Barbara began her career on the staff of Cyrus Eaton, the industrialist who founded the famous Pugwash Conferences of nuclear scientists. Working as part of the team that organised and ran the conferences, she received sound training in tackling the problems of communicating clearly on technical subjects.

In 1961 she left Mr Eaton to attend the Harvard Business School, later joining joined McKinsey & Company.  Since 1973 Barbara specialises in teaching the Minto Pyramid Principle to people whose major training is in business of the professions, but whose jobs nevertheless require them to produce complex reports, analyses, memorandums, or presentations.