Users don’t want a document – they want answers to a question

Document structure, Thinking & writing, writing tip,

“Anticipate the questions users will ask and provide quick ways to get to the answers. Questions are usually about how to achieve a goal or perform a task. They are seldom about the components of a system.”  William Horton

That’s a good mindset to have when we are writing, especially when writing in a government or business setting.

In these settings we usually write ‘functional documents’, that is, documents designed to help people perform a task of some type. The task could be making a decision, or following a process, or knowing the best way forward.

We usually don’t write just to share knowledge, we write to share knowledge that readers can do something with.

So, before you start to write, spend some time thinking about the questions your readers need to answer.

If in doubt, leave it out

Document structure, Thinking & writing, writing tip

We are often tempted to include more material in a document than users want or need.

Sometimes we do that because we write from our perspective rather than from our readers’ perspective. We are so interested and excited by the topic that we assume others want to read as much as we want to write.

Omit anything that you are not totally convinced is essential content – serve your reader with ‘maximum meaning, minimum reading’. Only include content in your main text that readers need to act on the document.

You can include other non-essential content by layering. That is, include interesting, but not essential, content in a footnote, sidebar or appendix so that your reader can choose whether or not to read it.

Use styles to control the look of a document

Document structure, writing tip

Use your word processor to define styles for different categories or types of text of text.

Set up a style with the font type, font size, indent space, space before/after and line spacing for each heading or text category you use. Then you won’t need to change the formatting in each individual paragraph and your text will be consistently presented throughout the document.

That helps both you and your readers.

All text of the same type will  look the same – all heading 1s will look the same, all headings at level 2 will look the same and so on. And your heading 1s will look different to your heading 2s and different to your main text.

The basic structure of your text will be displayed visually – seen at first glance.

Don’t use all caps

Document structure, writing tip

USING ALL UPPER CASE MAKES YOUR TEXT HARD TO READ. VISUALLY IT LOOKS AS THOUGH YOU ARE YELLING AT ME, AND IT’S MUCH HARDER TO READ.

Competent readers read more by identify the shapes of words rather than processing all the individual letters in the word. The ups and downs of lower case text form familiar shapes that we readily identify as words. 

Text in all upper case makes every word look like a similar block, and so readers are forced to slow down to decode the individual letters. Sentence case (upper and lower case) is much easier to read.

Novice writers sometimes write important messages in upper case, thinking they will be noticed. Setting out important messages in a way that makes them difficult to read makes no sense, and is perhaps irresponsible.

Australian writing skills at an all time low – what’s the impact?

Plain language / Plain English, Writer training, , ,

A recent news article states that NAPLAN analysis shows the writing of skills of Australian children are at all time low after what has been described as a 30 year policy failure in schools

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-26/teaching-resources-reverse-students-poor-writing-naplan/105454122

Where are the children who have been failed for these last 30 years?

They are in the workforce – in mid-career. They are the people who are now writing policy, letters, procedures, briefing notes, reports. If the NAPLAN analysis is correct, then these workers missed some basic education in their formative years in primary school. They did not master the skill of writing at that time. And some may have been struggling ever since.

Of course, school is not the only place where you can learn writing. I’m sure many who attended school during these years are now fine writers. They may have learned writing from good guidance during their tertiary studies, or maybe they’ve learned write well on the job. But it’s possible some of this cohort may still be struggling as they perform the writing tasks required of modern government and business employees.

And I hear senior managers talk about this weakness frequently. They are frustrated about the internal review process – it often takes far longer than it should. And reviewers waste time correcting writing rather than interacting and building on ideas.

Writing is a critical capability.

Failing to develop writing skills is a career disadvantage for individuals. But it also means organisations are also suffering. Ideas may not be expressed clearly; logic and thinking may not be rigorously tested. Information leaflets, letters and other documents do not have the clarity that the users of these products rightly expect.

Writing and thinking are closely connected.

We cannot write well until we can think well. But equally, cannot think well unless we can write well. Writing helps people shape ideas, taking vague and fuzzy notions into concrete words and sentence. Writing makes implicit ideas explicit so that they can be examined and tested by both the writer and by others. Not having a sound writing capability within an organisation puts it at risk of underperforming, of not achieving its objectives as well as it should.

Do you manage people with inadequate writing skills?

Some thoughts if you are in a position of managing people whose writing skills have not yet developed to the level we expect:

  1. Recognise there may have been a gap in learning and development at an early stage. Poor performance may not be related to a lack of intelligence or lack of effort.
  2. Consider enrolling workers in a writer training program. A day of training isn’t going to change the habits of a lifetime immediately. But a well design program will provide direction for participants to practice and follow.
  3. Provide access to helpful tools. Programs like Grammarly and Hemingway can be helpful in getting the basics correct.
  4. Be kind and gentle during the review process. Use document reviews as an opportunity to develop skills. Take the time to explore alternative ways of organising and structuring documents, and explain how to improve sentences and paragraphs.

Developing the writing skills of your people will make documents more effective and efficient.

Average 15 words per sentence

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip

Lots of really long sentences will tire your reader.

Readers have to keep all the words you have written in their mind until they get to a full stop and consolidate the idea. It’s easy to lose your message in a long sentence. 

Yet lots of short sentences can make your writing choppy.

The Australian Government style manual gives this advice: Include a mix of sentence lengths in your document – readers like variety and rhythm.

Keep sentences to an average of 15 words and no more than 25 words.

But there’s nothing wrong with an occasional 35 word sentence; nothing wrong with a 3 word sentence. Just don’t write them at that length all the time.

You can start a sentence with And, But

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip

You can start a sentence with ‘And’ and ‘But’, despite what your second grade teacher told you.

But do it sparingly. Using these conjunctions can add energy, rhythm and vibrancy to your writing. They can also help inject a conversational tone. And using them can be a good way to break up long sentences.

Little rules like these learnt in our early school days were likely helpful advice at the time, as we learn to put our thoughts down in writing. But they are not rules for life.

As you mature as a writer you gain the freedom to bend and reshape those old guidelines to suit your voice and purpose, and to increase the clarity of your message.

Beware of content scatter

Document structure, writing tip

Content scatter can occur when a subject is discussed in several different locations.

Scatter can happen if you are developing a website or other document over time.

As your thinking develops, you may document it in different places – perhaps talking about different aspects of the topic. Reading one of the locations will give some of the information, but not all of it.

That’s potentially dangerous – if people read only one location, readers may miss something important. They may think they have the full story when they don’t.

Try to place all related content in one place so your readers get the complete picture. Or use links to make the user aware that there is other important information they should look at.

Writing persuasively – Pathos

Thinking & writing, writing tip,

Aristotle says persuasion is a mix of ethos, logos and pathos.

People are more likely to be persuaded when it is clear you believe in your message and are passionate about it.

Perhaps you could think about pathos as being conviction and drive.

It’s OK to write passionately even in scientific or government writing, as long as you are not being emotionally manipulative.

Don’t fall for the lie that says passion and objectivity are mutually exclusive. Of course you can be both passionate and objective at the same time.

In fact, if you have sound objective evidence for something that’s positive for the community, it is likely it is good and proper for you to be passionate about it!

Writing persuasively – Ethos

Thinking & writing, writing tip

Aristotle, the famous ancient Greek philosopher, says effectively persuading someone requires a mix of ethos, logos and pathos.

Ethos – it’s the word we get our word Ethics from.

Ethos has to do with the character of the person delivering a message. People are more likely to be persuaded when they perceive the person trying to persuade them to be capable and trustworthy.

Qualifications and previous experience can help establish ethos. But it’s more important to have integrity – make sure what you say and what you do are consistent.

And always work to bring about good for people.

Ultimately, it’s about being a person worth listening to. Let your writing reveal your character.

Persuasive writing – Logos

Thinking & writing, writing tip

Aristotle, the famous ancient Greek philosopher, says effectively persuading someone requires a mix of ethos, logos and pathos.

Logos – it’s the word we get our word Logic from.

Logos is all about presenting a logical argument for your position or point of view. It draws conclusions from soundly based verifiable evidence.

People are more likely to be persuaded when your message is presented with sound reason.

Take your readers through the journey of your thinking, presenting your logic from their point of view. If appropriate, address counter arguments and show why they are wrong.

Help readers see why your position or point of view is sensible. Let your writing reveal your sound thinking processes.

Tell compelling stories to engage readers

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, writing tip,

Case studies and real-world examples help make abstract ideas more concrete and solid.

Instead of asking readers to imagine how something might work, they show it in action.

A policy is easier to understand when readers can see its effects on a person, a family, a business or a community. A product feels more useful when we hear how someone has genuinely benefited from it.

Good examples add colour, clarity and interest. They help readers connect the idea to their situation and remember the message.

For millions of years, over all cultures, stories have shared ideas and helped make sense of the world. They still do the same job today.

Using plain language broadens your audience

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip,

If you choose to write in a formal, complex or bureaucratic way, or use unfamiliar words, or use an academic style when you write, then only academically able and educated people will understand your document easily.

You will exclude some people from engaging with you and your message.

If you choose to write in a plain style, you will make your content available to many more readers. Lot’s of people will be able to understand, and you won’t disadvantage the academically able – they will still be fine.

Using a plain writing style is a simple way to include people and broaden your message.

Don’t accept complex and pompous writing

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip, ,

Some organisations continue to publish text that contains complex sentences and lots of big words. Managers tell their people they need to communicate in a formal, or bureaucratic way.

They think this makes them sound more professional or competent or authoritative. They claim ‘we need to say it this way so that others can see we know our stuff’, so that readers will be impressed.

But this pompous style gets in the way of good communication – it is a pretense. It reminds me of the old story by Hans Christian Anderson of the ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’.

A truly knowledgeable person can explain complex ideas simply so that others can understand with little effort.

