chThe world can be explained by science. And depending on science can help decision-makers and individuals come up with ways to better the future. However, it is worth acknowledging the truth that a lot of people shy away from this very discipline. They have this impression that science is only for the intellectuals and for those that have college degrees. This should not be the case; science is for everyone. The problem lies in the accessibility and some challenges to make it simple.
Scientists, corporations, think tanks, and researchers should strive to make science easily understandable by ordinary people. Concepts should be explained in a way that people can digest and apply to their lives. Here are some ideas or suggestions that can help decision-makers make science accessible:
Choose the right platforms
A wise man once said, “The medium is the message.” And if the medium is inaccessible, the message will not be accessed by the common people. In this age, there are many ways to distribute knowledge and information, and social media is one of them. What’s great about this platform is that you can easily converse with people who might have a follow-up question on specific topics. This is a practice that many businesses adopt today; look at the social media marketing tactics of industrial companies.
Keep things concise
Scientific explanations tend to be detailed, long, and even winding. The structure is acceptable when the material is being reviewed by peers, knowing that they need as much information as possible. But when releasing papers and materials to the public, it would be prudent to shorten the materials and keep the salient points. Keeping it short is not enough; you will also need to make sure that the words, phrases, and technical jargon, are simplified. People will always need context when reading scientific materials.
Choose other content forms
Other than releasing white papers, it is also essential to consider the pace at which people can consume information. There’s one solution to that: explore different forms of content. Knowing that a lot of people are visual learners, it would help if the information is presented in video, animated, or infographic formats. This will give them enough perspective and help them to wrap their heads around a concept quickly. This is something that the likes of TED Talks, National Geographic, and Discovery Channel are doing.
Work with instructional designers
Scientists know what they’re working on. They deeply understand the concepts they are discovering, but not all of them are articulate when it comes to translating these subjects into simpler terms. In this regard, it would be helpful to work with instructional designers and technical writers.
Explore more ways
As technology evolves, more and more means and modes of communication are being developed, improved, and redesigned. And some of them will help deliver content and make information easily accessible. These will help in allowing science to reach more people in the years to come
