This blog is about the culture surrounding Airport Implementation projects and the challenges that come with working in highly diverse teams. My name is Jo-Anne de Vos and I will share some of the insights gained during projects, specifically on the languages used in communication within and across teams, and the effect unnoticed subtle differences can have on the progress of a project.
The implementation of new security equipment requires good cooperation between all relevant stakeholders and partners. The overarching goal in the end is to implement a successful running process, which is certainly dependent on the efforts of every partner.
Zooming in on the various parties active in the Aviation Security ecosystem, there is a noticeable and logical difference in personal interest from various points of view. Every party owns an expertise and interest, which also comes with a certain way of talking – e.g. a certain type of language. For example, an engineer working at an OEM focusing on the technicalities of a lane can speak a different language and can refer to certain components using different words than a security operator working in a dynamic airport operation. An illustration of this is the yellow button: agents in operation prefer to call a button by its colour, while system engineers refer to the same button as the "M316-D button"*. Subtleties in such language can easily lead to miscommunication, with neglecting or misinterpreting a certain point of feedback as a result, which then takes on a life of its own while the original issue remains unaddressed. Recognizing these subtleties allows parties to better understand each other and eases their collaboration in working towards their overarching goals.
During operator training, we explain the technicalities of a lane in the language of the operation to create an environment where operators can feel free to ask questions and provide feedback from their perspective. Feedback from the operation is very valuable in creating a strong bridge between the technical design of a lane and the operational adoption of the system. Gaining understanding and feedback from the operation at a specific location provides the handles required to successfully merge security equipment with the culture of a unique situation.
How do you bridge the gap between the technical and operational languages?