Write ‘use’ not ‘utilise’

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip,

It’s one of my pet hates: people who write or say ‘utilise’ when they could just as easily write ‘use’. Why use ‘utilise’ when you could more simply utilise ‘use’?

And of course, when we put it in the noun form it becomes ‘utilisation’ – surely that’s a word of the size that will impress.

Often people use bigger or more complicated words than they need to, to try to impress others, to create an impression that the writer is highly intelligent or sophisticated.

Using a big word rather than a simpler word usually gets in the way of good, effective communication.

And some other words to keep an eye on are: writing ‘post’ rather than ‘after’, or ‘prior to’ rather than ‘before’.

It’s best to select the simplest and most familiar words you can to convey ideas.

Use parallel structures in sentences to smooth the flow

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip,

Good writing sounds good to the ear.

The sentence “Mary likes hiking, swimming and to ride a bicycle” is understandable; most readers will know exactly what it means.

However, the sentence feels uneven because the three activities do not share the same grammatical shape.

“Hiking” and “swimming” are -ing forms, while “to ride” shifts suddenly to an infinitive. Revising the sentence in this way, “Mary likes hiking, swimming and cycling,” is smoother because each item follows the same pattern.

This is called a parallel structure. It helps a sentence sound balanced, clear and natural.

Good writing is not only just about being correct; it is also about rhythm.

When sentences are read aloud, repeated patterns guide the ear, reduce awkwardness and make the message more pleasing to hear. 

How to introduce a new idea to readers

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip,

Prefer clarity over elegance.

Some writers like to find different words to express the same idea because they think it is stylistically more elegant.

Consistency, even if it involves an amount of repetition, can help your readers understand a new idea or product.

When you talk about a thing in a document, give it the same name or description every time you refer to it.

For example, describing something as a system, then calling it a process, then a component, then an enterprise, then a project can be confusing.

Likewise, calling a product, perhaps, XFire2, then X2, then FireSmart, can also confuse your readers.

You may know they are the same thing, but your readers may not, and they could be wondering about distinctions that don’t exist.

Draft the content, craft the message

Plain language / Plain English,

Very few organisations set out to publish documents that are confusing or difficult. Usually ambiguous or obscure documents happen by accident. What goes wrong?

Well, often the job is only partly done. Merely putting content together is rarely enough.

Organisations assign subject matter experts to research carefully, organise the content and conduct peer reviews. But then they publish without serious design thinking.

They miss a vital step: crafting the content into an effective communication piece.

Subject matter experts are usually very bright with a deep knowledge of their subject – their input is essential. However, they cannot help but write from their perspective, using their frame of reference and their language. Many readers need the material translated and put into a form that makes sense to them.

For example, a subject matter expert may write:
“Employees must not facilitate or permit the use of employer communication devices by persons not authorised by the Department, unless urgent business or personal circumstances would reasonably require such use.”,
but it is clearer if a user reads:
“You must not allow the Department’s equipment to be used by unauthorised people, unless there is a urgent need”.

Crafting communication from draft content is more than just getting the words right. It involves serious information design with an eye to the user and what they need to do with the information. It involves rethinking structure, document format and graphics.

It’s best to think of writing a complex document as a two-step process:

  1. draft the content (what you want to say)
  2. craft the message (how it should be said)

Two types of expertise are needed – the content expert and the communication expert.

Action

Next time you write a document, remember to both “draft and craft”. Consider involving a communication expert early.

First drafts nearly always need to be improved

Thinking & writing, writing tip,

‘Developing documentation, especially user-centred documentation, is not a one shot process. It is a continual process of successive refinement.’  (William Horton)

Another way of saying this is ‘There is no such thing as good writing – only good rewriting.’

So, expecting to generate perfect text on your first draft is unrealistic.

When writing in plain language we are always aiming to write user-centred text, and so we will always be refining our structure, words and sentences as we get feedback from our users, as we test our documents with the people who need to use them to do something useful.

Genuine feedback from users, often through formal user testing, is often forgotten in plain language writing projects.

Make sure you include feedback beyond just internal review processes.

Keep your line length short

Document structure, writing tip,

A part of crafting plain documents is to make sure that they are physically easy to read, so pay attention to the layout and format of your document.

For example, really long lines of text are hard to read – the eye wanders, it’s hard to keep focus. Readers easily lose their place and tire of reading.

Research has found around 50 to 70 characters per line works OK on paper, about 2/3 of that if you are delivering your document on screen.

One of the worst things you can do is to produce a document in landscape orientation with 11 or 12 point text all the way across the page.

Consider indenting or using columns to keep your line length manageable. That may also allow you to include some white space, or ‘air’ around your text.

Write to a person, not a crowd

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip,

Try this next time you need to write something: Imagine one or two people who would read your document.

Imagine what they look like – maybe download a photo to help you visualise. Give them names; perhaps Bob or Sue.

Think through what is going on for them and how they may react to your message – will they receive it willingly or could there be a bit of resistance? Are other things going on that may distract their attention?

When you write, write directly to Bob or Sue. Speak as though they are in front of you. You may even speak the words as you type. An exercise like this will help you write more personally and directly.

Remember, you are always writing to real people.

Create documents that users want to read

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip

Documents should be desirable – so users are drawn into the content.

Effective documents are a pleasure to use, maybe even fun. Strive for easy reading.

Don’t make you readers struggle to unpack the meaning of words and sentences. Especially when you are communicating complex and difficult ideas, express those ideas in simple and easy to read text.

And use an attractive layout – one that is pleasing to the eyes and that communicates the structure of the document at a single glance. No-one wants to read ugly!

And consider including some informative graphics. Not eye candy, but pictures, diagrams, or graphs that support, expand, or illuminate the ideas you are conveying.

3 things to strive for in your documents. They should be useful, usable, desirable.

Create documents that are easy to use

Plain language / Plain English, Writer training, ,

Usable documents are ones where users can easily and quickly find what they need. And when they find it, users should easily understand what they read.

This means your documents should be easy to navigate. A meaningful heading structure helps readers find what they need. Use a logic that meshes well with the way your readers think about the topic.

Talking headings – headings that summarise big ideas – are usually better than placeholder or bucket headings.

A well designed layout that makes the structure evident at a first glance also makes finding information easier.

Documents are easier to understand when they are written using ordinary, everyday words rather than specialised words. Sentences are usually easier to grasp when they cover just a single idea.

3 dimensions to think about documents: useful, usable, desirable.

How to create a document that readers want to read

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip, ,

The documents we write at work should be, primarily, useful.

That is, these documents will usually contain vital information that users need to perhaps make a decision, or follow a process, or complete some other action.

Readers need information and knowledge they can act on, and they need to gain that knowledge with some ease.

Readers should be glad they read your document because it helped them in some way.

Here’s 3 dimensions to help evaluate documents:

  1. A document should be useful.
    That is, it provides content readers can act on.
  2. A document should also be usable
    That is, readers can quickly and easily find the information they need and understand it.
  3. A document should be desirable
    Attractive to look at and attractive and pleasant to read with valuable content.

There is no need to include everything you have thought about when writing

Thinking & writing, Writer training

When you are drafting a document, you will likely make some notes as you prepare. These notes both shape and reflect your thinking.

Your document will be designed for your reader, to shape their thinking and influence their response.

Never feel obliged to include all your thinking notes in your final document. You will usually have explored ideas that may be interesting, but perhaps not relevant, to your user. Including everything you have thought about will often result in a cluttered document that readers may get lost in.

Carefully selecting content, deciding what to include and what to leave out, is the key to crafting an effective document. Include only what is necessary to a) meet your readers’ needs, and b) achieve your purpose.

Writing to achieve an outcome – the organisation’s intent

Thinking & writing, writing tip, ,

When we are writing at work, the document we produce needs to achieve an outcome for our organisation.

Perhaps the outcome is people buying a product, workers acting in a specific way, staff well aligned to goals, or some other intent.

Documents we produce at work can be described as ‘functional documents’.

That is, we write them to help the organisation achieve a goal of some sort.

Having this goal clearly in mind as you craft your document gives you focus. It helps you decide what content you will include, how you will organise the ideas, and the words you will use to get these ideas into your readers heads in a way they will they will respond in they way you want.

But, of course, your document must also meet your users’ needs.

Keep both sets of needs in mind as you write – the needs of your organisation and the needs of your reader.

How to increase the chances of people reading your text

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, writing tip, , , ,

People are more likely to read your text if it answers a need they have

– if it gives them the knowledge they need to make a decision, or information they can act on to do something useful, or an insight that interests them or intrigues.

That’s why thinking about your reader – they are the user of the information product you will produce – thinking about your reader is so important before you start writing any document.

Think about their needs and interests, their fears, and the work they need to do. What do they want out of your document. Consider the questions they may have about the topic you are writing about.

But, if your document is going to be truly effective, it’s not just about your reader. The document must meet your organisation’s needs too.

How to write reports that people want to read

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, writing tip,

One of the most useful ways to think about a report, any report, is to consider a report as an answer to a question.

When someone asks you to write a report, they are seeking information about something they don’t know. So, your job when writing a report is to answer that question.

Having a clearly defined question at the beginning helps focus your work, helps to minimise unproductive investigations, and will make your report more useful.

But make sure you have the correct question – one that probes the heart of the matter.

Spend some time with the person who has commissioned the report and the likely readers to explore what they really need to know. Ask them what they will do with the answer you provide.

And of course, maintain your integrity. Never write a report to provide a predetermined answer.

Predicting your readers’ response can help guide your writing

Document structure, Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, Writer training

Before you write your document, spend some time thinking about your reader.

Consider their passions and concerns, their situation and pressures, and the decisions they need to make or or the tasks they need to perform.

When you think from the readers perspective, you’ll be able to make a reasonable guess about how they will receive and react to your message.

That knowledge, even though it is a guess and is unsure knowledge, can inform the way you select content. It will help you decide what to include and what you’ll leave out. It will also guide how you organise your document. You can design a flow of argument that will resonate with your readers.

