How to talk to scientists

Attendees

Steven McGough (facilitator), Steve Wilson (scribe) and Gareth Smith.

Overview

In this session, ideas were discussed for overcoming the communication barrier between computer scientists and scientists. The general consensus was that the ways to achieve this goal aren’t obvious. The software developer who deals with the scientist should be chosen based, not only on their software development ability, but on their understanding of the scientists' field and their ability to communicate too. It is also important to reduce the use of impenetrable language - both software-specific language and project-management language.

Conclusions

• Informal, one-on-one meetings with scientists and a review soon after the meeting can help quickly identify goals.

• Placing a software developer within the research group for a period allows them to gain a layman’s understanding of the science, which will help with the software development.

• Need a ‘code of best practise’ for more than just development - need one for communication too.

Further work

• Investigate how software sustainability can be achieved. It was felt that there was not an adequate level of teaching on this subject at universities.