Quick straw poll - how many of you reading this have a science degree or qualification? An incredibly crude and wholly unscientific survey of LinkedIn would suggest few.
by James Morton
Journalism, English, marketing, business, PR, multimedia, history - all the staple qualifications and degrees you would probably have expected to find hidden away in the education sections of comms people’s bios.
The science skills gap?
What’s notably absent are qualifications in data analytics, neuroscience, behavioural psychology and computer science.
So then consider which of these sets of skills you’ve needed to draw on in your comms roles most recently?
Understanding data? Tick. Behaviour change? Probably. Deciphering social algorithms? Definitely.
Our approaches to comms and the skills we need to execute have evolved away from the traditional into a more scientific realm.
Changing the formula
The signs are that, perhaps, this is being reflected in uni courses being offered. Twenty years ago, there were more than 20 undergrad PR degrees available to choose from. Now there is just one single honours BA PR course (though PR elements are integrated into other courses).
If we park the debate over qualifications v real-world experience for now, designing a comms degree now would look very different (though a quick glance at one current BA Communications course being offered suggests the focus is still at the more traditional end of the scale).
Data storytelling 101. The fundamentals of nudge theory. AI for beginners.
Comms in 2024 feels a more scientific discipline than ever before - are we ready for it?
Comms Science
I can say from first-hand experience that this new horizon of scientific comms skills has felt intimidating at times and I’m sure I’m not alone.
As it goes, I have a science degree (BSc Nutritional Science - yet I still love crisps, go figure) and so have always been drawn to talk of dopamine and neural pathways.
Yet learning and understanding the worlds of data, psychology and tech still feels alien and abstract, like an Apple disciple trying to negotiate Windows.
Comms pros are an inspiring example of keeping skills refreshed and relevant, willing to learn and grow in new areas that will continue to deliver the best outcomes.
We could do with squishing all our traditional and newer comms skills together into the Large Hadron Collider to spit out a Comms Science qualification.
Unleashing the eureka
Developing a deeper love for data and neuroscience can even complement timeless comms skills like storytelling and creativity.
Telling stories through data and understanding when our creative synapses are at their sparkiest can all help to unleash the eureka in our comms.
Because we don’t quite need to throw Archimedes out with the bath water when it comes to our core comms comforts.
Our ability to empathise, to connect, to understand are qualities that are integral to great comms and ones that AI can’t (yet) match up on.
Adding our new skills to the equation means we can continue to make a big bang with our comms. Viva la evolution.
James Morton runs Turn The Page, using storytelling science for impact in comms and campaigns.
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