📣 Change Communication Isn’t a Message. It’s a Translation.

You can write the clearest message.
But if the system isn’t ready to hear it,
The silence will still win.

In 2025, communication isn’t broken.
It’s overwhelmed.
It’s under-resourced.
And it’s being asked to deliver clarity in a noisy, distracted world.

What we’re seeing across teams isn’t a lack of messaging.
It’s a lack of translation.

📍 The Real Barriers to Change

Here are three friction points I keep noticing — and trying to design around:

🔍 1. Visibility Without Clarity

The dashboards are ready.
The pings are sent.
The confluence pages are updated.

But if you ask a team member,

“So what should I actually do with this?”
You’ll often get silence.

Everyone’s trying to be visible.
Very few are being clear.

🔄 2. Change Comms Arrives Too Late

The initiative is launched.
The confusion starts.
And then someone goes:

“Can comms help us make this clearer?”

But by then, the damage is already done.
People have built assumptions.
Resistance is already quietly spreading.

🧠 3. AI Is Scaling the Wrong Thing

We’re writing faster.
Rephrasing quicker.
But not always helping people understand better.

AI isn’t a clarity engine by default.
It reflects speed — not necessarily resonance.

🎭 The Migration Memo Nobody Read

Here’s a familiar scenario:

An org migrates from Jira Server to Jira Cloud.
Infra is ready.
Security signs off.
The Slack message reads:

“Reminder: Please use the new Jira Cloud instance starting Monday.”

No walkthrough. No context. No follow-up.

Three weeks later:

  • Old links are still in bookmarks
  • People file support tickets for logins
  • Devs say: “But we communicated it…”

Yes, you did.
But you didn’t translate it.
You didn’t frame the why, the impact, the action.

🪞 What If Comms Was a Translation Layer?

Imagine if comms wasn’t just the last checkbox.
But the meaning layer that moved people with purpose.

Here’s what I ask when designing internal content or change messaging:

  • Who will feel this change, not just read about it?
  • What does success look like for them?
  • Can we embed clarity before resistance builds?

🧾 What I’ve Learned

Communication isn’t an announcement.
It’s an experience.
One that’s designed — not just delivered.

And change isn’t what’s said.
It’s what’s understood.

Change communication isn’t a Message. It’s a Translation.

🌱 From the Pothos Corner

We water our teams with updates.
We expect growth.
But like any plant, it’s not about how often you water —
It’s how well you understand the roots.

🧭 Curious? Let’s Talk

If you’re rethinking internal comms, change enablement, or AI-powered messaging —
I’d love to learn from what you’ve seen.

Drop your story in the comments, or share the clearest update that still failed.
It might just become the next case study here.

📚 Resources & References

SourceDescriptionLink
GitHub – Change Comms as Translation LayerReal-world breakdown of how internal communication can shift from broadcasting to translation, with frameworks and practical proof.View on GitHub
Nielsen Norman GroupConcise, scannable, and objective writing principles that improve clarity in internal and external communication.Read Article
AtlassianOfficial migration guide for Jira Server to Cloud. Includes tooling and communication recommendations.Migration Resources
Gartner2024 Hype Cycle report outlines enterprise AI trends and the need for strategic alignment over speed.Hype Cycle Report
Interaction Design FoundationExplains the fundamentals of UX writing — aligning design and content with user clarity.UX Writing Guide

Written by: Shailesh aka PoeticMayhem