Words of Similar Meaning: “Method”, “Technique” and “Strategy”
In several languages, notably in Spanish but also in the case of English, there are many words and phonetic forms that enrich the language.
One must be careful though as often words may seem alike or have similar meanings. However, there may be circumstantial differences that can completely change the meaning of a sentence.
Here we delve on the very interesting topic of the difference between “method”, “technique” and “strategy”, as well as their similarities and applicability in different circumstances.
Differences Among Words
Below we note the definitions and differences between these words.
Strategy
A strategy is a plan or series of steps designed to make decisions and act in a specific way when facing a situation. The objective of a strategy is to achieve one or several previously-defined goals.
This may apply to several issue-areas. For example if a company wants to increase sales it can design a strategy to attain such goal. This will imply planning specific actions that help the company to achieve it. In the armed forces, a strategy is used to plan and win a battle.
Accordingly, a strategy is an important tool to achieve goals in many areas of life. It makes it possible to take more informed decisions and act in a more effective manner to attain objectives.
Method
A method is a systematic and organized way of doing something. It is a sort of technique or group of steps that when followed permit achieving an objective or carrying out a task.
For example, if you want to learn how to play a musical instrument, you can follow a specific method that helps you learn notes and chords in an organized manner. In this way, you will make progress in a structured and logical way.
This word can also apply to the habitual way in which a person carries out a task, based on experience, custom or personal preferences. For example, an individual may have a specific method to cook dinner or clean the house.
In a related matter, a method refers to a tool that is useful to implement tasks in an organized and structured way, be it by following a set of specific steps or on the basis of an individual’s experience.
Technique
This word comes from the greek word “téchne” which means “art” or “science”. It is used to define a set of actions that follow certain rules or protocols to obtain a specific result in several fields, such as science, technology and art.
A technique is a set of procedures and patterns that are followed in a regulated way to achieve a specific objective. For example, medical science uses specific techniques to perform a surgery or obtain a diagnosis, while in art, techniques are employed to make a work of art. Overall, techniques are useful mechanisms to obtain efficient and precise results in several fields.
Differences
Technique refers to a set of abilities and tools necessary to carry out a task; method is a structured process to achieve a specific objective, and strategy is an action plan to attain a goal in the long term.
A strategy is a plan to be followed, a method refers to the steps to implement the strategy and the technique refers to the mechanisms and tools that can help achieve the main objective of the strategy.
If you want to learn more about the meaning of words in various languages and how to use them, at Servicio Lingüístico Empresarial we offer several courses to strengthen you language abilities. Visit our web site or request more information here.
