Better information Workshop Joh Kirby...The online world Thoughts and observations in a changing...

Better information Workshop Joh KirbyJune 2018

mailto:[email protected]

http://eepurl.com/dlZqrX


https://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/better-information-toolkit

https://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/plain-language-resources

https://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/plain-language-resources

https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/

https://www.plainlanguage.gov/examples/

https://www.plainlanguage.gov/resources/quotes/

https://www.cleo.on.ca/en/projects/research-and-projects

http://plelearningexchange.ca/resources/

http://www.clarity-international.net/

http://plainlanguagenetwork.org/

http://eepurl.com/dlZqrX


Thoughts on plain languageJoh Kirby21 June 2018

And the two sessions will cover…

1. Thoughts and observations in a changing world

2. Plain language fundamentals

Thoughts and observations in a changing world 02

Right now - thoughts and observations

• A selection of thoughts on good communication – not in order

• A couple of general thoughts

• Print is not KING

• Frustration

• Your mother


These thoughts come from?


Sitting on a beach?


Climbing a mountain?


• Governance work

• Plain language advisory

• Board work

• Exposure to different organisations

• (not quite that hard)

A couple of general thoughts


A couple of general thoughts (or bear with me while I get them off my chest)


• User centred-design

• Precision

• Organisational/personal

• Don’t assume people read things

• Their reality is the only reality

• Practice makes perfect

• You need to know what you are trying do

A couple of general thoughts (or bear with me while I get them off my chest)


• Duplication/version control

• Motivation

• Literacy

• VLAF online legal information guidelines

https://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/vlaf-online-legal-information-guidelines

Paper is no longer KING


Internet usage


2004-05

• 55% of households had access to the internet (mostly dial-up)

2016-17

• more than 80% of the population have access to the internet (broadband)

• more than 97% if you have children under 15.

(All stats from the Australian Bureau of Statistics)

Data usage


3-months to 31 December 2017

• 3.6 million Terabytes

• 19.7% over 3-months

• 38.6% increase since December 2016

Subscriber growth constant, data increasing

Data usage – mobile


• December 2017 - 26.7 million mobile phone handset subscribers –

• From Sept to Dec 2017 mobile phone downloads increased by 16%

• From Dec 2016 to Dec 2017 downloads increased 39.1%

The printed world


• Confined to words on a page

• Updated once-and-a while

• Longer formats

• Books

• Longer guides

• Very expensive

The online world


• One page leads to another

• Expectation to be current

• Short and sharp

• Much more complex structures

• Referrals

• Short-term high-cost

Rethinking the environment


• Must be able to be read on a phone or tablet

• Mobile responsive

• Updated regularly

• Website structures must minimise up-keep

• PDF and Word as back-up but not primary

• HTML is KING

Rethinking the environment


Digital native

• Not print to web

• Web to print

What it means

• More of a focus on fact-sheets

• Many fact-sheets that go together

The challenge


• Easier to use

• Much more complex to get right

Getting it right


• Involve the right people

• Try to think digitally

• Challenge yourself to think differently

• Ask the users, but don’t expect them to know

• Finally…

• Think about frustration

• Your mother

Frustration



This is many people’s experience of the legal sector


Why does it matter?


Poor communication leads to frustration

It is a barrier to people getting help

• It increases complaints and inquiries

• Adds to stress of staff and public

• Costs money – lots of money

• How does frustration make you feel?

Case study – Internal Revenue Service (USA)


The problem:

• 1000 different letters

• 120 different authors

• 40 different systems

• People not paying tax

• Mounting frustration – people moved house instead of opening a letter from IRS



The issues

• Different forms driven by internal IRS structures

• No consistent brand or voice

• Out of date systems



Approach

Focus on simplification and consistency

• Organisational

• Standardised voice and format

• Reduced the number of forms



Result

• Reduced number of phone calls

• Reduced complaints

• Increased level of payment

• Reduced timelines

• Lots of $$$ saved

• Reduced frustration


What impact would improving your

communication and reducing

the frustration of your

users/clients

have on you and your organisation?


We all need to think more like our mothers, neighbours, uncles…


My Mum


• Daughter, son-in-law both lawyers

• She is smart and pretty tough

But

• She is intimidated by the law and lawyers (not me)

• Suspicious

• Stressed easily by legal issues – particularly as she gets older

• Relies on incorrect information.

