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Understanding the Federal Plain Language Guidelines

Learn about the importance of plain language in government communication, the guidelines for using plain language, and its impact on readability and audience understanding.

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Understanding the Federal Plain Language Guidelines

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  1. Understanding the Federal Plain Language Guidelines

  2. What HowWhy

  3. What is plain language? “Communication your audience understands the first time they read it.” — CDC Plain Language Guidelines

  4. Yuck. • Using a state-of-the-art test and development center, Leading Edge Solutions Center (LESC), our support will be focused on providing NAASC with a means to mitigate risk, cost overruns, and rapid results by offering efficiencies, through offsite Agile development, facilitating continuity of operations for NAASC with zero transition time and minimal risk, while transitioning future-state business vision to system workflow.

  5. Wha? • Ms. Benson currently works for a company that consults with intelligence agencies, participates in triathlons, and organizes an annual fundraiser for the local United Way.

  6. Plain Writing Act of 2010 • All agencies must— • Write in a “clear, concise, well-organized” manner • Train staff in plain writing • Use plain language in any document that explains a federal government benefit or service, or gives the public instructions • Provide annual compliance reports

  7. Ongoing training …

  8. DoD, 2015 • DFAS — 20 • DCAA — 158 • USNORCOM and NORAD — 407 • Joint Staff — 574

  9. Also … • DoD-wide PL training course debuting May 2015 • DCMA PL training program debuting Q4 2015 • DCAA updating DCAI Audit Report Writing Course • DLA now requiring PL training for all employees

  10. Other agencies… DOJ — 96 in 2014 Commerce — 1,050+ in 2013 & 2014 FDA — 580 in 2014 FCC — 880 since 2011 CDC — 2,436 in 2013 & 2014 USDA — 20,000 since 2011

  11. Results …

  12. Case Study: Washington State • # biz paying use tax • 3% • 9% • target revenue • $1.2M • $2M

  13. 1¢ → 1$ return on investment

  14. Case Study: VBA

  15. Case Study: VBA

  16. Case Study: VBA Estimated savings: $5M in staff time

  17. Case Study: Canadian Government • Processing time ↓10 min/form • 92 forms; 1M copies Savings: 10 RFTs / year in processing time

  18. What are the guidelines?

  19. Creating plain writing through … • Words • Sentences • Paragraphs • Audience focus

  20. Plain language • Readability

  21. Words

  22. What do the guidelines say? • “Wordy, dense construction is one of the biggest problems... • Nothing is more confusing than long, complex sentences containing multiple phrases and clauses.”

  23. Why??? • Using a state-of-the-art test and development center, Leading Edge Solutions Center (LESC), our support will be focused on providing NAASC with a means to mitigate risk, cost overruns, and rapid results by offering efficiencies, through offsite Agile development, facilitating continuity of operations for NAASC with zero transition time and minimal risk, while transitioning future-state business vision to system workflow.

  24. Use shorter words Instead of … Try … • accordingly • facilitate • immediately • utilize • subsequently • expeditious • so • help • now • use • then • fast

  25. Eliminate redundant words Redundant Clear • stated requirements • pre-planning • new innovations • data items • end result • knowledge and information • requirements • planning • innovations • data • result • pick one!

  26. Reduce wordiness Wordy Simple • until such time as • have a need for • make a decision to • due to the fact that • a sufficient number of • on a monthly basis • until • need • decide • because • enough • monthly

  27. What do the guidelines say? • “Writers must become more critical of their own writing. • They must consider whether they need every word.”

  28. Impact on readability Readability = 14.7 Readability = 8.7 • The following past performance examples were selected because they directly illustrate our team’s extensive experience with other DOD clients. • These past performance examples show our team’s extensive experience with DOD clients.

  29. 7th grade reading level

  30. What do the guidelines say? “Don’t sound so bureaucratic!” • Allow contractions • Limit jargon • Reduce acronyms

  31. Allow contractions We are more than just a strong financial team. We understand where you have been and where you are headed. We’re more than just a strong financial team. We understand where you’ve been and where you’re headed.

  32. What do the guidelines say? • “Don’t have to use it in every instance possible … but use it where it sounds more natural.”

  33. Avoid jargon • Necessary technical terms • Obscure, pretentious, unnecessarily fancy words

  34. Technical terms • watchstanding • warfighter • ping • run books • tabletop exercises • CPARS ratings • ITIL Certification

  35. Jargon

  36. Jargon

  37. Jargon

  38. Jargon

  39. Jargon

  40. Jargon

  41. Bizspeak • client-centric approach • core competencies • harvest efficiencies • hit the ground running • holistic • leverage • scalable • seamless integration • speed innovation • state-of-the-art • synergy • turnkey solution • value-added • win-win

  42. “It’s all about your audience. Will they understand what you write? If you know your readers will understand all the technical jargon in an RFP, you are good to go. If they can’t, you are in trouble.” — Michael Coogan, DOE

  43. Sentences

  44. Write short sentences • Express one idea per sentence • “Long, complicated sentences often mean that you aren’t sure about what you want to say.” • “The audience loses the point in a forest of words.”

  45. Ideal length ≤14 words per sentence

  46. With JTSystems, sales representatives can instantly check a customer’s credit, quickly source the needed products within the company’s global inventory, and ensure that the products are shipped to the customer on time, without having to “correct” a customer order when the day-old inventory report reveals a particular batch of printers is no longer in stock or available for shipping.

  47. With JTSystems, sales representatives can instantly check a customer’s credit, quickly source the needed products within the company’s global inventory, and ensure that the products are shipped to the customer on time, without having to “correct” a customer order when the day-old inventory report reveals a particular batch of printers is no longer in stock or available for shipping. 59w 28th

  48. With JTSystems, sales representatives can instantly check a customer’s credit, quickly source the needed products within the company’s global inventory, and ensure that the products are shipped to the customer on time. They no longer must “correct” a customer order when the day-old inventory report reveals a particular batch of printers is no longer in stock or available for shipping.

  49. With JTSystems, sales representatives can instantly check a customer’s credit, quickly source the needed products within the company’s global inventory, and ensure that the products are shipped to the customer on time. They no longer must “correct” a customer order when the day-old inventory report reveals a particular batch of printers is no longer in stock or available for shipping. 30w 16th

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