Best Practices for Effective Communication: Clarity and Simplicity

Written by Rabia Ahmad, Associate Director at GSK Please note, this blog is the opinion of the author and does not represent PHUSE nor necessarily the opinion of the authors employer.

Communication is the tool through which humans express their ideas and thoughts with a specific objective in mind. So, it can be inferred that success (of the objective) is determined by the effective use of the tool (communication).

Clarity and simplicity is the most critical component of effective communication. Its presence leads to accurate understanding, greater efficiency, and higher engagement of those involved; its absence results in chaos and loss of precious time and resources.

Defining “Clarity” and “Simplicity”

Merriam-Webster defines clarity and simplicity as follows:

Clarity: the quality of being easily understood; the quality of being expressed, remembered, understood, etc., in a very exact way.

Simplicity: the state of being simple, uncomplicated, or uncompounded.

Hence, whether it is a simple presentation or a technical-heavy discussion with internal team members, effective communication is one which is uncomplicated and unambiguous, and ensures the content or message is easily understood in its exact meaning.

Given the above, clear and simple communication can be defined as:

Specific – emphasises all the main points
Organised – follows a logical thought process
Complete – all important items are included and detailed
Actionable – the receiver can carry out the instructions with minimal confusion
Exact – the correct vocabulary and terms are used to describe the content.

Best Practices for Clarity and Simplicity

Clinical programmers and data scientists often have to present or communicate their findings and asks to non-programming team members. In such cases, the following best practices for clear and simple communication may come in handy.

Be clear in mind: It is important to know what is being communicated, why it is being communicated, who it is being communicated to and what is the desired outcome, before putting thoughts on paper. Unless the ideas or asks are crystal clear in the communicator’s mind, they cannot be expressed in an intelligible manner on paper, email, slides or face-to-face.

Use simple and precise vocabulary: Avoid words and idiomatic phrases for which the literal meaning is different from how it is used. Use of simple and precise vocabulary reduces the chances of misinterpretation and errors.

Avoid technical lingo: People often start sharing technical details to explain their point. Generally, listeners are polite enough to not interrupt or show their confusion, but they certainly won’t be engaged or clear on what is being shared or asked. In order to reach everyone in the audience (unless interacting with those with the same technical background), try to keep the communication as void of technical language as possible.

Summarise the content (more applicable for presentations): Start by giving a brief synopsis of the main point (sharing knowledge, outlining challenges, raising awareness, etc.), the purpose (asking, informing, instructing, etc.) and the desired outcome (decision, learn, action, etc.). Summarising the content early on engages the audience, defines the scope and sets the direction of the interaction.

Concise is preferred but may not be clear: Although we should always strive for brevity in communications and presentations, at times, trying to be brief may lead to loss of clarity and full purpose of the communication. Assess the pros and cons of “concise” vs. “long” and know that although concise is preferred, there will be times when detailed explanations are needed to get the message across effectively.

Conclusion: Clear and simple communication increases team engagement and efficiency, reduces confusion, and helps achieve the objective quickly and accurately.

Until a few decades ago, communication skills were primarily considered important for people in leadership positions. However, in this time and age, everyone has to share their ideas and opinions to collaborate, influence or showcase their abilities. With increasing expectations, interactions with non-programming stakeholders and playing a key role within the core study team, it is important for clinical programmers and data scientists to develop clear and simple communication skills!