Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 542
Other / Unknown; Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Chart Or Publication; Weather; Procedure
Aircraft had a little residual ice on the outboard leading edge and needed de-icing. The F/O and I agreed on de-ice only as the weather was becoming partly cloudy. When [de-ice crew] came on the frequency I asked for 'de-ice only'; yet [de-ice crew] replied that they understood we wanted only a one step then. I corrected them and repeated my request for 'de-ice only'. After some confusing back and forth; we finally all agreed and got what we wanted. This report seems to become my annual 'no one here has a clue about de-icing.' Case in point: I had to explain to my X-year F/O the difference between de-ice only; one-step and two-step. Even he did not know or understand what one-step is. Even though the verbiage in the FOM and on the laminated cockpit cards has vastly improved; I believe there exists still way too much confusion and lack of knowledge on the three different ways we de-ice here. Being [cold weather] based; one would be surprised what exotic request one hears on the [de-ice crew] frequency; from both sides; even when we spell out what needs to be said verbatim to avoid potentially dangerous misunderstandings and to have everyone involved to have that shared mental model.
B737 Captain reported deice terminology confusion.