:

Exclude Non-Technical Stakeholders: Business leaders can’t make informed decisions about things they don’t understand
Intimidate New Team Members: Junior engineers and new managers feel overwhelmed by acronym soup
Slow Down Decision-Making: Time spent explaining terminology is time not spent solving problems
Create False Complexity: Simple problems appear more complicated than they actually are

Engineering Practices: What They Should Have Been Called

Let’s apply the “plain English” approach to our engineering practices framework:

Version Control

What We Call It: “Version Control System with Git-based workflows”
Should Have Been Called: “Change Tracking for Code”
What It Actually Does: Keeps track of who changed what code when, so you can undo mistakes and work together without breaking things
Like: Track Changes in Microsoft Word, but for programmers

CI/CD Pipeline

What We Call It: “Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment Pipeline”
Should Have Been Called: “Automatic Code Testing and Publishing”
What It Actually Does: Automatically checks your code for problems and puts it live if everything works
Like: A factory assembly line that tests every product before shipping

DevSecOps

What We Call It: “Development Security Operations Integration”
Should Have Been Called: “Security Checks Built Into Development”
What It Actually Does: Makes sure security problems are caught early instead of waiting until the end
Like: Quality control inspections at every step of manufacturing instead of just at the end

Observability

What We Call It: “Observability and Monitoring Infrastructure”
Should Have Been Called: “System Health Dashboard”
What It Actually Does: Shows you what’s happening inside your software so you can fix problems quickly
Like: The dashboard in your car that tells you if something’s wrong with the engine

Golden Path

What We Call It: “Golden Path Implementation”
Should Have Been Called: “The Easy Way to Do Common Tasks”
What It Actually Does: Pre-built shortcuts for things developers do all the time, so they don’t have to figure it out from scratch
Like: Recipe cards that show exactly how to cook common dishes

Organizational Concepts Simplified

Autonomous Teams

What We Call It: “Cross-functional Autonomous Teams with End-to-End Ownership”
Should Have Been Called: “Self-Sufficient Teams”
What It Actually Does: Teams that can build, test, and deploy features without waiting for other teams
Like: A food truck that can handle everything from cooking to serving to payment processing

Product Owner

What We Call It: “Product Owner with Stakeholder Management Responsibilities”
Should Have Been Called: “The Person Who Decides What to Build”
What It Actually Does: Listens to customers and business needs, then tells the development team what’s most important to work on
Like: A restaurant manager who decides what should be on the menu based on what customers want

Tech Debt

What We Call It: “Technical Debt Remediation”
Should Have Been Called: “Fixing Shortcuts”
What It Actually Does: Going back to improve code that was written quickly to meet deadlines
Like: Renovating parts of your house that you fixed temporarily but need proper repair

Microservices Architecture

What We Call It: “Microservices Architecture with Service Mesh”
Should Have Been Called: “Small, Independent Programs”
What It Actually Does: Breaking large software into smaller pieces that can be updated independently
Like: Modular furniture that you can replace one piece at a time instead of buying a whole new set

Leadership Practices Demystified

Psychological Safety

What We Call It: “Psychological Safety Culture Implementation”
Should Have Been Called: “Making It Safe to Make Mistakes”
What It Actually Does: Creating an environment where people can admit errors, ask questions, and try new things without fear
Like: A driving instructor who helps you learn instead of yelling when you make mistakes

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)

What We Call It: “OKR-based Goal Alignment Framework”
Should Have Been Called: “Clear Goals with Measurable Progress”
What It Actually Does: Setting specific targets and tracking whether you’re actually achieving them
Like: A fitness plan with specific goals (lose 10 pounds) and ways to measure progress (weekly weigh-ins)

Agile Methodology

What We Call It: “Agile Development Methodology with Scrum Framework”
Should Have Been Called: “Building Things in Small Steps”
What It Actually Does: Making small pieces of software quickly and getting feedback before building the next piece
Like: Cooking a meal by tasting and adjusting as you go instead of following the entire recipe blindly

Sprint Retrospective

What We Call It: “Sprint Retrospective with Action Item Prioritization”
Should Have Been Called: “Team Improvement Meeting”
What It Actually Does: Regular meetings where teams discuss what went well, what didn’t, and how to do better next time
Like: After-game analysis that sports teams do to improve their performance