And you may be able to pre-empt questions and objections and address these before negativity become settled in your readers’ minds.

How to organise content for readers

Document structure, writing tip

One of the most helpful things you can do when crafting a document is to organise your content in a way that makes sense to your readers.

It’s not so much about how you think about the content, but more about what your readers need.

Organising content ‘point first’, with your main idea at the beginning, is helpful in most documents. Some other helpful ideas are to:

Move from the known to the unknown – help your readers by building on concepts and ideas they already have.

Move from the from simple to complex – gradually build on easily grasped ideas to develop a more complete and rounded picture.

Move from the concrete to the abstract – use examples and stories to build principles and approaches.

How to make your content easy to scan with talking headings

Document structure, writing tip, ,

Most people don’t read web pages word-for-word — they scan. Craft scannable headings that clearly summarise the point of each section – then readers can quickly find what matters to them. This article explains how talking headings help readers scan your content and understand your message faster.

Talking headings in a document provide both navigation and content information. They are of immense value to your reader.

What are talking headings?

Talking headings summarise the point of a section rather than simply naming the topic. By reading only the headings, a reader should understand the main message of the document.

Headings like ‘Introduction’ and ‘Conclusion’ just give navigation information. They tell us we’re at the beginning or at the end of a document.

Help your readers scan

Craft scannable headings so they tell the story. The reader should get the gist of your document just by reading your headings. And for busy readers, that may be all they read.

Bucket heading vs talking heading

A bucket heading might be something like ‘New strategy’. That just tells me there’s a bucket of information here about the new strategy, but doesn’t tell me anything about it.

A talking heading might be something like ‘Our new strategy responds to funding cuts’. It tells me exactly what the section is about, and primes my mind to receive that information correctly.

How long should a heading be?
A heading should be a short phrase or sentence that clearly communicates the main idea. Just a line or two.

Talking headings are useful, in letters, reports, briefing notes, procedures – all sorts of documents.

Want to improve how your organisation writes all sorts of documents?
Explore our plain language training courses.

I’ve told them – isn’t that good enough?

Plain language / Plain English

Never! – unless all you want to do is meet some legal obligation. In that case, who cares if no-one reads or understands? But if you want people to read, understand and act on your message, you must do more than merely tell. You must tell in a way that makes sense to your readers and makes contact with them.

We’ve probably all seen “I’ve told you” messages. It’s clear that the writer doesn’t really care too much about their reader. These pompous writers force the reader to work hard unscrambling thoughts and making sense of poorly structured, poorly worded text. Often they deliberately use jargon, cumbersome expressions or lofty words in an effort to impress the reader. Sometimes these writers are deliberately obscure, so that they can say “gotcha” when the reader misunderstands.

You are probably reading text like this whenever you feel you are getting lost, whenever you have to re-read sentences and paragraphs to extract meaning.

Good writers make life easy for the reader. They work hard to help people read, understand and act on information.

Effective communicators take on the responsibility for helping others understand. They don’t shove this responsibility on the reader.

To do this they work hard to see things from the readers’ perspective. They put themselves in the readers’ shoes, asking searching questions before they put finger to keyboard. They ask things like:

  • why should the reader read this?
  • what information are they most interested in?
  • how will this message link with what readers already know?
  • what words and sentence structures are my readers familiar with?
  • what do readers need to do with this information? what actions or decisions will follow?

They then write from the readers’ point of view.

 “Writing is not about you, it’s about your reader. The sooner you can take yourself out of the picture and focus on doing good for your reader, the quicker you’ll be a good writer.” Michael Masterton

 

Social justice when writing

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, , ,

Clear, well-written documents from businesses and government agencies help people understand their rights, responsibilities, and options.

When information is written in plain language, more people can access, understand and act on it. This leads to fairer outcomes and greater participation. Complex, technical, or overly formal writing can exclude many readers — especially those who do not have an academic background or who struggle to read.

We can create or exacerbate social disadvantage just by the way we choose to word things and express ideas. That is a really sad outcome. Choosing not to write plainly can create disadvantage, limit access to essential services, and undermine trust.

Writing clearly isn’t just a communication skill — it’s a matter of equity.

Don’t assume others know all the words you do

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, writing tip, , ,

If you have completed studies beyond high school, you likely have a broader vocabulary than most people.

You will likely know the meaning of more complex words and also be able to untangle complicated sentence structures. While this can be useful in academic or professional settings, it can work against you when you are writing for a broader audience. You may inadvertently assume your readers are OK with some words and phrases just because you are.

So, consider your audience when writing. Limit your use of uncommon or technical words, and stick to everyday language, the kind you’d find in a newspaper.

Simple, familiar words make your writing easier to understand for everyone.

Business and government documents must be written well because…

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, writing tip, ,

Business and government documents often contain important information that places obligations on individuals, such as legal responsibilities, financial commitments, or compliance requirements.

When these documents are not written clearly, there is a real risk that people may misunderstand or only partially understand what is required of them. This confusion can have serious consequences, such as missed deadlines, penalties, or unintended breaches of the law.

Poorly written documents can create unnecessary stress, disadvantage, or even oppress people—especially those with lower literacy levels, those for whom English is a second language, or those in vulnerable situations.

Clear and accessible writing helps everyone understand their rights and responsibilities. It promotes fairness, reduces errors and disputes, and builds trust in institutions.

Plain language is also about honesty

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, writing tip, , ,

Writing plainly means choosing words and sentence structures your readers can easily read, understand and use – information that is designed with their needs in mind.

But plain language is about more than just simplicity — it’s also about honesty and clarity.

A plain language document must give readers accurate, complete, and useful information. That means being upfront, leaving nothing important out, and avoiding confusing or misleading wording. There is no room for half-truths, vagueness, deliberate ambiguity, or obscured meanings.

Readers should be able to trust what they’re reading and clearly understand what it means. Writing this way shows respect for your audience and helps them make informed decisions.

In all government and business communication, plain language supports transparency, accountability, and better outcomes for everyone.

Audit vs Evaluation

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing,

Audit vs Evaluation – what’s the difference?

‘Audit’ answers the question ‘Did we do what we said we would do?’ For example, did we publish the document?, did it go out on time?, did it reach all our clients?

‘Evaluation’ answers the question ‘Did we achieve the outcome?’ For example, do our clients now understand our services?, are our procedures efficient?, how well did we predict that development?

Both types of questions are clearly important and have a role in managing an organisation well. But often matters that should be evaluated are audited instead.

For example, suppose you recognise a communication need – you want your clients to better understand what you can do for them, or you want the public to take advantage of a new government policy or initiative. The usual course of events goes something like this:

  1. Decide you need a product (people usually think a document or website is the best way to deliver information)
  2. Set goals and assign responsibility to someone (their job is to deliver the product)
  3. Tell your boss and colleagues about the product
  4. Get a project team together
  5. Develop a project timeline and determine a budget.
  6. Get the resources you think you will need
  7. Develop the product
  8. Deliver

How is a project like this measured? Usually against the project plan.

If the product is on time and on budget it is usually considered a job well done.

But that’s audit, not evaluation. Only rarely is the project measured against purpose.

Where do things go wrong?

There are at least two points of disconnect in this scenario:

1. Deciding a particular product (brochure, white paper, website) will achieve the objective even before the team has had a chance to explore options. This product is then locked in with your boss and colleagues so that it is hard to work on a new idea even if it is better.

2. Shifting the goal from ‘communicating’ to ‘producing a product’. While it’s easier to measure product production it is not the right thing to measure.

The solution is simple, but not easy.

Suspend judgement about what needs to be produced until after you have explored the users’ needs, the content to be communicated and the purpose of the communication. Never lose sight of the overall goal. Always be prepared to consider a change to the product if you come upon a better idea. When dealing with particularly complex material it is usual to have some ideas that initially look very good, but that are later rejected. Going up a few dry gullies is not failure, it is the nature of exploration.

How to introduce a new idea

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, writing tip

When introducing a new idea to people, remember, most people tend to stay loyal to their initial point of view. Moving to a new way of thinking takes some effort.

A single piece of paper, no matter how well written, may not be sufficient to sway an entrenched mind. Recognise that moving to a new way of thinking is rarely immediate – even when presented with compelling information.

Persuasion sometimes takes time and multiple presentations and encounters with new information in various forms.

So, when you write, aim to keep the lines of communication open so  your audience can understand and assimilate your message over time.

How to mitigate document risk: Test with real users

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip, ,

Publishing a document that nobody reads, or that people don’t understand, or that users don’t act on, is a waste.

All the investment in crafting and reviewing will have zero return.

It’s very risky to assume a document will achieve purpose on the sole basis of internal review. Merely passing a document around the office to get your colleagues or boss’s opinion is not enough – it’s best to test with end users.

A document is an information product. Users are the only ones who can tell you if your information product is working.

Test early, test frequently to check your document is hitting the mark with users to get confidence that it will be effective.

Readability – necessary but not sufficient

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip

Readability refers to how easy it is to read text. It depends on how complex the ideas are and how they are expressed. (Readability is different to legibility. Legibility refers to how easy it is to see the letters that make up words.)

There are many tests that measure how readable a piece of text is.

I always use readability software

Readability tests quick and easy, and usually free. MS Word has the Flesch Reading Ease score and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level built in. Their are many other tests available on the web – all have value.

Other apps (like Grammarly) offer to check tone, spelling and grammatical errors. Readable.com is one of my favourites – it provides lots of helpful information. I’m writing this blog using the Hemingway app.

Software can alert me to silly mistakes, things I can improve in my writing. Even when I think I’ve done a good job, running my text through a tool makes it better. There’s no such thing as good writing, only good re-writing.

