What can Economists Learn from Public Perspectives on the Economy and Economic Statistics?

This study involved 15 online workshops that brought 15 economists from a range of institutions together with 55 members of the public in conversations about economic concepts and statistics. The aim was to bring economists closer to public perspectives on the economy and encourage them to reflect on what they learned and how these insights could improve how they communicated with the public in the future. The report's main finding is that the economists involved believed the workshop format fulfilled that aim. They advocated for more similar or extended exercises to reach a wider group of economists. They argued that all economists and economic organisations should take collective responsibility for bringing economists and the public closer together. In addition, there needs to be a debate about what level of economic knowledge would enable members of the public to fulfil their citizenship roles. More specific findings included economists' reflections that public perceptions in the workshops in many cases confounded their expectations and that people simply view the economy from a different, personal perspective relying on their own experiences. The economists considered developing communication strategies that were simpler and more relatable, emphasising context and narrative instead of figures. Finally, the economists argued it would be a challenge to implement improvements in public understanding and communication in practice, due to the complex way their communication filters through the media as intermediaries, pointing to the need for further studies on the relationship between economists and journalists