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Essential Communication Strategies for Scientists, Engineers, and Technology Professionals, Second Edition. Herbert L. Hirsch. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003, 183 pp., $24.95, softcover. ISBN 0-471-27317-1.

Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215

This compact volume sets out to tackle a wide range of communication challenges that we face every day. The focus of the work is on ways to effectively communicate our knowledge and ideas, with less emphasis on the mechanics of producing documents and presentations. The book is arranged in a logical manner, starting with the most controllable communication, the written document, moving next to formal presentations, and finally on to meetings and other informal presentations. The last topic is one that is often problematic: how to effectively communicate information with a significant technical content to a nontechnical audience.

Throughout the book, the author stresses three principles of effective communication: connection, flow, and reinforcement. He also repeatedly makes a point that is often forgotten during our harried workdays: effective communication in any form requires adequate planning and preparation. However, in recognition of the fact that planning is occasionally not possible, he does offer suggestions for writing and presenting without preparation. Much of the advice revolves around attitude, with the major suggestions being detachment from the audience and setting realistic goals given the amount of time available to plan and create a presentation. The specific advice regarding putting together presentation slides, or charts as he calls them, is tied to implementing the connection, flow, and reinforcement principles already mentioned. In keeping with the emphasis on communications strategies, there are no details about effective graphic design, color schemes, animation, or other visual elements of slides.

The final part of the work focuses on the difficult task of effectively communicating across technical knowledge or cultural gaps. There are some good suggestions about how to approach this sometimes daunting task, including ways to learn about an audience and creating analogies that will be meaningful.

Overall, this is a worthwhile book, and I would recommend it to those looking to shore up their communications skills. Although it does not specifically address authoring scientific journal articles or graphic design of presentation slides, it does present useful concepts and suggestions in a short, easily readable format, so that even experienced communicators may find this a helpful resource.

This Article Extract Full Text (PDF) Submit an electronic Letter to the Editor about this paper Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Beckwith, B. A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Beckwith, B. A.