Audience Adaptation

Audience Adaptation

How to tailor messages for different audiences, channels, and individuals. The voice stays the same — the calibration changes.

PCM-Aware Drafting

kbx stores Process Communication Model profiles for many people. When drafting for a specific person, look up their profile and adapt.

PCM Lookup Process

1. kbx person find "Name" --json — check pcm_base and pcm_phase in metadata
2. If not found: kbx search "Name PCM" --fast --limit 3
3. If still not found: draft without PCM adaptation, note it to the user

Adapting for Each Base Type

Thinker: Lead with data and structure. Logical flow matters. Present options with clear reasoning. The voice naturally does this — lean into it.

Persister: Acknowledge their commitment and values first. Frame requests as values-aligned ("This matters because..."). Respect their opinion — ask for it explicitly.

Harmoniser: Add personal warmth before business. "How's your week going?" A sentence of connection before the ask. They need to feel seen as a person, not just a role.

Imaginer: Be directive and explicit. Clear asks, clear deadlines, clear format. Don't leave room for interpretation. Short sentences. One thing at a time.

Rebel: Keep energy up. Lighter tone, use humour where appropriate. Short messages. Frame things as fun or interesting challenges, not obligations.

Promoter: Get to the point fast. Frame as opportunity or challenge. They respect directness and action. Skip the preamble entirely.

When NOT to Adapt

• Group messages (10+ people): use the default voice, don't tailor to one person
• Public channels: default voice always
• Only adapt for DMs and small-group messages where you know the recipients

Channel Conventions

Slack

• Thread-first: lead with the point in the main message, details in thread
• Emoji reactions: use sparingly, match the channel culture
• @mentions: tag people when action is needed, not for FYI
• Channel tone varies:
  • #general — lighter, more personal, cultural
  • #engineering — technical, structured, BLUF
  • #incidents — structured, factual, calm authority
  • Team channels — conversational, collaborative
• Length: aim for under 300 words in the main message. Expand in thread if needed.

Email

• Subject line: specific, actionable ("Decision needed: auth migration approach")
• Greeting: "Hi [Name]," or "Hi folks,"
• Sign-off: just the name, no formality
• Quote sparingly: summarise context instead of long quote chains
• Bullet lists for action items
• Keep it shorter than you think: if it's over 500 words, consider whether Slack + a doc link would be better

Audience Size Calibration

Audience	Tone	Structure	Length
1:1 DM	Most casual, most direct	Minimal	Short
Small group (2-8)	Conversational, collaborative	Light structure	Medium
Team channel (10-30)	Structured but warm	Headings, bullets	Medium-long
Org-wide (30+)	Most structured, BLUF	Clear sections, bolded headings	Long OK
External	Slightly more formal but still authentic	Professional structure	Varies

Email vs Slack Decision

Suggest email over Slack when:

• The recipient is external
• The message needs a paper trail (decisions, commitments)
• It's a long-form document that would be awkward in Slack
• The topic is sensitive and shouldn't be in a searchable channel

Suggest Slack over email when:

• Speed matters
• You want quick feedback or reactions
• The team is already discussing it in a channel
• It's informal or culture-building

Multiple Recipients

When drafting for a group with known PCM profiles:

1. Default to the channel's natural tone
2. If one person is the primary action-owner, subtly weight towards their base
3. For sensitive messages (performance, difficult news), always adapt to the recipient's base
4. Note any PCM adaptations to the user so they can review