Metrics and Measurement Simplified

DORA Metrics

What We Call It: “DevOps Research and Assessment Metrics”
Should Have Been Called: “Software Delivery Health Check”
What It Actually Does: Four simple measurements that tell you if your team is good at delivering software
Like: A report card that shows how well your development process is working

Mean Time to Recovery (MTTR)

What We Call It: “Mean Time to Recovery Optimization”
Should Have Been Called: “How Fast We Fix Things”
What It Actually Does: Measures how long it takes to get systems working again when they break
Like: How quickly a pit crew can change a tire during a race

Lead Time

What We Call It: “Feature Development Lead Time”
Should Have Been Called: “Idea to Customer Time”
What It Actually Does: How long it takes from deciding to build something until customers can use it
Like: How long it takes from ordering food to having it delivered

Deployment Frequency

What We Call It: “Deployment Frequency Metrics”
Should Have Been Called: “How Often We Release Updates”
What It Actually Does: How frequently teams can safely put new features in front of customers
Like: How often a newspaper can publish new editions

Developer Experience Terms

Developer Productivity

What We Call It: “Developer Productivity and Experience Optimization”
Should Have Been Called: “Making Programming Less Frustrating”
What It Actually Does: Removing obstacles that slow down developers and make their jobs harder
Like: Organizing a workshop so craftspeople can find their tools quickly and work efficiently

Technical Debt

What We Call It: “Technical Debt Management Strategy”
Should Have Been Called: “Code Cleanup Time”
What It Actually Does: Scheduled time to improve messy code before it becomes a bigger problem
Like: Regular car maintenance to prevent breakdowns

Code Review

What We Call It: “Peer Code Review Process”
Should Have Been Called: “Having Someone Check Your Work”
What It Actually Does: Another programmer looks at your code to catch mistakes and suggest improvements
Like: Having a colleague proofread an important email before you send it

Pair Programming

What We Call It: “Pair Programming Collaboration”
Should Have Been Called: “Two People, One Computer”
What It Actually Does: Two developers work together on the same code, sharing ideas and catching mistakes in real-time
Like: Two people working together to solve a puzzle—one person might see something the other missed

Architecture Concepts Explained

API (Application Programming Interface)

What We Call It: “RESTful API Design”
Should Have Been Called: “How Programs Talk to Each Other”
What It Actually Does: A way for different software programs to share information and work together
Like: A waiter who takes your order (from one system) and tells the kitchen (another system) what to cook

Load Balancer

What We Call It: “Load Balancing Infrastructure”
Should Have Been Called: “Traffic Director”
What It Actually Does: Spreads incoming requests across multiple servers so no single server gets overwhelmed
Like: A hostess at a restaurant who seats customers at different tables to keep servers from being overwhelmed

Database

What We Call It: “Distributed Database Architecture”
Should Have Been Called: “Digital Filing Cabinet”
What It Actually Does: Organized storage for information that programs need to remember
Like: A library system that helps you find and organize books (but for data)

Cache

What We Call It: “Distributed Caching Layer”
Should Have Been Called: “Quick Access Storage”
What It Actually Does: Keeps copies of frequently needed information close by so you don’t have to go get it from the main storage every time
Like: Keeping snacks in your desk drawer instead of walking to the kitchen every time you’re hungry

Security Concepts Simplified

Zero Trust Security

What We Call It: “Zero Trust Security Architecture”
Should Have Been Called: “Trust No One, Verify Everything”
What It Actually Does: Checks the identity of every person and device trying to access systems, even if they’re already inside the company network
Like: A high-security building where you need to show ID at every door, not just at the entrance

Penetration Testing

What We Call It: “Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessment”
Should Have Been Called: “Hiring Hackers to Find Problems”
What It Actually Does: Security experts try to break into your systems to find weaknesses before real attackers do
Like: Hiring someone to try to break into your house to show you where you need better locks

Multi-Factor Authentication

What We Call It: “Multi-Factor Authentication Implementation”
Should Have Been Called: “Double-Check Security”
What It Actually Does: Requires two different ways to prove you are who you say you are before letting you in
Like: Needing both a key and a security code to enter a building

Why This Approach Works

Benefits of Plain English Communication

Faster Onboarding: New team members can understand concepts quickly without getting lost in jargon.

Better Cross-Team Collaboration: When everyone understands what’s being discussed, meetings become more productive.

Improved Stakeholder Buy-In: Business leaders can make informed decisions when they understand what they’re approving.

