ASAP… EOD… FYI… FYA

These are some very commonly used words in memo messages and emails, and practically these work as a lubricant in the software industry. All the day to day crisis must be dealt ASAP and till EOD. All the memos which need to be circulated for the good of no one are marked FYA or FYI.

As soon as you get to enter the office and check your mails, there is always a ASAP mail waiting to pounce on you. Now what exactly is ASAP ? -- As soon as possible.

But lets see it this way, try saying out “as soon as possible” it sounds docile, almost like -- “Hey, Whenever you get a chance”. But when it’s “ASAP” it sounds hostile, almost unreasonable, like “Better be it possible sooner”. And when some people try it like this -- “A-S-A-P” it is obnoxious.

The same is true with FYI, every time I see or hear it, my mind goes: “Sorry, but I don’t really think your words are that informative, so don’t FYI me!”

And just run your thoughts and ask yourself when was the last time anyone worked for a client when it wasn’t urgent, in their eyes at least. There was once I had received a defect where this client of mine mentioned the details with a post script saying “Get it done Super ASAP”. And now what is that???

Just think over it, ever noticed when people saying “Can you do this as soon as possible?” The logical the answer would be “No.”

I think the best interpretation to “ASAP” is “As Simple As Possible”. Or if we want to really use it then it can be “as soon as humanly possible”, probably because the urgency is indeed lost otherwise.