Outreach Skills Part 1 – The Emoticon

On September 19, 1982, Scott Fahlman (a programmer at Carnegie Mellon University) proposed what is considered the first emoticon – the typed smiley face :-) – to help readers understand when a comment was meant in jest. With no body language, facial expression or voice tone, written text was and is easily misinterpreted. Artful use of graphic elements like emoticons is one important way to help reduce confusion and unintentional offense in written communications.

Successfully engaging people in preparedness and response conversations can be challenging, but you can eliminate this particular barrier with forethought and attention to how your messages are crafted. Ensure that you are effectively using graphic elements in your preparedness and safety education.