I never rely on readability software

Readability and writing apps work by analysing words and sentences. They count up syllables, look for passive voice and do other analysis. It’s a mechanical review only.
It’s possible to write highly readable rubbish. That is, you can write useless text that scores well on readability tests.

Readability tests don’t consider other matters that are vital. Effective writing meets the needs of readers while achieving the writer’s purpose. Writers must structure content well – usually point first. Text must be relevant to readers and give information they can use.

Inbuilt limitations, yet valuable

Many tests were developed decades ago. They reference US grade levels, not Australian readers. There are many weaknesses in the tests.

Despite the weaknesses, readability test are valuable. They provide good, but not definitive, feedback. They are quick and easy to use – why wouldn’t you use them?

How to review documents: Be gentle and kind, but robust

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, writing tip

If you are working inside an organisation, it is likely that everything you write will be reviewed by someone else before it is published or reaches its final destination.

Document reviews can be challenging for writers, so if you are a reviewer, please take care.

When reviewing someone’s work, remember what they have written is a reflection of their thinking and of themselves. That’s because thinking and writing are closely related.

Editing can be seen as criticising someone’s writing, and some people will take that as criticising their thinking. None of us like that. All writing is personal to some extent.

So, consider the person, not just the text.

But that is no reason to allow sloppy or ineffective writing to slip through. Be robust too so that whatever moves around inside the organisation, or that goes outside, is fit for purpose.

Purposeful communication – beyond shared understanding

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing,

In business and government, we write functional documents. Functional documents demand purposeful communication.

Traditional models of communication have understanding as the goal of communication. A person constructs an idea, codes into media (speech, text, images), and then transmits it. The receiver decodes and reconstructs that as a new idea. Feedback and re-transmitting continues until both the sender and the receiver have the same idea. That is, the aim is a shared understanding. But that is not good enough for functional documents.

Purposeful communication starts by asking ‘Why?”.

The purpose of all business and government communication is to impact the thinking, attitudes or behaviour of readers in some way. We write to achieve an organisational purpose.

For example, marketing communication aims, ultimately, to get people to buy from you. Policies and procedures aimed to cause people to act in a particular way.

Purposeful communication goes beyond understanding and effectively transmitting ideas. It is more about influence.

So, the simplest way of testing any communication piece is to look at your audience. Are they doing what you wanted them to do? Are they moving towards doing what you want? Is your document achieving purpose?

Define purpose before you write

Plain language writing starts by being clear about your purpose. Before writing, complete a sentence in this structure:

As a result of reading this document <my reader> will
<do, think, feel> something.

The purpose of your document will support the overall purpose of your organisation.

For a government agency or not-for-profit, purpose will likely be related to fulfilling its mission. That mission may be to provide good roads or to administer taxes fairly or to provide care services to a part of the community.

For a business, its ultimate purpose is probably to make a profit. (But there will be other important things like ensuring its employees work safely, protecting the environment and the like.) A business will have other aims and objectives that support this purpose like increasing market share, keeping quality on track, or improving the skills of its employees.

Effective purposeful communication will supports these aims and objectives.

Workplace communication aims to enhance the business performance of the organisation. Purposeful communication enables and energises employees to carry out strategic intent. Communication is a means, not an end.

Can you know a document will achieve purpose before it is published?

Sensible user testing gives good insights and can help you avoid reckless writing. Communication products, like all products, should be tested before being released.

Building the best structure for your document

Document structure, Plain language / Plain English, writing tip, , , ,

Placing your content in the correct order makes a big impact on the effectiveness of your document.

Before designing a structure for your document:

  1. define the purpose of your document – what you want to achieve
  2. understand your readers – what they want and need

Structure follows purpose

If your purpose is to persuade or share information and your readers are likely to give you a fair hearing, then a ‘point first’ structure is often the best. (sometimes called a pyramid or telescoping structure.)

A ‘point first’ structure starts with your key point. You follow this with explanation, reasoning and detail that justifies and expands the point.

Structure for your readers

Readers find this structure easy to follow; it’s always easier to grasp an argument when you are told the conclusion first. It also allows readers to stop reading when they have had enough without missing your main point.

But if your readers are likely to resist your message, then you may need to walk them through your reasoning and research before telling them your conclusion.

Documents aimed to persuade, a business case for example, are often structured by talking about the problem or opportunity first. This highlights the motivation for change and sets the scene for your solution.

When writing procedures, consider starting with the overall aim or intent of the procedure (to give clear context and purpose) and then present the steps in chronological order.

An effective document structure is one where readers can quickly understand and use the information you provide.

Plain language vs Plain English – a subtle but important difference

Plain language / Plain English, , ,

When I first started in this industry over three decades ago, I thought the terms ‘plain language’ and ‘plain English’ were synonymous.

Writing professionals from Canada often talked about ‘plain language’ because they dealt with both French and English, but in countries like Australia, New Zealand, USA and Britain the term ‘plain English’ was more common. (By the way, Canada has a long and rich history encouraging plain writing – since the 1920s the Royal Bank of Canada newsletter has provided helpful advice about writing clearly.)

But over the decades I’ve observed a subtle shift; a shift in emphasis or focus.

Plain English professionals tend to focus on features of the language. They aim to make documents clear and concise. They talk about helpful techniques like using familiar words, preferring the active voice, writing with more verbs than nouns, keeping sentences short and writing in a conversational style.

Plain language professionals tend to focus more on readers and the way they respond to a document. They aim to make documents clear, concise and effective. They consider how the reader will encounter the document and the desired response. Plain language professionals see documents as information products, and so often incorporate user testing before publishing, just as we would for any other product.

Plain English professionals often concentrate on correctness; plain language professionals focus on usefulness.

plain language focuses on usefulness

Of course, the overlap between the two groups of professionals is vast. There is more that unites than divides. Plain language writers will use all the plain English techniques, and plain English writers always consider their readers. However, in my view, the gradual shift in focus is real.

The Australian Office of Parliamentary Counsel has said:

We prefer to use the term “plain language” rather than “plain English” because we believe that it covers a wider range of techniques and practices. (http://www.opc.gov.au/PLAIN/index.htm – link no longer active)

Even Wikipedia entries reflect this subtle difference in focus:

Plain English is language that is easy to understand, emphasizes clarity and brevity, and avoids overly complex vocabulary.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_English)

Plain language is writing designed to ensure the reader understands as quickly, easily, and completely as possible.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language)

So what? Is this an artificial distinction and ‘splitting hairs’.

I think not. The difference is important, especially when writing functional business documents. Writing clear and concise text is not the goal. Effective communication is the goal – and that requires a deliberate focus on readers and usability. Readers should both understand the content and know what to do with it. Functional documents are not just about informing; they aim to impact the way readers think, feel and act.

Think in ink

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing,

Putting your thoughts on paper gives rigour to your thinking. Vague notions can no longer hide in the dark recesses of the mind, they must be brought into the light where they can be examined more closely.

Thinking is only valuable when it can be expressed

If your thinking just stays in your head, it’s not of much value to anyone – even to yourself.

Writing crystallises your thinking, even if it’s just a few words or half a sentence. It frees up short-term memory space – by holding your thoughts on paper rather than in your head – so creativity can flow once more. Mind maps are a great tool when exploring ideas. As you quickly jot down ideas and chunk them together new, related ideas quickly spring to mind.

If you are writing process instructions or specifications, more complete sentences will help make your thinking more precise. Writing forces deep and complete understanding that’s difficult to get by just thinking or talking.

thinking and writing are recursive activities

Something special happens when you force your thoughts onto paper. “Almost” ideas become more concrete, better understood and actionable.

‘The world can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation… The hand is the cutting edge of the mind.’ Jacob Bronowski

Action – start writing your thoughts

Struggling with a difficult issue? Start writing!

Paper, white board or the back of a bus ticket; single words or full sentences – it doesn’t matter. Just get your thoughts out there where you and others can examine and build on them.

5 steps for effective document review

Plain language / Plain English, , ,

You’ve slaved away for weeks on an important document. You’ve researched and talked to people. You’ve worked hard to understand your audience, their needs and how they will use your work. You’ve carefully structured the content into sensible chunks and you’ve used plain language techniques as you’ve crafted the text.

But, will the document work? Will it achieve the goals you had in mind?

It’s time for the document review and test phase. Time to find out what other people think of your work. Or perhaps time to send it ‘upstairs’ for sign-off.

Too often authors simply e-mail the document around to colleagues in the office with a message like “I’ve written this. What do you think?” If they don’t hear anything back they assume it’s all OK. But a review process like this rarely provides confidence that the document will communicate effectively. In fact, such a sloppy document review process could be reckless writing. (Our writer training course can reduce costly review churn.)

All communication products should be tested well before release, just like any other product. (Why don’t we test information products?)

So, when you ask people to review a document focus on assessing how well the document will achieve purpose.

Try these 5 steps:

1. Develop thick skin.

People may suggest improvements to your writing (and, by implication, improvements to your thinking). It’s easy to become defensive about the structure and words you have used. Don’t be. If someone finds your message is unclear then you need to improve it.

2. State your purpose clearly; identify your audience.

People can only provide useful review comments when they know what the document is intending to do, and who it is aimed at. When asking for review, explain who the document is for, and how you would like people to respond to your document. Judge the feedback you receive in the light of your purpose and audience.

3. Identify real users.

Representatives of your target audience are the best people to tell you how well your document will work. Anybody else is guessing (although experienced reviewers usually guess well).

4. Prepare document review questions.

Questions help reviewers engage with the material. For example:

  • Does this document contain information or ideas that are important to you?
  • Can you easily find the information you need?
  • Once you find the information, can you understand it?
  • Does it tell you too much? Does it tell you too little?
  • Is the information correct? Could it be misleading?
  • Does it comply with the law (if relevant) and our internal standards (if they exist)?
  • Do you know what to do now that you have read this?

5. Make feedback easy

Tell people how to get their comments to you. Do you want them to talk to you about the document, email you some ideas, or insert their comments in your text? And tell reviewers when you expect their comments.

