Communicate when facts are incomplete
Give a useful update without speculation or false reassurance.
A service outage affects some customers. Engineers have identified the affected component but have not confirmed the cause or a restoration time. You own the customer update.
1 · Notice the conversation
Stakeholder: Can we say it will be fixed within the hour?
You: Not unless the engineering team can support that estimate. We can state the work underway and commit to the next update time.
Stakeholder: Should we name a possible cause?
You: We can say that the cause is being investigated. Naming an unverified cause could mislead customers and distract from the actual work.
Stakeholder: What if we have no new information at two?
You: We should still update customers, state what remains unknown and confirm the next checkpoint. Silence would leave them to guess.
2 · Understand what each phrase does
Make the recommendation
Put the decision where the listener can find it.
Some customers are currently unable to access the reporting service.
Use the move when it serves this situation. This is not a phrase that must appear in every answer.Explain the consequence
Show what the proposal changes for people or work.
The team has isolated the affected component and is investigating the cause.
Use the move when it serves this situation. This is not a phrase that must appear in every answer.Define the next move
Specify an action, condition or question that moves the discussion forward.
We do not yet have a confirmed restoration time.
Use the move when it serves this situation. This is not a phrase that must appear in every answer.3 · Rehearse, then change the details
Some customers are currently unable to access the reporting service.
The team has isolated the affected component and is investigating the cause.
We do not yet have a confirmed restoration time.
Our next update will be at two, even if the investigation is still in progress.
Keep the purpose; change the person, document or time. A simple, accurate sentence is enough.
4 · Respond to your colleague
Can we say it will be fixed within the hour?
Separate a target from a verified estimate.
See one possible reply
Not unless the engineering team can support that estimate. We can state the work underway and commit to the next update time.
Should we name a possible cause?
Avoid presenting a hypothesis as established fact.
See one possible reply
We can say that the cause is being investigated. Naming an unverified cause could mislead customers and distract from the actual work.
What if we have no new information at two?
Explain the value of a reliable update cadence.
See one possible reply
We should still update customers, state what remains unknown and confirm the next checkpoint. Silence would leave them to guess.
5 · Try a different situation
A delivery partner reports a disruption but cannot yet identify all affected orders. Write and say a short update that avoids implying every customer is affected or promising unconfirmed replacements.
What do you recommend, and what should we decide next?
Use the new facts. State the consequence or trade-off and one next action.
- I distinguish confirmed facts from unknowns.
- I avoid an unsupported cause or recovery promise.
- I give a realistic next update and accountable contact.
6 · Recall without the model tomorrow
Give a useful update without speculation or false reassurance.