WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 15, 2006 – “Enough talk; let’s do something about it!” Such was the action-oriented atmosphere at the 2006 Center for Plain Language Symposium—an afternoon of discussion, exploration, and networking at the District of Columbia’s historic Charles Sumner School Museum.

Open to Center members and anyone interested in championing usable and understandable content, the Symposium filled the facility with approximately 50 attendees, from government communicators and university professors to corporate professionals and nonprofit association leaders. Participants enjoyed the Sumner School’s soaring ceilings and Victorian charm while feasting on snacks and conversing with friends and associates.

Throughout the afternoon, a variety of panelists, discussions, and workgroups focused on research and evidence supporting plain language, with the end goal of identifying tools for action. By enhancing awareness of plain language-related research, the Center hoped to enable attendees to:

• Reach out to a broader, more diverse audience of individuals and organizations;
• Convey information about plain language more powerfully and persuasively; and
• Design creative, outside-the-lines strategies for ongoing plain language advocacy.

Advocating Plain Language and Usability

The Center for Plain Language is a nonprofit organization promoting the belief that government and business communication can be clear and understandable. A unique collaboration of academic, government, and private sectors, the Center promotes research, education, and use of plain language to transform how people think about communication.

Plain language supports communication by focusing on the audience and its needs. It helps people find and use information quickly and effectively by organizing material in the way they want it, and presenting it in terms they understand. Thom Haller, Director of the Center for Plain Language explains, “When we write in plain language, we make a clear choice to respect our audiences and support them by crafting content and structure that help them out,” Haller said. “Our plain language choices make a difference in readers’ lives.”

Research shows that plain language saves time and money for writers and readers. For example, after rewriting a standard letter into plain language, one federal office received 80 percent fewer inquiries from customers

Of course, one audience’s plain language may not qualify as plain language for another. No single technique defines plain language, but several important techniques exist, and apply to any audience, including:

• Writing reasonably short sentences;
• Employing active voice over passive phrasing;
• Constructing clear, informative headings;
• Using logical, user-focused organization;
• Omitting unnecessary words; and
• Creating a readable design.

Because the goal of plain language is to enable readers to find what they need, understand what they find, and use what they find to meet their needs, the concept is a natural partner to traditional usability tenets. “People who use professional content increasingly understand their needs as readers,” according to Haller. “Plain language practitioners ensure these needs are met.”

Discussion Panel Examined Research

With his trademark humor, Center for Plain Language Executive Director Thom Haller greeted attendees, praised the wide selection of cheeses and crackers, offered “a few exuberant words” about the afternoon’s events, and introduced the panelists. “It’s time to move plain language out of the realm of academia and government Web sites, and into the real world,” Haller said. “We can reach out to a broader audience—our message is pertinent to people in every walk of life.” Haller challenged the audience to advocate on behalf of plain language, “to be the change we want to see in the world.”

The panel discussion, titled “What’s the evidence for plain language?” featured two distinguished guests. Panelist Joe Kimble, author of Lifting the Fog of Legalese, offered an overview of the immense amount of plain language-related research he has collected and collated over the past several years. Continually searching for and archiving studies, stories, and anecdotal evidence that supports plain language, Kimble encouraged the audience to forward any research they encounter to him for inclusion in future articles and books.

Introducing the next speaker, Karen Schriver, Haller held up his own volume of her book, Dynamics of Document Design—a well-used, dog-eared tome, which he fondly described as “my design Bible.” Peppering her speech with witticisms, Schriver described her latest research synthesis. Through her stories—some funny, some sad, many amazing—attendees were able to see the effects of language on the corporate world, on the legal and health care systems, and, ultimately, on everyday life.

Discussion Fueled Excitement among Participants

An open-mike session, titled: “So we have the evidence…Now what?” followed the panel discussion. Attendees were encouraged to voice thoughts and suggestions about how evidence for plain language can support new tools and action items for outreach. To focus the discussion, Haller posed several questions, including the following:

• How does the research support our organizations, our audiences, and ourselves as we strive to increase the usefulness and efficiency of government, legal, and business documents?
• How can research inform our every day practice?
• How can you use research to influence those around you (supervisors, peers, colleagues, stakeholders)?
• How can we become better consumers of research—using it to craft strategies for educating the public about the benefits of plain language?
• How do you envision your role in creating change?

Audience members were also eager to direct questions to Haller, Kimble, and Schriver, to further clarify information presented by the panel. A growing sense of excitement filled the room as participants began to see new ways of incorporating lessons learned through plain-language research in workplaces and communities. Building on this energy—and on the energy supplied by a mouth-watering selection of cookies, brownies, and other snacks—Symposium attendees enjoyed a break before gathering in round-table discussion groups.

Forging New Opportunities for Plain Language

The four tables—each moderated by a plain language advocate—focused on an individual topic, with the goal of answering a single, essential question: What can we do now? The groups identified tools and action items for outreach, and reported to the Symposium with their results and a list of talking points.

Moderated by Lee Clark Johns, president of Strategic Communication Inc. and this group examined ways of creating strategic alliances for plain language with a diverse range of organizations, from universities to professional associations. The group also discussed helping these diverse organizations commit to clarity, and repurposing current plain language efforts for new audiences.

Meanwhile, Joseph Kimble Professor at Thomas Cooley Law School and president of Clarity, an international association advocating clear legal language, headed a lively discussion about “practicing what we preach.” Participants identified 10 ways of being sure that plain language advocates actually use plain language in their jobs and beyond, including creating style and design manuals and “submerging your ego.” It is essential, the group reported, to explain to others “why we do what we do” at every opportunity. This alone, they said, would help increase understanding and use of plain language.

Why is outreach important? How can schools and non-government organizations embrace plain language? William Smith, executive vice president of the Academy for Educational Development, served as moderator for the table addressing these questions. Their discussion led to a list of steps for articulating plain language research to reach new audiences, which included: Identify the real benefits for various audiences; create a business case for integrating clear language and design; and develop case studies of success stories.

Reaching out to new and diverse audiences requires that plain language advocates find new ways to gain attention about clarity, its benefits, and its methods. Lily Whiteman, federal career coach and Federal Times columnist, together with several Symposium attendees, identified several methods for attracting notice and increasing understanding of plain language, including: publicize the costs—financial and otherwise—of failed communications; place articles in key publications; and prepackage information that associations and agencies can distribute in newsletters and on intranet sites.

Moving Forward with New Ideas

The Symposium closed with a cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, allowing ample time for networking, catching up with old friends, and discussing the afternoon’s program. Evaluations were distributed, and showed an overwhelmingly positive response to the event. One participant wrote: “[The Symposium] gave me lots of good leads for selling plain language principles to the technical people at my agency.” Another called it “a spirited discussion that produced useful professional techniques.”

The presentations by panelists Shriver and Kimble also received high praise: “The panel presentations were excellent, and I enjoyed the opportunity to discuss their ideas afterward.” In fact, many respondents remarked that they look forward to seeing more results of the speakers’ research in the future.

As attendees departed, they carried with them a new sense of urgency, a mission to promote plain language in all aspects of their lives. One participant stressed the importance of prioritizing and following up on the action items identified, and added, “We need to make a plan of action.”

These responses were music to Haller’s ears. His goals, throughout the Symposium planning process, were to instill forward thinking, identify ways to take action, and inspiring plain language advocates to really use the research available to them. “As advocates for plain language,” he said, “we get to reframe how we think about content: It’s about understanding, usefulness, and action. Clarity matters.”

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