You don’t need to act on all the review comments. Exercise judgement – some comments will be helpful, some will not. Use feedback to improve your writing, but don’t be bullied by it. After all, it’s your document, so take ownership of it.

How to write procedures for business benefit

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, ,

Most businesses define work activities in a written procedure. (If your business doesn’t, it should.) Procedures, sometimes called Standard Operating Procedures, Work Instructions or Safe Work Method statements, are the basis for a well controlled business.

But how do you write a procedure well? What makes a good SOP?

You could mindlessly follow a template someone else has developed, or you could think about what you want to achieve, what would work best for your business. Some templates can be helpful, but they may not be best for your organisation. See some examples.

The elements of good work procedures

A purpose statement and a link to overall process

Workers need to know how the activity they perform fits into the big picture; how it contributes to the overall process and the purpose of the organisation.You could do this with a context statement, or locating the activity in a process map. Also give a thoughtful title to the procedure.

When working in the road surfacing industry, we changed a procedure title from ‘Drive the broom tractor’ to ‘Prepare the surface’. This had an immediate impact on how workers viewed the activity and lifted the self esteem of the broom driver.

Performance standards

Procedures should do more than merely provide a list of tasks to perform. They should include information about how to assess the quality of those tasks. Workers and supervisors then have some objective measures to judge performance.

The standards could be related to quality, performance or safety.

Grouped into sensible work chunks

Chunking work into steps and sub-steps provides helpful structure for workers. It avoids a long list of tasks, and fits well with the way workers think about the job.

For example, the work chunk ‘Find outstanding invoices’ could have sub-steps like Find the file, Search invoices by date range, Print report.

‘Thinking’ and ‘Doing’ sections

“Work is the exercise of discretion within boundaries.”
John Ralph, former CEO of CRA.

Procedures, SOPs, define the boundaries. They are the things workers must do. But to better engage workers, we want them thinking about their work too. That’s good for them and good for the business. So we might want to direct thinking about productivity, safety or environmental matters.

For example, include thinking prompts in the procedure like: ‘How could we reduce the paperwork?’ ‘Residents may be moving in and out of driveways as you inspect the footpath – take care.’

Standard resources

Include the equipment needed for the task, including safety related equipment. Describe the skills and competencies required. It may be appropriate to include the standard time taken for the task.

All this information allows you to cost the procedure and measure the impact of improvements and changes to business practice. For example, we discovered it takes 10 minutes to process and record payments into a law firm’s trust fund. If the firm offers clients a payment plan, increasing the number of payments, they may significantly increase their back office costs.

Plain language

All documents should be written in plain language.

When procedures are written plainly, workers can understand them quickly and implement them. If they are written in a style that workers find difficult, they may be confused and do the wrong thing, or waste time asking for clarification, or totally ignore the procedures and do what they think is best.

Think before you consult when writing policies

Document structure, Thinking & writing, , , , ,
Top view of co-workers planning a strategy Free Photo
Business photograph designed by Pressfoto – Freepik.com

Employee consultation has become a ‘sacred cow’ when writing policies and procedures. There’s a tendency for organisations to involve all possible stakeholders so that everyone can have their say when defining how things work in an organisation. It’s promoted as a way to create an engaged and empowered workforce; an antidote to a command and control culture.

But consultation takes time and can be counter productive. Countless hours can be lost in document reviews and meetings, sometimes with little benefit.

Yet consultation communicates that you and your organisation value people and respect their point of view, knowledge and experience.

So, think before you run every policy through the same consultation process. Discern which documents will benefit from consultation, and who should be involved.

Consider policies in three broad groups:

1. Policies where consultation is pointless

If you are developing policies or procedure to implement a non-negotiable directive from the board, or a piece of legislation, consultation may not be helpful. Just write the document and get on with it. Consultation in this situation may even be harmful – it can raise the expectation of negotiation and input when there is none. You could lose credibility.

2. Policies where input from others is essential

Sometimes subject matter expertise resides in a number of people. You’ll need to consult to find out what is happening, or the best way of doing something. Find the right people and involve them in every stage of drafting and review. You’ll end up with a richer outcome by listening to appropriate stakeholders.

3. Policies where people just want to have their say

There are some policies in an organisation that stir the passions – like the ‘car policy’. People want to be heard but full consultation is not mission critical. When developing policies like this, I often invite comment but don’t run a full consultation process. Of course, if you invite comment you need to consider it – revise the policy or provide other feedback.

(this blog inspired by a conversation with Adam Leonard, General Manager Human Resources, Anglicare)

How to write standard letters

Plain language / Plain English,

Crafting a letter once and then sending it to multiple customers or members is a smart way to communicate. Standard letters are especially useful in organisations with repetitive processes and a need to send an identical message to many people.

Standard letters reduce costs because the work is done once only and the benefit enjoyed many times. Standard letters also make sure the message is always consistent.

However, just because a letter is ‘standard’ does not mean it is a good piece of communication. Frequently readers misunderstand letters or fail to appreciate their importance.

One common consequence is increased call centre costs. Recipients call to find out what the letter really means.

Tips when writing standard letters

 1. Know your purpose in writing

Having a clear outcome in mind is essential when writing anything. You must know why you are writing and the impact you intend to have.

Before putting pen to paper, you need to be able to complete the sentence: “As a result of reading this letter, I want Mr Smith to …..”. It may be that you want Mr Smith to do something, think something, or feel something.

Defining the purpose of the letter helps you determine the content, the style and tone, and the call to action.

2. Understand your readers

The better you know and understand your readers, the more likely your letter will ‘contact’ them. Understand their situation, their current understanding of the material, their fears and desires.

It’s helpful to write down all the questions your reader is likely to have. You can probably guess some of these questions, but the only way you’ll know for sure is to ask people. User research (users – people who will use your letter) is essential when planning to write.

3. Know the situation

Standard letters are sent in response to some previous action, often by the member or customer, or because some threshold has been reached.

Knowing what has triggered the letter provides the context for writing and reading. It is helpful to explain to the reader why they are receiving this letter. The context may be obvious to you but your reader may not.

4. Write to your least sophisticated reader

Standard letters are read across a range of readability levels and across a range of familiarity with the content. Write so your less able readers will comprehend. Writing this way won’t disadvantage your more able readers; it just makes it easier for everybody.

Use plain language techniques: familiar words, sentences that make just one point, active voice, etc.

Your readers will appreciate being able to understand your message at first glance, and your call centre will benefit from fewer enquiries generated by unclear letters.

5. Be brief, write point first

Most people are busy. They want to read and understand your letter in the shortest time possible.

Put the main point of your letter at the very beginning. Don’t hold people in suspense. Some readers may only read the first line or two, so don’t keep vital information until the end.

Use as few words as possible to get your message across. If your letter is more than one page long, you reduce the likelihood of it being read completely.

6. Use appropriate variable material

Powerful standard letters include content drawn from your underlying data systems. For example, a superannuation fund may include different information for members aged under 65 than for those over 65.

Including specific information gives your reader a letter that is closely tailored to their needs. They don’t need to figure out for themselves what is relevant and what is not.

Including variable content in standard letters reduces the total number of letters to manage and may reduce system complexity.

7. Test, test, test

You will only know if your letter is working by testing it.

While you are crafting the letter, test early drafts with real users. Ask if they are likely to read the letter, ask if they can understand what it says, ask what they would do as a result of reading it. Refine in response to feedback and re-test.

When your letters are in production, measure if they are achieving purpose. Are people doing what you want them to do when they receive your letter?

Clear, concise and effective: what ASIC says about disclosure documents

Plain language / Plain English,

It’s the law. Many types of disclosure documents – prospectuses, financial services guides, statements of advice and the like – must be written in a way that is clear, concise and effective.

Too often disclosure documents are complete and accurate, but they don’t communicate well. They don’t help readers fully understand the issues so they can make an informed investment decision.

But what does it mean to be clear, concise and effective?

ASIC’s Regulatory Guide RG 228 ‘Prospectuses: Effective disclosure for retail investors’ (Nov 16) unpacks this phrase. In short it recommends using the principles of plain language when writing a prospectus and other disclosure documents.

The guidance ASIC provides in RG 228 comes as no surprise to Plain Language Professionals – we’ve been advocating using plain language and a deliberate focus on the needs of users in all sorts of documents for years. It’s the best way to get your message across.

Risk in disclosure documents

Ignoring these guidelines, just writing the way disclosure documents have always been written, is risky. The consequences of a disclosure document being found to not be clear, concise and effective could be very costly. RG 228 provides some ways to judge a disclosure document, but ASIC says the guide will not be used as a simple checklist.

The foundational principle of plain language is to focus on the user or reader of the document.

RG 228 says that when writing a prospectus to focus on your readers’ need to understand the content and use the information to make an informed decision.

The guide lists a number of writing techniques that help; things like using the active voice, talking directly to the reader, using verbs rather than nouns, avoiding jargon, writing with short sentences.

Plain Language Professionals have been using these ideas for decades, but this writing style is rare in disclosure documents. I guess that’s not surprising: most disclosure documents are written by people with financial and legal expertise rather than by expert communicators.

Writing in plain language is no longer a ‘nice to have’; it’s essential.

How to avoid writing dull text

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, writing tip, , ,

Nothing makes a document duller than turning verbs (action words) into nouns (labels). So ‘inspect’ becomes ‘inspection’, ‘manage’ becomes ‘management’ and ‘use’ becomes ‘utilisation’ (my pet hate!).

Some people think words like these sound official and the sort of language that should be used in business documents. It’s just plain dull. If you replace action words with labels your writing will lose its vigour and power.

But worse than that, it hides meaning. For example, you can write ‘perform an inspection’ without clearly stating what is being inspected. But when you write ‘inspect the …..’ you are forced to say what to inspect, and perhaps what you are looking for.