Reduced Imposter Syndrome: Junior team members feel more confident when complex concepts are explained clearly.

Clearer Problem-Solving: When you can explain something simply, you understand it better yourself.

Implementation in Your Organization

Meeting Ground Rules: Start meetings by defining any technical terms that will be used.

Documentation Standards: Require that all technical documentation include a “plain English” summary.

Presentation Templates: Create slide templates that force presenters to explain concepts in simple terms.

Onboarding Materials: Develop glossaries and guides that explain your organization’s specific terminology.

Regular Practice: Make “translation to plain English” a regular part of technical discussions.

When Complexity Is Necessary

Appropriate Use of Technical Terms

While plain English is powerful, there are times when technical precision is important:

Technical Documentation: Detailed implementation guides need precise terminology.

Security Discussions: Security concepts often require specific language for accuracy.

Vendor Communications: Some technical discussions require industry-standard terminology.

Expert Conversations: Experienced practitioners can communicate more efficiently using shared technical vocabulary.

The Balance

The goal isn’t to eliminate technical language entirely, but to:

Use precise technical terms when necessary for accuracy
Always provide plain English explanations when introducing complex concepts
Check for understanding regularly in mixed-audience conversations
Default to simpler explanations and add complexity only when needed

Building a Plain English Culture

Leadership Modeling

As outlined in our communication patterns, leaders set the tone for organizational communication:

Lead by Example: Senior leaders should model plain English communication in all meetings and presentations.

Reward Clarity: Recognize and promote people who can explain complex concepts clearly.

Create Psychological Safety: Make it safe for people to admit they don’t understand something.

Encourage Questions: Foster an environment where asking for clarification is valued, not seen as weakness.

Training and Development

Communication Skills Training: Invest in training that helps technical people communicate with non-technical audiences.

Presentation Skills: Develop skills in creating clear, accessible presentations.

Writing Workshops: Help teams improve their written communication through plain English principles.

Cross-Functional Exposure: Create opportunities for technical and non-technical people to work together and learn each other’s perspectives.

Measuring Communication Effectiveness

Quantitative Metrics

Meeting Efficiency: Track meeting duration and follow-up questions as indicators of communication clarity.

Documentation Usage: Measure how often documentation is accessed and how quickly new team members become productive.

Decision Speed: Monitor how quickly decisions are made after technical presentations.

Cross-Team Collaboration: Track the frequency and success of cross-functional projects.

Qualitative Indicators

Stakeholder Feedback: Regular surveys about communication effectiveness across different audiences.

New Hire Experience: Exit interviews and onboarding feedback about clarity of communication.

Innovation Metrics: Better communication often leads to more innovative solutions as diverse perspectives are included.

Culture Surveys: Include questions about communication clarity in regular culture assessments.

Conclusion

The technology industry’s love affair with complex terminology often obscures simple, powerful concepts. By following the example set by resources like AWS in Plain English, we can make technology leadership more accessible, inclusive, and effective.

Clear communication isn’t about dumbing down concepts—it’s about making powerful ideas accessible to everyone who needs to understand them. When we explain technical concepts in plain English, we:

Accelerate Learning: People grasp concepts faster when they’re explained clearly
Improve Decision-Making: Better understanding leads to better choices
Increase Inclusion: More people can participate in technical discussions
Reduce Errors: Clear communication prevents misunderstandings that lead to mistakes
Build Stronger Teams: Shared understanding creates better collaboration

As technology leaders, our job isn’t to impress people with our vocabulary—it’s to help our organizations build better software, more effectively. Sometimes the most sophisticated thing you can do is explain something simply.

The next time you’re in a meeting and someone uses a term that might not be clear to everyone, try the “plain English” approach. You might be surprised at how much more productive the conversation becomes when everyone truly understands what’s being discussed.

References and Further Reading

Primary Inspiration:

AWS in Plain English - The original guide that inspired this plain English approach to technical communication

Communication and Leadership Resources:

Our Culture Framework - Building psychological safety that enables clear communication
Our Communication Patterns - Organizational communication strategies
Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath - Principles of clear, memorable communication

Related Framework Content:

Our Engineering Practices framework provides detailed technical guidance
Our Operating Model framework covers organizational communication strategies

Clear communication is a leadership skill. The ability to translate complex technical concepts into understandable language is what separates good technical leaders from great ones.