Who cares?


• Lots of users are like my mum (neighbour, uncle)

• And, they don’t have lawyers in the family

• And, Many more struggle with literacy

• And…

• They do not work where you work.

So…


• Think about your mum when thinking about your organisation’s communications:

• Would she understand what you are writing

• Could you make it simpler?

• Could you make it easier for her to find what she needs?

A challenge


Imagine you are your mother and:

• Go to your organisation’s website

• Think about what people come to your website for

• Do that

• Imagine what it would be like for your mother

• What did you learn?

Questions

Thanks to my mum

For more information

Joh Kirby

Kirbygovernance.com.au

[email protected]

0411 407 239



Clear communication fundamentalsJoh Kirby21 June 2018

So what are we going to do today…

• A bit of theory

Why is good communication important?

What are we trying to achieve?

What are the clear writing principles?

• A bit of practical - over to you (if we have time)

• Summary and questions?

Clear Communication Fundamentals 02


Any fool can make things bigger,

more complex, and more violent. It

takes a touch of genius – and a lot

of courage to move in the

opposite direction.

Albert Einstein

Why is clear communication important?

Why is it important?

• Makes you more effective

Gets you what you want and need

More persuasive and engaging

• Builds trust and confidence with colleagues and clients

• Builds your brand


Because…


• Poor communication has a negative impact on your reader’s experience

• Causes confusion (and frustration)

• Means your reader has to work harder (they often give up)

• Affects the quality of your reader’s decisions and ultimately their satisfaction

• Impacts on your brand

• More complaints, more inquiries and more $



Communication that allows the reader to:

• Quickly and easily

find what they need

understand what they find

take action

• Based on the principles of plain language and clear writing


It is not about


• Dumbing things down

• Removing necessary technical or legal language

• Just about words

• And unfortunately…easy

What are the clear writing principles?

Clear writing principles

• You need to

1. Know your purpose

2. Understand your audience

3. A writing structure that supports your message

4. Clear and easy-to-understand language

5. Clear design that assists the reader

6. Review and edit


1. Purpose


1. Purpose


• What is the purpose of your writing?

persuasive

informative

get someone to take action.

• Write down

• And…Keep this in mind at all times

1. Purpose


• What is the purpose of your writing?

persuasive

informative

get someone to take action

• Write down

• And…Keep this in mind at all times (particularly when reviewing and editing)

2. Audience



‘First of all,’ he said, ‘if you can learn a simple

trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all

kinds of folks. You never really understand a

person until you consider things from his point

of view […] until you climb into his skin and

walk around in it.’ Atticus to Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird

2. Audience


• Who are you writing for?

• What do they want to know? (or need)

2. Audience



• What do they want to know? (or need)

• Ask yourself

What do they want or need to do with the information?

What do they need to know to do this?

What do you know about them?

3. Structure


3. Structure


• Ask yourself what your reader wants/needs to know

tell them what they want to know first

consider the order

put like information together

remove information that you don’t need.

Order – general to specific


• Good to keep in mind when writing generic material or to more than one group

1. General principle – useful to most people

2. Specific – useful to less people

3. Exceptions – useful to the least number of people

Order – logical


• Does the information involve a process or have a natural order?

use that order

Order – logical


• Does the information involve a process or have a natural order?

use that order – helps the reader understand

group information – do not jump around.

• You can use general to specific and logical together (we will see in bulleted list later)

Headings


• Headings are a great roadmap

take care with levels

no more than three

avoid this – 1.2.5.6 or VI.1.2 (you only get this if you are a lawyer)

Q&A format

How do I submit an application?

Table of contents


• Good for long documents

• Indenting

• Good for helping to check:

Heading levels

Structure

Order – consider conventions

4. Language


4. Language


• Speak directly to your audience

• Use the active voice

• Don’t use abbreviations, acronyms

• No chunking

• Use everyday words

• Try not to use technical terms

• Use short sentence and paragraphs

Speak directly to your audience


• Before

To establish eligibility for a grant the applicant must show

that the applicant is an Australian resident and that the

present housing of the applicant is substandard and

inadequate.

Speak directly to your audience


• After

To establish eligibility for a grant you must show that

you are an Australian resident and that your present

housing is substandard and inadequate.

Use the active voice


• Active voice

clearer, more concise and direct

makes it clear who does what

• Passive voice

sounds bureaucratic

unclear who does what



• Before

Consultation from respondents was obtained to determine

the best outcome.• After

We consulted with the respondents to determine the best outcome.



