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When it comes to good communication and product requirements, clarity is key. Messages that do not answer questions they intended to answer or requirements that leave room for interpretation are like sand in the gears of our daily work. While this ambiguity is sometimes caused by negligence or incompetence, sometimes we also intentionally create ambiguity.

Ambiguity allows us to claim ignorance. The “ignorance is bliss” mentality is a defense mechanism to avoid disagreement and conflict. We don’t want to face the answer, so we don’t raise the question. We want plausible deniability way more than we want the truth because the truth can hurt and be hard to confront.

Intentional ambiguity gives us an out at the expense of clear accountability. Stakeholders might be fuzzy regarding features or processes, to deny any responsibility when outcomes are below expectations. At the same time, product managers might avoid those discussions as they see the need to lower the stakeholder’s expectations but don’t want to have those difficult conversations.  We seek safety by ignoring the problem, but we can only ignore it for so long before the consequences hit us. 

When we practice strategic ambiguity, we are avoiding this temporary pain in favor of comfort at the moment. But as a group, we need to face those ambiguities one day. Decisions need to be made if we want to proceed and not making a decision is usually the worst option.

Getting to clarity requires asking hard questions, having difficult conversations, and sometimes leads to conflict and tension. But similar to tech or credit debt, the cost of clearing up ambiguities compounds over time.

Start by asking yourself these questions:

  • What are topics (or maybe other areas of your life) where I have practiced strategic ambiguity? 
  • Why have I allowed myself to avoid clarity in this area? What is holding me back from confronting the problem? 
  • Who can give me the truth about the situation? 
  • What are three questions I need to ask them to gain clarity?
  • Once I have the answer, what will I need to do next? What will the timeline look like for clearing up the problem?

Getting clarity isn’t where your work ends. Clarity is the end of ambiguity, but once you know the truth, you have to choose what to do about it.