Numbers are part of our every day lives ,e.g. train running 10 minutes late. 50 speed limit, 250 oven temperature, 5 year warranty, 20% profit. Most people never think twice about the scales associated with these numbers because most people know, or have some concept about the words associated with the numbers. For the purposes of this article words associated with the numbers are called the Scale Name. Where Scale Names are used in organisations, there are advantages in taking time to make the meanings explicit.

The power of the Scale Name lies in the enabling of communication. In the UK speed limit means the "maximum legal limit of vehicle speed in an area" where speed means "the rate of change of position, expressed as distance moved in miles per unit of time of hours." In the rest of Europe the definition is different in terms of the units used (Km/hour). This explicit definition may seem to labouring a point, but only to those who know what "speed limit" actually means. Not knowing the European differences could be costly in driving fines. In business, where numbers are used in communication, the explicit meaning of the Scale Names are often not commonly understood by the majority of people, except perhaps in the financial and engineering domains. This may explain the power of finance in the business sector; they know what they are talking about. Commonly understood Scale Names make for easier comparisons, reduced uncertainty, shorter documents and greater confidence in the numbers. If everyone knew what the Customer Satisfaction Scale Name meant across your organisation, then the requirements for improving it would be easier to justify.

So next time you hear a number mentioned at work, ask yourself and others what is the Scale Name associated with that number and what does everyone understand the definition of the Scale Name to be. You won't earn instant popularity, but you will benefit from clearer communication and cutting the uncertainty out of discussion.