In general, using verbs forces greater rigour in thinking and greater precision in writing.

And always choose the simplest word you can find in preference to impressive,  pompous words.

The forgotten step of document design

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There is never enough time or money to do it right, but there is always enough to do it again!

The need for user testing

We’ve probably all come across documents that just don’t make sense to us. Text that is obscure, or forms that don’t flow logically or that ask questions we are not sure how to answer.

Believe it or not, these are not developed by people trying to make life difficult!. They are usually designed by people with good intentions, but who are not looking from the perspective of the user.

Only the user can truly evaluate a communication device. As far back as 320 BC Aristotle said:

One must consider also the audience … the reader is the judge.

If a reader or user thinks it is unclear or difficult, then it is. It doesn’t matter how much work you’ve put into it, or how good you think it is.

In document design, common sense and professional experience will only take you so far.

Discussing your work with a colleague (peer review) will further improve your work.

But there are some things you can only find out from the users. This requires real testing, with real users in real (or closely simulated) situations. It is only as you watch people use your document that you see some of its shortcomings. Things that seem obvious or logical to you may not be to users.

The cost of poor design can be huge. A poorly designed form may generate thousands of phone calls to clarify it, or you may not get the information you need.

Yet, the cost of testing is not great – you can find out the majority of problems by testing as few as half a dozen users. However, testing is often skipped, usually for budget reasons. As with many things, there is never enough time or money to do it right, but there is always enough to do it again.

How good writing drives good thinking (with a down-side)

Thinking & writing, ,

There is a very close relationship between writing well and thinking well.
You cannot write well until you think well.

Writing helps thinking

The relationship with thinking is what excites me about writing.

When we write (and this could be a few words or even a diagram) we take the fuzzy, unformed ideas sitting in the back of our heads and make them explicit. We put them on a page or a screen. When we see our thoughts on paper, we are better able to interact with ideas, and thinking becomes richer and clearer.

The think-write-think process helps us figure out the best way of explaining ideas to others – we talk to ourselves and other people with greater clarity.

Poor writing is often the result of poor thinking. Ideas may be there, but if they haven’t been worked over and refined by writing and re-writing, they are unlikely to be understood by people other than the writer.

The down-side

The close relationship between writing and thinking means that every time you write something, you are exposing your thinking. That may be an uncomfortable thought. People may make judgements about your thinking capability based on the text you generate.

It’s all the more reason to strive to write plainly and clearly, so that readers can see through your words to interact with your ideas.

As with all endeavours, we can lift writing performance with proper training and disciplined practice.

Three essentials of financial disclosure documents – be clear, concise and effective

Plain language / Plain English, ,

The law says that financial disclosure documents must be worded and presented in a clear, concise and effective manner.

    This is a requirement of the Corporations Act 2001:

    • Financial Services Guides – Sect 942A (6a)
    • Product Disclosure Statements – Sect 1013C (3)
    • Statements of Advice – Sect 947C (6)

    Being complete and accurate is not enough

    My observation is that many disclosure documents do not meet the standard of ‘clear, concise and effective’. Writers seem to focus on complying with other aspects of the law – having  the correct content. They assume that being complete and accurate is enough. That’s a very risky position to take, and it may break the law.

    These standards of ‘clear, concise and effective’ are tough to meet because they can only be judged with reference to the reader, or user, of the document.

    An effective document – achieves purpose

    The general purpose of disclosure documents, as described in the law, is to help people make a decision about whether to buy financial services or products, or follow advice. To be effective, disclosure documents must work to achieve that purpose.

    That means you must know something about your readers and their decision making process, and use that knowledge to inform your writing. It may mean including additional content not required by the law, but that is helpful for your readers.

    A concise document – everything readers need, and nothing they don’t

    Being concise means not including unnecessary material, not saying the same thing multiple times (removing redundancy) and not using more words than is needed to express an idea. It means you should not blindly use a boiler-plate template that includes material that is irrelevant to some readers.

    A clear document – readers can find the information they need, understand it, and then use it to achieve their goals

    Being clear is a matter of

    1. organising content in a way that makes sense to your readers
    2. using words, sentence structure and a style that can be understood easily.

    In short, all financial disclosure documents must be written using the principles of plain language, with a deliberate focus on the needs of users.

    Poor superannuation PDS readability disadvantaging workers

    Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing,

    The superannuation industry is in the news again today; described as an “unlucky lottery”. Among other issues, poor information is still a problem – ” They’re bamboozled by poor disclosure …”

    I thought I’d have a look at how easy it is to read some Product Disclosure Documents. I’ve looked at two dimensions across 10 popular superannuation funds.

    1. Reading time

    People are less likely to read longer documents. We all prefer to read short documents than long ones – we want information fast.

    2. Readability

    People need easy to read text to help them understand complex ideas. Readability indices are one way to measure how easy it is to read and understand text.

    All these indices are higher than the Australian Government’s recommendation of about grade 7 – or maybe a little higher for this type of content.

    Why readability matters

    The PDS is a functional document. People are supposed to use these to decide whether the fund is a right fit for them. Of course they need to read and understand the information in the PDS to be able to make this decision. And this is an important decision that can have impacts over a lifetime.

    Many application forms ask potential members to declare that they have read and understood the PDS. A lengthy or difficult to read document discourages reading. It may encourage people to make a false declaration – to tick the box without reading or understanding.

    And difficult to read documents are risky for funds too. The focus is shifting from ‘did you read the document’ (aimed at the reader) to ‘is the document readable’ (aimed at the writer).

    Be careful with readability tools

    The readability tests I’ve used are mechanical tests that look at word and sentence complexity. They cannot be relied on by themselves, but a high grade index does indicate the text could be simpler. (The grade number refers to US school grade)

    These tools do not consider document structure, meaning and the usefulness of content. It is possible to write highly readable rubbish.

    The tests in detail

    Reading time

    I divided the total word count by 200. The average reader reads at about 200 – 220 words per minute.

    Readability

    I used computerised versions of

    • Flesch Kincaid Grade Level
    • Gunning Fog Score
    • Coleman Liau Index
    • SMOG Index
    • Automated Readability
    • Index Spache Readability Score
    • Dale-Chall Readability Score

    and calculated the arithmetic mean.

    Documents were sourced on 29 May 2018 from:

    Hostplushttps://hostplus.com.au/financial-services-guide
    Australian Superhttps://www.australiansuper.com/tools-and-advice/learn/product-disclosure-statements
    Intrust Superhttp://www.intrustsuper.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Core-PDS.pdf
    CareSuperhttps://www.caresuper.com.au/super/forms-publications/pds
    Cbushttps://www.cbussuper.com.au/content/dam/cbus/files/forms-publications/general-information/Cbus-Industry-Super-PDS.pdf
    BUSSQhttps://www.bussq.com.au/disclosure
    ANZ Smart Choicehttps://www.wealth.anz.com/content/dam/anzwealth/pdfs/superannuation/Smart-Choice-Super-Pension-PDS.pdf
    Virgin Money Superhttps://virginmoney.com.au/content/dam/virginmoney/vma-downloads/superannuation/Virgin-Money-Super-Product-Disclosure-Statement.pdf
    AMP MY Northhttps://www.amp.com.au/content/dam/product/mynorth/MyNorth_SuperPension_PDS.pdf
    ING Living Superhttps://www.ing.com.au/pdf/ING_DIRECT_Living_Super_PDS.pdf

    Why people don’t read everything you write

    Document structure, Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing,

    Business readers are predictable. They usually read for information, not for pleasure. They are constantly under pressure from other demands that compete for their time.

    The thoughtful writer tries to convey as much information as possible, accurately and as clearly as possible, in as little reading as possible.

    Business reading is different to reading a novel. Don’t try to hold your readers in suspense. Get to the point fast. Often a reliable headline is all readers need. Readers are eager to put your document aside as soon as they decide they have all they need.

    But the reader may put your document aside too soon. They may scan a report or memo quickly and decide “this doesn’t have anything for me”, and miss the most important point. Or the reader may find some good information, be pleased, then say (again wrongly) “OK good stuff. I don’t need the rest” and miss something even more important. The skillful writer needs to ensure that really important information is received properly.

    What is the one statement about which a writer would be willing to say: “It’s all right if my readers read nothing else”. That should appear at the beginning. And if it does, it may be truly all right if the reader reads nothing else.

    In wanting to stop early, the reader is not lazy or irresponsible; it is simply that the reader is reading only for information, is busy, and is eager to receive important information quickly, then move on.

    In business and government writing, seek to maximise meaning, minimise reading.

    Action

    Next time you write, identify the one statement your readers must read to get your message. Put this near the beginning.

    Some of these ideas have been adapted from Put it in writing by A Joseph.

    When a logical structure doesn’t work

    Document structure, Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, writing tip,

    Sometimes structuring your document in what seems to be a logical order just doesn’t work.

    We all know that the traditional “scientific” report structure we learnt in school is usually not the best way to present information to an audience. Its biggest problem is that it leaves the conclusion to the end – your readers have to trawl through pages of consideration and argument before finding out what you really have to say.

    So normally we’d recommend you structure a complex document by putting the big idea first. You’d then gradually start to unpack that idea by providing more detail and examples. This helps your readers by giving them a framework to understand the detail. It also gives them the option of putting aside your document when they have read enough without missing out on your most important point.

    But sometimes the ‘point first’ approach is not the best way. If your readers have a particularly burning question that they are expecting you to answer, you will engage them best if you satisfy them quickly. Even if their question is at a lower level of detail than the big picture you really want to talk about, answering their question early will save them the frustration of reading material that they think is irrelevant to them. However, be sure that you present the answer in context so that they are not misled.

    So how do you decide what structure to use?

    You must know your readers very well and know as much as possible about the things that are important to them. You also must know clearly why you are writing – what your purpose is. Are you trying to inform, persuade or entertain?