Use the grammar tool in Word – helps highlight passive voice.

Avoid chunking…


• Linked to the curse of knowledge

• Jargon

• Break it down

• (Sometimes you can’t avoid jargon)

Abbreviations, acronyms and technical terms


• Avoid abbreviations and acronyms

LIV, SCV, VLA

• Use everyday words as much as possible


Everyday word alternatives


Difficult SimplerAlight Get offApprise Tell, informDetain HoldEffectuate Carry out, bring aboutInquire AskIn lieu of Instead ofSubsequently Later, then

Short sentences and paragraphs


• Sentences

one idea for each sentence

keep sentences under 20 words

• Paragraphs

one subject per paragraph

seven lines as a guide


5. Design


5. Design


Design – the visual tools/pointers that help your reader navigate your message

• layout

• fonts

• lists

Layout


• Have lots of white space

makes it easier to find information

• Justification

keep it left (not fully justified, not centred)

Which would you rather read?


Fonts


• Font choice

• don’t use BLOCK CAPITALS

Lists


• Two types

numbered

bulleted

• General rules

no more than seven

use sparingly

Lists – numbered


• set order – steps that need to be taken

Example

• Before

There are steps to be completed before you can enter the competition: complete the entry form, sign the

declaration and forward to our office.

Lists – numbered


• After

There are three steps to be completed to enter the competition

1. complete the entry form

2. sign the declaration

3. forward to our office.

Lists – bulleted


• Bulleted lists

no set order

at the beginning of a document can reinforces structure

Lists – bulleted


• Before

If you feel that you are being sexually harassed at work you can:

• Call the police if you feel threatened and intimidated.

• Apply to the Magistrates’ Court for an Intervention Order.

• Confront the sexual harasser and tell them how their behaviour makes you feel.

• Make a complaint in writing to your manager or human resources department.

Lists – bulleted


• After

If you feel that you are being sexually harassed at work you can:

Tell someone and take action

• Confront the sexual harasser and tell them how their behaviour makes you feel.

• Make a complaint in writing to your manager or human resources department.

If you feel in danger

• Call the police if you feel threatened and intimidated.

• Apply to the Magistrates’ Court for an Intervention Order.

6. Review and edit



6. Review and edit


• Critical step

• Time poor

• Often gets forgotten

• Review your document against the criteria

• Get a second opinion

• Use grammar checker in Word

A bit of practical – now over to you

What you need to do

• Break up into groups of 3-4

• Rewrite one of the exercises provided

• Present to the group and discuss your thoughts


Think about



• Have you got the right order?

• Do you need headings or would a list help?

• Remember ‘active voice’ and speak directly to your audience

• Use short sentences and paragraphs

• Use everyday words

Exhibit A – before


If the location of the land is in a state other than the state in which the

tribe’s reservation is located, the tribe’s justification of anticipated

benefits from the acquisition will be subject to greater scrutiny.

Exhibit A - after


If the land is in a different State than the tribe’s reservation, we will

scrutinize the tribe’s justification of anticipated benefits more

thoroughly.

Exhibit B - before


Under 25 CFR §1.4(b), the Secretary of the Interior may in specificcases or in specific geographic areas, adopt or make applicable to off-reservation Indian lands all or any part of such laws, ordinances, codes, resolutions, rules or other regulations of the State and political subdivisions in which the land is located as the Secretary shall determine to be in the best interest of the Indian owner or owners in achieving the highest and best use of such property.

Exhibit B - after


Section 1.4(b) of 25 CFR allows us to make State or local laws or

regulations apply to your off-reservation lands. We will do this only if

we find that it will help you to achieve the highest and best use of your

lands

Summary

For clear communication

1. Be clear on your purpose

2. Understand your audience


For clear communication

1. Be clear on your purpose

2. Understand your audience (put yourself in their shoes)

3. Use a writing structure that supports your message

4. Use clear and easy-to-understand language

5. Use clear design that assists the reader.

6. Make time to edit and review


Most importantly

Use your judgement!

Thanks to The Hustle for some of the images used today


Questions

For more information

Joh Kirby

Kirbygovernance.com.au

[email protected]

0411 407 239



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Better information Workshop Joh Kirby...The online world Thoughts and observations in a changing...

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