Learn about creating a Plain Language Strategy from government and commercial thought leaders featuring; - Jeff Meldrum from the Canadian Human Rights Commission, - Manu Singh from the Treasury Board Secretariat Canada and - Kevin Press, economics blogger and formerly of Sun Life Financial.

1. Plain Language:
Embracing a new enterprise
strategy for communication wins
Words Matter

2. Welcome to our webinar!
● Our call will last approx. 1 hour.
● Please ask your questions in the ‘Question’ facility.
● We have a Q&A session at the end.
● There is a short survey at the end.
● Recording and slides will be shared a few days after this
webinar.
● Feel free to email me with questions or comments
evelyn.wolf@visiblethread.com

3. The BIG Question
How can you create enterprise-level content that
engages your audience?

4. Plain & Simple - Our plan for today
Jeff Meldrum - Director of Communications for the
Canadian Human Rights Commission
Since starting with the Commission in 2008 he has played a key role in
transforming the Commission’s communications approach so that clear,
concise and accessible language is always the priority – no matter the
subject, no matter the medium.
The benefits of a Plain Language Strategy

5. Plain & Simple - Our plan for today
Kevin Press - Economics blogger and formerly of Sun
Life Financial
Kevin Press is an award-winning marketing and communications leader.
As an assistant vice-president at Sun Life Financial, he implemented a
plain language program and developed the organization’s first brand
tone of voice.
Implementing a Plain Language Program

6. Plain & Simple - Our plan for today
Manu Singh - Director of the Digital Transformation
Office at Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
His team of talented content and IA experts is responsible for working
with Government of Canada departments to improve digital services for
people who rely on them through Canada.ca.
The effectiveness of a Plain Language Strategy

7. Clear language
@ the Commission

8. The Commission works with employers, service providers,
individuals, unions, governmental and non-governmental
organizations, and provincial and territorial human rights bodies to
foster understanding and commitment to achieving a society
where human rights are respected in everyday practices. The
Commission is working within a new service delivery model that
provides discrimination prevention initiatives, modern dispute
resolution approaches for addressing inquiries and complaints, as
well as regulatory, policy, and knowledge development. Enhancing
employment equity in federally regulated employment sectors for
women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and
members of visible minorities is also a key function.
Mission Statement (circa 2008)

9. “Verbosity leads to unclear
inarticulate things.”
-Dan Quayle

10. Clarity trumps authority
Credibility

11. Inclusion

12. Access to Justice

13. Buy-in
Reduce frustration
Improve trust
Credibility - Cited as an authority
Greater awareness of who you are and what you do
Message consistency from staff and others who talk about you
Less time spent explaining what you meant the first time!

14. We help ensure that everyone
is treated fairly, no matter who they are.

15. Thank you, Jeff! Over to Manu and Kevin

16. Your brand voice in six steps
Kevin Press
UX communications
Words Matter

18. You may inject humour into your writing,
but only where appropriate.

19. “Voice is marketing’s most significant
paradigm shift this decade … If you don’t
have a voice strategy in the making today,
it’s time to move now or risk falling
behind.” Forrester

20. “A brand’s voice is something that exists in
both your internal culture and the external
brand experience … it must leave the right
impression on everyone that encounters it.”
Brand Quarterly

21. Our business is complex and technical.
We have multiple lines of business, which
makes consistency difficult.
We communicate to distribution partners
and multiple customer groups.
We have detailed processes to explain.
Good writers are hard to find.

22. Step 1: Define your brand voice. Synthesize
your brand positioning down to a few chosen
words. These are character traits that writers
can align to.
Step 2: Add tone of voice to your brand
guidelines. Flesh out your positioning with
examples of how to write for each of your
customer groups.

23. Step 3: Develop a detailed writing style
guide. Incorporate plain-language best
practices. Prepare in English, and then on
other languages as required.
Step 4: Build an organization-wide education
plan. Treat writers as super-users. Work
closely with partners in Operations, Legal,
Compliance, etc.

24. Step 5: Consider a writing analysis solution.
Promote the value of metrics-based decision-
making across the organization. And work
hard to align the the tools with your brand
tone of voice.
Step 6: Identify priority documents and
commit resources to a rewrite program.

25. Writer Business Legal
ComplianceTaxBrand

26. Brand
Tax
Compliance
Legal
Business
Writer

27. Thank you, Kevin! Over to Jeff and Manu

28. FACT
People have more important
things to do than trying to
figure out our websites.

29. Why do we measure?

30. How do we measure?

31. Reading levels matter
Before
Grade 14.3
After
Grade
7.3

32. Applied content design
• 13,881 page views 3
months before update
• 5:14 min. average length
of visit
• Grade 13.3 readability
• 1,300 words

33. Applied content design
• Pageviews over same amount of time
increased from 13,881 to 21,530
 An increase of 55%
• Average length of visit increased from
5:14 min to 5:23 min
 No loss of interest in content
• Readability level improved going from
Grade 13.3 to 7.8
 Now readable to majority of
Canadians
• Number of words needed decreased
from 1,300 to 1,040 words
 Point made with fewer words

34. Thank you, Manu! Over to Kevin and Jeff

35. Interested in using technology to support your plain language
strategy?
Dip your toe
with VT
Readability
www.visiblethread.com/products/visiblethread-readability/

36. Thank you! Let’s get to your questions…