One of the most important statutory duties of public bodies is to inform the public of the services they offer and the decisions they make. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives guidance to public bodies on how to deal with requests for information as well as good practice on how to present it. But the most effective way to pre-empt these requests is to provide as much of it as possible on websites and in publications. These resources have to be easy to understand, as potentially anyone can read them.
As communications officer for a local authority, I am responsible for ensuring that all the information we produce for the public (both online and in print) is accurate, free of jargon, easy to read and presented in a clear way. As well as this, the information needs to look good, so design plays an important part. If it doesn't look good, no one will pick it up...and what's the point of producing information that no one is going to read? That said, cost is an issue, so producing a glossy full colour policy document is inappropriate. However a two-colour leaflet to attract apprentices into the authority is entirely appropriate.
A lot of work goes into ensuring information is as accessible as possible. I have tried to highlight the main points to consider when preparing information for the public domain. This is by no means an exhaustive list of dos and don'ts, but merely a starting point.
1. Who are you writing for?
Knowing your audience (or intended reader) is the first consideration as it will inform the whole tone and look of your article. Is the information aimed at young people, people who use English as a second language, colleagues or a specific sector?
For example, if you are writing for young people, you can be bold with colour, the language you use can be more informal, and the information itself can be ‘bite-sized' with reference to a website address for more information.
If you are writing for an audience that uses English as a second language, you may want to tone down the colour, as it can detract from the information presented. You may also want to consider translating the information into a number of community languages.
And if you are writing an article for colleagues or people from a specific work sector, you can use more jargon and acronyms if you wish. However you should bear in mind that people new to the work will also be reading it, so a glossary is always a good idea.
If you need to use acronyms, a general rule is to write the name out in full with the acronym in brackets on first use, then use the acronym alone from then on. An exception to this is if the organisation is better known by its acronym (eg BBC).
2. Is your data accurate?
It is imperative that you check all the facts in your article. This includes the spellings of any names, organisations and places, and all contact details, websites, email addresses and publications to which you refer.
If you are presenting information in tables, charts and graphs, make sure the data has been inputted correctly (it is very easy to mistype numbers).
Graphics should be clear, in keeping with the rest of the article (in terms of fonts and colours used) and relevant to what has been said in the text.
3. Is your information accessible?
Making your article accessible depends entirely on the first point (who you are writing for), as the level of accessibility required depends on your audience. It is generally a good idea to concentrate on the readability of your document:
Font - use a sans serif font (for example, Arial or Verdana), and try and stick to using one font per document. The RNIB recommends using font size 12 as a minimum.
Formatting - try to avoid putting large chunks of text in bold, italics, underlined or ALL CAPITALS.
Use colours that have a good contrast, e.g. white text on a black background. Also, be aware of colour blindness issues and try not to use reds and greens together.
Provide information in alternative formats. This includes translations, Braille, large print, audio and online.
Use plain English. The Plain English Campaign defines plain English as: ‘writing that the intended audience can read, understand and act upon the first time they read it. Plain English takes into account design and layout as well as language'.
Writing in plain English is not about dumbing down language, it is about writing documents in a way that is appropriate for the audience. For some ‘before and after' examples visit http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/examples.html.
Points to consider when writing in plain English:
Keep your sentences short
Prefer active verbs
Use ‘you' and ‘we'
Use words that are appropriate for the reader
Don't be afraid to give instructions
Avoid nominalisations
Use lists where appropriate.
The Plain English Campaign has a series of free guides to help you write in plain English. You can download them from their website at http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/free-guides
4. Proof, proof and proof again
The problem with information in the public domain is just that it is...it is in the public domain. Anyone has access to it and, if there are any mistakes, someone will point them out. The best way to avoid this is to make sure as many people as possible read your information before you publish it.
Send it to your team for comments. They will pick up any typos, misspellings and errors you have missed.
Send it to someone who doesn't know the subject matter.
Send it to someone who knows the subject well.
And finally, proof it yourself...again. Imagine you know nothing about the subject but are interested in finding out about it. You want to read the information, but you're not going to persevere if it is full of language you don't understand. Organisations have a culture of using buzz or key words and phrases that have specific meanings within that organisation, but mean something more general outside the organisation. Make sure you read through with that in mind and remove all jargon.
5. Really look at your finished product
Design is often a last minute consideration for public bodies. However the look of a document is just as important as its content. You need to draw the reader into your information visually.
Use headings and subheadings to draw out important points.
Photographs and graphics are eye-catching, but should be relevant to the information
Use colour and font as design tools, but be sparing with them. One font is plenty and two contrasting colours work effectively.
Plenty of white space around text and graphics let the reader breathe. Cramming loads of copy onto a page looks messy and will put the reader off.
As you can see, writing for the general public isn't a simple task. Deciding on who will read the information you want to produce and why you are producing it - considering What is its purpose? What do you want to communicate? And what is your desired outcome? - will help you focus. Once you have this understanding you can plan, write, design and layout your document in an effective way that will bring about your desired outcome for the information.
Resources
Information Commissioner's Office: http://www.ico.gov.uk/ The Information Commissioner's Office is the UK's independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.
Ministry of Justice: http://digbig.com/5bbnpd Provides guidance on the Freedom of Information Act 2000
RNIB: http://digbig.com/5bbnpe "Clear Print" is RNIB's print design guidelines for all types of documents. The guidelines have been specially created to enable everyday information to be immediately accessed by more people.
"See it Right" (book and companion CD-ROM) gives essential guidance on making information accessible to blind and partially sighted people.
The RNIB also has a Web Access Centre, offering information and advice on making your website accessible to everyone.
The Plain English Campaign: http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/ This organisation is campaigning against gobbledygook, jargon and misleading public information. They believe that everyone should have access to clear and concise information.
Jonaki Sarkar is a Freelance Communications Consultant with experience of working in public sector communications. Most recently she has worked for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Arts Council England. Her work includes editorial and design, event organisation and marketing. She has also developed brand identity for Greta Blue, an organic cotton bedding company: http://www.gretablue.co.uk/
The FreePint Family is a family of resources to help information workers be more effective, raise the value of information in their organisations and contribute to success.
'FreePint... provides most of my professional development because it won't come through work and [other resources] just don't cut it.'
FUMSI Forum: Do you have a research question? Post it to the FUMSI Forum, where professionals share Q&A and useful tips on how to Find, Use, Manage and Share Information. It's free.
![[Reuse options]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.png){kind=small}
One of the most important statutory duties of public bodies is to inform the public of the services they offer and the decisions they make. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives guidance to public bodies on how to deal with requests for information as well as good practice on how to present it. But the most effective way to pre-empt these requests is to provide as much of it as possible on websites and in publications. These resources have to be easy to understand, as potentially anyone can read them.
FreePint Shop:
VIP LiveWire:
