---
title: Pitch simple, adjust per audience
pageKind: heuristic
status: published
abstract: Lead with the simplest framing the audience can ingest. Adjust language per audience — "framework for managing IT," "operating model," "reference architecture." Never lead with the model itself.
sources:
  - articles/open-group-2017-managing-business-of-it
  - articles/briefings-direct-it4it-2019
---

## The heuristic

> When evangelising a standard or framework, **lead with the simplest framing the specific audience can ingest** and adjust per audience. Never lead with the model.
>
> *"I pitch it as a framework for managing IT and leave it at that. I might also say it&#39;s an operating model."*

## When it applies

Introducing `[[entities/it4it]]`, TOGAF, `[[entities/csdm]]`, or any framework to a new audience. Executive briefings. Board-level investment conversations. Cross-functional alignment meetings where the audience is mixed.

## Why it works

Frameworks have layers. The audience doesn&#39;t need the whole stack on first contact — they need the entry point that lets them place the framework in their existing mental model. Once it&#39;s placed, depth follows naturally as questions surface.

For executives at commercial enterprises, "framework for managing IT" or "operating model" works. For federal CIOs, connect to FITARA and FEA — those are the words that map onto the framework they&#39;re already operating in. For architects in a TOGAF-fluent org, lead with reference architecture; the value-stream layer follows.

The corollary: **don&#39;t evangelise depth that the audience didn&#39;t ask for**. If they engage, they&#39;ll ask. If they don&#39;t engage, more detail won&#39;t change their mind.

## Counterexamples

- Peer-to-peer technical reviews where everyone already knows the framework — pitch the depth.
- Compliance contexts where the standard&#39;s specific structure matters for audit.
- Adoption planning sessions where you&#39;re past the "what is this?" stage and into the "how do we contextualise it?" stage.

## See also

- Parent stance: `[[stances/contextualize-dont-transform]]`
- Parent stance: `[[stances/it4it-is-substrate]]`
- Related heuristic: `[[heuristics/find-at-least-one-champion]]`
- Related heuristic: `[[heuristics/contextualize-before-transforming]]`
