COMMUNICATING STATISTICS

The world is full of people who need to be able to use statistical methods in their work. That is why applied statistics is such an interesting and challenging career: it presents the statistician with so many different problems. In particular the staff of manufacturing industries need to be skilled in the use of statistical tools. The managers, the engineers and the physical scientists can benefit greatly from an integration of statistical methods into their work. Sadly most of them are not aware of these benefits. Statisticians are frustrated by that ignorance. We know that we have so much to offer that could have a major impact, through the manufacturing industries, on the national economy. That is why we must address the question of communicating statistics. A change of culture is needed to bring about a greater acceptance by non-statisticians of statistical methods. But it is our culture, not theirs, which must first be changed. Instead of publishing so much to ourselves, through our own conferences and journals, we should reach out to those who need us, to convince them that they really do need us, so that they will come banging on our doors demanding our help. I make several positive suggestions about how we might achieve this. I appeal for more ideas and seek positive discussion.