Technically Speaking
Friday, March 31st, 2006
While applauding NASA’s new policy allowing its scientists to talk freely to the news media without a public affairs officer present, part of me wonders “What God hath wrought!” With NASA scientists free to talk to reporters about their work and express personal interpretations of their research, will the world finally learn the truth about the 1947 Roswell UFO incident, or Area 51 in Nevada? Will we finally discover that Jimmy Hoffa was abducted by aliens? And will the X Files be reopened?
Will all this newfound freedom actually result in better communication? Scientists and engineers are notorious for speaking technical “jargonese” that has little or no semblance to normal speech. Ask most scientists what time is it and they’ll tell you how to build a watch, after first explaining the concept of quantum theory. Without a media professional on hand to make sense of all the techno-babble and keep the interview focused, the average reporter may feel like they’ve entered the Twilight Zone?
Media trainers understand the importance of keeping answers simple, which means no technical jargon or “insider” terminology. Media trainers drill their clients on proper technique when answering questions: Conclusion first, context second, facts and data third, and background last, if at all. This technique is especially challenging to scientists and engineers who tend to answer questions chronologically, beginning with the Big Bang and ending with yesterday’s lunch menu.
In its new communications policy, NASA urges its employees to include public affairs officers at media interviews “to attest to the content of the interview, support the interview, and provide post-interview follow-up with the media as necessary”. NASA Administrator Michael Griffin seemed to sum it up best when he advised, “If you’re not a media professional, then going into an interview without a media professional is courting trouble.”
Technically speaking, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure that out.