    Action

    Think

    • what are you trying to achieve?
    • what does your audience already know?

    Structure your document to engage your readers’ interests and move them towards your purpose.

    Reckless writing

    Uncategorized, ,

    Reckless writing is when writers just float a document ‘out there’ without any serious thought about their readers.

    Like reckless driving, it’s just doing what you think is OK without properly considering the consequences.

    Even if your document is complete and accurate, not considering your readers is reckless. Not considering how they will understand and what they will do as a result of reading is both arrogant and careless. Not taking the time to structure your document in a way that makes sense, and not writing plainly in language readers can understand, is irresponsible.

    The writer’s opinion doesn’t matter – the reader is the judge

    It is never enough just to write what you think is good enough – the reader is the sole judge of effective communication.

    Unfortunately, reckless writing is common. It’s unusual for authors to carefully articulate the purpose of the document and the needs of their users before they start writing. Proper user (reader) testing is rare. And document reviews don’t always fix the problem – they can end up being group recklessness.

    Reckless writing is risky

    But reckless writing is very risky behaviour for government agencies and businesses. It’s especially risky if you write documents that people use when making decisions.

    Sometimes the risk is that the document is ignored. In that case, all that has been lost is

    • research effort in defining the content
    • writing effort, as authors struggle to find words to convey ideas
    • design effort when graphic elements are sourced to supplement the words
    • review effort as the document passes through various levels of approval
    • publishing cost, perhaps printing or placing it online
    • archival and governance effort to keep proper records of the document
    • the opportunity – the document was intended to achieve some outcome but didn’t.

    Other times the risk is that users (readers) misunderstand the document and take an action that they shouldn’t, or that they would not have if they had understood it properly. When that happens, the cost to you and to them can be huge and may potentially involve legal action.

    Consider your users when you write and what they need to do with the information. Test to make sure you are communicating effectively.

    How to write in plain language (plain English)

    Plain language / Plain English

    Impress people with your thinking, not your language.

    Big words and complex sentences can generate an impression of being ‘educated’. Some writers deliberately make text difficult to understand to create an air of mystique and to emphasise the distance between their intelligence and that of the reader. This pretence gets in the way of communication.

    A good writer works hard so that the reader won’t have to.

    The writer’s job is to tell as much as possible, accurately and clearly, in as little reading as possible. Make it easy for your reader to receive and understand your ideas.

     1. Prefer clear, familiar words

    The reader should never have to guess at a meaning, encounter ambiguity or be forced to interpret an expression. Use words familiar to your audience. Use just enough words to get the message across clearly.

    Do not use facilitate when you could use help, utilise when you could write use, endeavour instead of try, or sufficient when you could write enough.

     2. Prefer the active voice over passive voice

    Sentences written in the active voice tend to be more direct and easier to follow. They are usually more personal than sentences in the passive voice because they include references to human “agents” (participants doing the action).

    In active voice sentences, the ‘agent’ (the participant doing the action) is placed before the verb:

    We will send your receipt next week.

    (agent) (verb) (thing acted upon) (circumstance)

    rather than

    Your receipt will be sent next week.

    (thing acted upon) (verb) (circumstance)

     3. Use verbs, not nouns made from verbs

    One of the best ways to make text easier to understand is to replace abstract nouns (nouns like ‘verification’, ‘identification’, ‘performance’, ‘encouragement’, ‘authorisation’) with the equivalent verb.

    Write You must comply rather than Compliance with these regulations is vital.

    Write We could explain this by … rather than A possible explanation is that there is …

    Write When you renew this policy rather than Upon renewal of this policy

     4. Write short, point first sentences

    Long sentences can confuse readers even though they may be grammatically correct. People read all the way to the full stop before pausing to absorb what they have read, so long sentences strain memory.

    It’s nearly always better to have the point that you want to make at the beginning of the sentence – that’s where readers start reading!

    Write Without further information the draft submission cannot be approved. if you want to emphasise the lack of information.

    Write The draft submission cannot be approved without further information. if you want to emphasise rejecting the submission.

     5. Use conversational style as a guide

    You are writing to people!

    Be wary of deliberately distancing yourself from people by the way you write. Even bureaucratic organisations are designed, maintained and populated by people. They impact people. Address the reader directly whenever possible and especially when you are writing a letter. Use personal pronouns – “you” for the reader and “we” for your organisation. Use “I” if you are specifically referring to yourself.

     

    Persuasive communication

    Uncategorized

    A lesson from Aristotle: a message is more likely to persuade when these three components are in appropriate balance. *

    Ethos

    The character of the person delivering the message. It’s about your reputation – what you are known for. It involves your qualifications – are you credible on this matter?; are you worth listening to?.

    Ethos establishes trust and confidence in your audience. This is probably an area of strength for many in business or government.

    However, you may need to establish your credibility if your audience has not heard of you or your organisation. Or you may need to rebuild your reputation if it has been sullied in some way.

    Logos

    Logic, rational argument and reasoning. Following through an argument based on established scientific principles.

    This is the work of the mind. Again, this is often an area of strength in written communication, particularly for those working in government.

    Of course, the depth and type of logical argument will vary depending on your purpose and your audience.

    Pathos

    Passion. The commitment you have for the subject you are presenting.

    Passion is the power that makes things happen. Anybody who has achieved anything really great has had a measure of passion. This is the work of the heart.

    Passion is often hidden in business writing, particularly in documents by government agencies. Being objective does not mean you cannot be passionate. They are not mutually exclusive. Allowing a bit more passion in your writing will increase its power. (Some marketers, of course, could do with much less pathos and a bit more logos!)

    If you have a good idea, or if you want to change the way things are done, inject some emotion. Back up your case with solid logic and rational argument. But it is passion that provides power in both the workplace and the marketplace.

    No matter what message you are delivering, it’s important that it is believable, that it makes good sense and that it is attractive. But remember, it is ultimately the reader who makes these judgements, not the writer.

    Action

    Analyse your information products for ethos, logos and pathos. Are they in the best balance to achieve your objectives?

    * adapted from Peter Thompson, Persuading Aristotle, Allen & Unwin 1998.

     

    Writing in plain language is not ‘dumbing down’

    Plain language / Plain English, writing tip,

    I get really annoyed when I hear people use the expression ‘dumbing down’ when they talk about writing documents – especially documents intended for the public. It’s as though they think their readers are idiots. It betrays a level of arrogance that is never helpful when we are communicating with anyone.

    Most of the time we are not writing to idiots, but to people of average, maybe even above average, intelligence. They just may not have had all the experiences we have. Writing plainly is about crafting text that is clear and easy to read to help people understand. As Einstein said ‘Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler’. And always write with great respect for your readers.

    Writing is easy!

    Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing

    Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your head. (Gene Fowler)

    Nearly everybody finds it hard to write at some time. Next time that happens to you, try this 5 step process.

    1. Plan

    Write down the answers to these questions. Don’t just think about these questions – writing brings clarity.

    Who is your audience? – characteristics, attitudes? What is important to them?

    What do you want them to do? Do you want them to understand something or do something?

    What information do they need? What do they need to know? When?

    2. Capture ideas

    Gather all the bits and pieces that you think may need to go into the document. You could use mind mapping or just start writing randomly.

    Don’t worry about word choice, grammar or spelling.

    Don’t worry about sequence

    Don’t try to work out details

    Use diagrams, shapes or symbols – not just words

    Don’t be neat

    3. Organise and shape

    There are no hard and fast rules about organising. You cannot organise until you know what it is that needs putting in order. So be wary of templates – they can be useful, but they may also restrict your thinking.

    Answering these questions will help you organise your document.

    How will the reader discover this information?

    Will they be looking for an answer to a specific question they have, or just reading for interest?

    What are they likely to be doing when they encounter this information?

    What will the reader do with the information?

    Do they need to follow a procedure you are describing?

    Do they need to combine this information with other information? Where will they get this from?

    How can this be organised in a way that makes sense to my reader?

    How are the ideas related? (usually, it is best to start with the ‘big picture’ before moving into detail)

    What do my readers already know about this topic?

    How can I organise this into less than 7 ‘chunks’? (Use headings to separate the chunks, use paragraphs to further organise the chunks.)

    What can I safely leave out? (Readers find it tiresome to wade through text that has no relevance to their interest or needs.)

    4. Write, edit and revise

    There is no such thing as good writing, only good re-writing!

    • Get straight to the point.
    • Use words familiar to your reader.
    • Keep sentences short and simple. Each sentence should cover only one point.
    • Use the active voice and avoid the passive voice.
    • Write directly to your audience i.e. use ‘we’ and ‘you’.
    • Use verbs (action words), not nouns made from verbs.
    • Use simple, short words.

    5. Test

    Readers are the only people who can tell you whether your writing is good or bad. If possible, test your document on a sample of your target audience. Ask them questions to see if you have effectively conveyed your message.

     

    The power of little words

    Plain language / Plain English

    When you come right down to it, there is no law that says you have to use big words when you write or talk.

    There are lots of small words, and good ones, that can be made to say all the things you want to say, quite as well as the big ones. It may take a bit more time to find them at first, but it can be well worth it. For all of us know what they mean.

    Some small words, more than you might think, are rich with the right feel, the right taste, as if made to help you say the thing the way it should be said.

    Small words can be crisp, or sharp, or brief, or terse. They go straight to the point.

    Small words can dance, or twist, or turn, or sing, with a charm all their own. They are the grace notes of prose. You know what they say the way you know a day is bright and fair – by first sight.

    And you find, as you read or as you hear, that you like the way small words can catch large thoughts and hold them up for all to see and hear.

    They are like rare stones in rings of gold, or joy in the eyes of a child. Small words can make you feel, as well as see, the cold deep dark of night, or the hot salt sting of tears.

    Big words can bog you down and get in the way of what want to say. Small words move with ease to say what you mean.

