In the northeast United States, it’s the time of year that homes start to need heat. All across the region, people are raising temperatures inside their dwellings.

Many will feel hot air blowing through ducts. Others will stoke fires in stoves or even in open fireplaces.

Some — I say dreamily — will hear the soft 'ping-tink' sounds of hydronic radiators. They’ll feel warmth as hot water passes through welcoming cast iron benches. They’ll feel a heat that somehow reminds them of their childhood.

As it turns out, the delivery matters. A particular form of heat is nostalgic for one person, and institutional for another. Same temperatures... different experiences. The delivery matters.

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It’s true with content, too:

• Cluttered text on wrinkled copy paper is not the same as carefully arranged type on a clean, toothy piece of stock.

• Monotone reading is not the same as a thoughtfully metered recitation with meaningful pauses and dynamics.

• A low-resolution list of specifications is not the same as a crisp, clean datasheet.

The content is important, for sure. But the delivery is where the magic happens. The delivery is about the experience of the readers, viewers, and listeners. The content matters, but it’s often the delivery that makes change happen.