Single version of Truth

We all have our share of questions that we dread being asked. No – not the ultimate question of life, universe and everything. I’m talking about more day to day questions.

For example, if you meet someone for the first time and as part of pleasantries they ask you – “So, what is your work about?”. Its this when I wish I were a baker or a lawyer or a doctor. These professions have self-evident names and specializations. Usually if you tell people that you are a doctor, they would ask no more. If someone really wants to poke more, you can tell him that you are a .. surgeon – heart surgeon or whatever and people will understand with ease. 

What to tell them if you are an automation engineer? I don’t know about you – but I have never been able to give a satisfying answer. That perplexed look in the questioner’s eyes – I have yet to find an answer to that! 

So you would try to get away with it by saying that you are an electrical engineer. No, but they want to know what you really do. I do automation… (no no.. don’t even try telling them that you do SCADA) “What is that?” ..Thats Industrial automation .. “ahan – and that is?” Well… we automate processes in the industry. “That sounds interesting . like what?” .

Every answer.. takes you even deeper into the un-understandableness of the work and before you know, you start feeling like you are trying to make things up – as if you are a drug dealer trying to hide your true profession! 

I have always been on a quest to develop one liner replies that can stop a barrage of any more questions. In my latest attempt to do so – here are some of these.

“We develop single version of truth for our customers.”

Man on the top is able to get one answer to his question and that answer matches to one reality in the world.

“We help our clients democratize their data”

So that everyone can benefit from it (watch out for the regime of your questioner – this might not go well for everyone!” 

“We develop digital twins for our clients”

They can talk to the digital twin not only to find answers to their existing questions, but also find new questions to ask – all this without leaving their screens.

“We build a data culture for our clients”

So that anyone can ask and answer questions. You do not need a magic 8-ball to find your answers.

“We help clients ask new questions about their existing assets- and then give them new answers”

I guess by doing so, I am also trying to help develop a single version of truth about our profession! So please help me out as to how you would answer this question.