    For those who teach, and for those who learn, small words are links in the chain. There is not much, in all our work, that small words will not say – and say well.

    a brilliant piece of writing from Training and Development in Australia, August 1974

     

    Writing newsletters

    Plain language / Plain English

    Newsletters should always contain something new!

    Newsworthy articles entice readers to read. So, provide content that is useful of interest to them. Focus on what they want to hear rather than on what you want to say.

    Newsletters are a great way to stay in touch with previous and potential customers. You can demonstrate your competence and how your business can help them.

    Printed newsletters,on-line newsletters and blogs all serve pretty much the same purpose – they keep you and your business ‘top of mind’ with your customers. That’s important because when they have a need or are ready to buy, you want them to think of you.

    Try to get in front of your customers at least once per month, although that will depend on your business, your customers, and what your competitors are doing. The best way to get your frequency right is to ask your customers – “Are my newsletters bothering you? Would you like to get them more often?” You may also get good ideas on what information your readers would like to receive.

    Some content ideas:

    New products

    Most readers want to keep up to date with what is happening in the industry.

    Technical advice

    Give away a little bit of your expertise. That show’s people you are knowledgeable and generous – just the sort of person they want to do business with.

    Case studies

    People love to read stories, especially if it is relevant or similar to their situation. Case studies are an opportunity to show how your business solves real life problems.

    Human interest stories

    Be a bit careful with these, but stories about what’s happening with your staff or your customers (promotions, weddings, etc) can help you develop ‘contact’.

    Special deals and time limited opportunities

    Give people a reason to do business with you NOW.

    Why good readers may not read all your text

    Document structure, Plain language / Plain English,

    Just tell me what you’ve gotta tell me, clear and straight, and get to the point fast.

    John Wayne (in The Sands of Iwo Jima)

    Reading for purpose

    Business readers read for information, not for pleasure.

    They are usually busy and eager to put your document aside as soon as they can, after they have all the information they need. Often a reliable headline is all readers need.

    Maximum meaning, minimum reading

    In choosing not to read an entire document, the reader is not lazy or irresponsible; they are reading only for information. They are eager to get information quickly and then move on.

    So, don’t hold your readers in suspense. Get to the point fast. Convey as much information as possible, accurately and clearly, in as little reading as possible.

    Start with the conclusion

    Have your point at the beginning, and then support and explain it throughout the rest of your document it. Never make readers wonder, “What are you getting at?”. (There are some exceptions, but generally it’s unwise to place the most important information near the end.)

    The lift (elevator) door statement

    When really pressed, like when talking with someone while waiting for the lift door to open, we can usually condense our message to a single statement.

    Find the one statement about which you could say: “It’s all right if my readers read nothing else”. That statement should appear at the beginning. It may truly be OK if the reader does read nothing else.

    Leading the reader along the path

    It is always easier to grasp an argument if you are told the conclusion first. Even if the reader will read every word in detail, they will understand more readily if they have the conclusion first.

    Without a summary statement overview, the reader’s brain receives isolated bits of information and does not know what to do with them until the end. An overview helps the reader understand the details better. This is not so much a principle of writing as it is of learning.

    This approach is different to that learnt by most of us in school. The structure we used then was usually:

    • ….. therefore
    • ….. therefore
    • conclusion.

    However, readers generally find this structure much easier:

    • conclusion
    • because…..
    • because…..

     

    Write for impact

    Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing

    The purpose of all government and business communication is to impact the attitudes, thinking or behaviour of readers.

    For example, marketing communication is aimed at getting people to buy from you. Policies and procedures are aimed at causing people to act in a particular way.

    So, before you write ask ‘Why?”. Why are you writing? What do you want the user to do as a result of reading your work? Be sure you know the impact you want to have before you put pen to paper, finger to keyboard.

    Your purpose will depend on your organisation. In a business, your prime purpose is to make a profit. But other things are important too, like keeping workers safe, protecting the environment, etc. In government, purpose will be more likely related to mission – providing good roads, administering taxes fairly, or delivering care services.

    Communication must be related to an organisation’s purpose – it goes beyond understanding and effectively transmitting ideas. It’s all about influence.

    So, the simplest way to evaluate any communication piece is to look at your audience. Are they doing what you wanted them to do? Are they thinking in the way you want them to think? Did you have the impact you intended?

    Action
    Write down the impact you want to have before you start writing.

    And before you publish, test your communication – will it have the impact you intend?

    Good design gives information meaning

    Document structure, Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing,

    We have more information available now than ever before. Getting information is not the problem – making sense of it is!

    Sifting and sorting – the key to meaning

    People make meaning by sifting through information to find those bits that are important to them. They then sort it by placing like with like within their own mental model or view of the world.

    The communicator who helps the user do this best, wins.

    That is, the best communicators work hard so the reader doesn’t have to. They take raw information and do some pre-sifting and pre-sorting for the user. This smooths the path and helps the information move more easily from the mind of the sender into the mind of the receiver.

    Good information design is the key to making this sifting and sorting process easy for the user.

    Eyes on the user

    When designing information (or designing anything for that matter) it is vital to focus squarely on the user and how they will use it.

    View content from the perspective of the user. Think about how they will encounter the information, and what they will be expected to do with it. Put yourself in their shoes.

    Good design is important for information too

    Just like any other product or service, information must be put together skilfully if it is to achieve its purpose.

    Too much information, or information that is poorly structured or expressed, will not do the job.

    One task of Information Design is translation:

    • technical language > everyday language
    • words and numbers > pictures and graphics
    • complex sentences, paragraphs > one thought at a time
    • information all at a single level > a structure that distinguishes between big ideas and detail

    Rethink how you express ideas

    Take the time to be more concise and precise in your writing.

    Sometimes it means using a simpler word, or using a verb rather than a noun. Other times a serious rethink is needed.

    Consider these examples:

    OriginalImprovement
    P-X will contribute by developing advances in early diagnosis…P-X will help us diagnose illness earlier …
    Staff will be trained in the correct usage of chemicals.Staff will be trained to correctly use chemicals.
    It is reliant on …It relies on ..
    ..constant degree of control…constant control
    the mechanism by which credits are to be distributedthe mechanism used to distribute credits
    ..during the refuelling of motor vehicles.. while refuelling motor vehicles
    …agreed that consideration be given to proposing the development of a set of guidance and decision support tools… agreed to consider proposing a set of guidance tools
    There has been a substantial initiative to improve the accessibility to information held by the State.There has been an effort to make information easier to get.
    This type of scheme has the potential to significantly reduce the costs associated with gaining improvements in ore quality.This type of scheme may significantly reduce the costs of improving ore quality.
    In order to achieve a successful outcome from this program it is considered necessary to have the support of the local Councils in areas where the program will be implemented.Support from local councils is needed for the program to be successful.
    The financial services sector, through its own activities and the influence it has over other activities can impact whether funds are directed toward activities that hinder or help the community. Influence can be exerted through more rigorous consideration of community risk in financing, the adoption of community criteria in investment strategies, and the integration of community issues into insurance products.Financial institutions exert their influence by:
    – rigorously considering community risk when financing
    – adopting community criteria when developing investment strategies, and
    – integrating community risk into insurance products.


    Why I am a plain language zealot

    Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, ,

    All business and government documents should be written in plain language. These are ‘functional documents’; people are expected to use these documents (information products) to do something.

    Plain language builds a more just society

    Writing plainly means more people will be able to read and understand your message.

    If our audiences cannot follow legal documents, information leaflets or letters, there is the risk of their breaking the law, or failing to do what is expected of them or receiving what is rightfully theirs.”
    (Tasmanian Government)

    Choosing not to write plainly can introduce social disadvantage. Excluding people from being able to easily understand contracts, laws and other information limits their choices. They can’t fully participate in society.

    Plain language displays clear thinking

    “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” (attributed to Albert Einstein) No matter who said it, the idea is helpful.

    When you have a deep understanding of an idea, you can find words, metaphors and images that help other people understand it too. You can explain the idea simply and with precision. If you only have a superficial understanding, you are likely to express the idea vaguely. It is unlikely to be written plainly.

    If people understand more of what you’re saying, they will likely feel that you make sense.
    (Hoa Loranger)

    Plain language aids effectiveness and efficiency

    Business and government documents need to be both effective (achieve purpose) and efficient (read and understood quickly). Writing in plain language helps achieve both goals.

    Complex, technical or pompous writing does not convey ideas quickly – readers have to battle to make sense of what is written. Writing plainly means using words and structures that your audience can quickly understand. (Knowing your audience is vital – when writing for technical readers you may use terms that lay people would call jargon.)

    Writing plainly using familiar words and simple structures is not dumbing down. It helps less able readers to understand, and helps more able readers to read faster.

    Know your audience

    writing tip,

    Before you write anything (even a simple email), spend some time thinking about your reader.

    This is the person you will be having a written conversation with.

    Consider what’s important to them, what excites or scares them, what do they already know, and what do they need to know.

    How do they like to receive information and how will they find your document – will they search it out or will you give it to them?

    What will be their emotional state as they read.

    Will they read a long document, or do you need to keep it short and to the point? Can they handle complex language?

    And most importantly, what do they need to do with the document you provide, with this information product you are giving them?

    Only after doing some serious thinking around these types of questions can you match your writing to your readers needs and wants.

    Enjoy writing

    Plain language / Plain English, writing tip,

    Take delight in the words you use and the ideas you are communicating. If you don’t enjoy your writing, there is no way your reader will. Find joy in expressing yourself and communicating ideas.

    If you work in either business or government, you are usually writing about things that are important and worthwhile, so write with energy and enthusiasm. That doesn’t mean you need to be flamboyant or overly clever, just be engaged as you write.

    Have a worthwhile conversation with your readers – one that progresses the objectives of your organisation while meeting your readers’ needs. Your enjoyment will carry through to your readers – readers can sense when writing is flat and forced.