Are you suffering from PJAS?

by admin ~ February 25, 2009

More people are diagnosed with PJAS every day. These smart but misguided professionals believe that buzzwords will bring money, and acronyms will illustrate their expertise. They think they’re impressing others in their industry, becoming thought leaders with enterprise solutions and strong ROI. But the truth of the matter is they are just becoming really difficult to understand.

PJAS stands for Professional Jargon and Acronym Syndrome. It is a boring acronym I came up with to show you how acronyms slow down and distract the reader, even though they can also be an integral part of differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction, simply put, is teaching to students’ unique learning styles - from auditory or visual learners, to those who excel at memorization.  ROI stands for Return on Investment, or not wasting your money.

Are you bored yet? Am I making sense? Or am I just frustrating to read?

Here’s the solution: NEVER use an acronym unless you have previously mentioned what the acronym stands for. Use technical terms and acronyms sparingly, and only when they are essential to conveying your message and connecting with your audience.

So what about search engines like Google? Won’t buzzwords and acronyms help your company climb to the top of the list of results? I am not denying value in using those techniques. But you have to strike a balance.

The best Web sites, and the smartest people, are not those who suffer from PJAS, but those who can easily speak to the masses. In today’s economy, you never know who could be your next customer or investor. It is more important than ever that everyone has some idea what the heck you are talking about.  

David Novich is a public relations consultant based in New York City.  Earlier in his career, he reported on education and local politics for The Journal News, a daily newspaper in White Plains, NY.