How to Present Technical Information to Non-Experts
In today’s corporate world, more and more companies are asking their technology experts to speak directly to business stakeholders.
Why?
Because companies are no longer just in finance, advertising, or construction.
They are all becoming technology companies.
Most industries are rebranding themselves as tech-forward organizations.
Whether they deal in buildings, banking, or retail, they rely on technology to drive innovation and efficiency.
That’s good news for those in tech, you’re in a growing, in-demand field.
But here’s the bad news…
If you’re a technical expert who doesn’t know how to communicate clearly to non-experts, your career growth could stall.
Why Great Technologists Get Held Back
One of the biggest mistakes technical professionals make is misunderstanding the role of technology in business.
The purpose of a business is not to showcase how sophisticated the tech is.
In fact, most of the time, stakeholders don’t want to hear about XML files, host-to-host file transfers, or monitoring dashboards.
They care about one thing:
- How does this help the business work better?
Let’s take Amazon as an example.
If Amazon is working with a tech vendor or partner, they want results:
- Are customers able to buy products easily?
- Are sellers getting paid on time?
- Is the system reliable?
They don’t care how those results are achieved.
That’s your job to handle behind the scenes.
But your job also includes explaining issues and solutions in a way that makes sense to them.
How to Speak So Non-Tech Folks Actually Understand You
- Know the Topic Well
This one’s obvious.
If you don’t understand your subject inside and out, you won’t be able to explain it simply.
The better you know it, the easier it is to translate it into plain language.
- Understand the Business
Before presenting, learn about the business or client you’re working with.
What are their goals? Their philosophy? What do they value?
Listen to interviews with their CEO.
Read the contract.
Get into their mindset.
- Use Simple Language and Analogies
Drop the jargon.
When you’re talking to a business audience, think:
“If my mom or a teenager heard this, would they understand it?”
Instead of:
“We’re having H2H file transmission delays due to SFTP handshake failures.”
Try:
“The files that are supposed to move from one system to another are stuck.”
One time, I was on a client call where someone used “H2H” (host-to-host) like it was common knowledge.
The client stopped and asked, “What’s host-to-host?”
The presenter smoothly replied:
“That just means how files move from point A to point B.”
Simple. Effective. No ego.
- Ditch the Snobby Attitude
Never shame someone for not knowing a tech term.
If anything, use it as a test of your own understanding.
If you can’t explain something simply, you probably don’t understand it deeply.
- Use Visuals, Not Walls of Text
Your PowerPoint slides should have fewer words and more visuals.
Diagrams, flowcharts, and analogies help people “see” what you’re talking about.
Especially when they’re not fluent in tech.
To Grow, Learn to “Dumb It Down” (In a Smart Way)
In the early stages of a tech career, it’s all about the hard skills.
Coding, system architecture, troubleshooting.
But to progress into leadership roles, you need to realize that:
- Technology is not the business, technology serves the business.
That shift in mindset will help you become a bridge between tech and strategy.
The more client-focused you become, the more valuable you’ll be.
For more insights into public speaking, check out the Speaking Wizard eBook
– ArmaniTalks 
