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The single best argument against "yeah, but *our* users are too smart
for that!* is to run a couple of usability tests with real customers.
That failing, try an in-depth interview with a couple of real
customers.
One of the most common problems dealing with developers who think they
know what customers really want is that they believe all developers are
like them. Truth is, they get so used to their own verbal shorthand
that they get myopic about the rest of the world, and it takes some hard
facts to make them change their minds. That, or a dictum from
marketing.
One of the quick fixes to a situation like that is to get your hands on
a Microsoft manual aimed at the level of users your programmers think
your product has, and look at how instructions are phrased. Say what
they will about Microsoft, the company does a fairly good job of writing
to the target audience.
