I’m on a mission to help organisations – and the people in them – to write in a way their readers can easily understand and trust.
There are huge advantages when readers understand and trust what they’re reading.
The benefits of readers understanding what you write
When you say what you mean clearly, it makes everyone’s lives easier. Readers spend less time trying to work out what they’re being told. Writers spend less time having to explain what they meant. Everyone is able to get on with what they need to do because they understand what’s needed.
Here’s just one example of the difference it can make.
Federal Express found it took readers an average of five minutes to find the information they needed in the company’s ground operations manuals. Readers would only find the correct information 53% of the time.
The company improved the readability, layout and presentation of information, including adding more visuals.
The time it took readers to find information decreased by 28%. The ability to find the correct information rose by 27%.
The increases in productivity saved the company $400,000 in the first year.
The benefits of readers trusting what you write
Levels of trust are at an all-time low.
Writing more clearly and accurately is a small action that can help to restore levels of trust.
For example, HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate analysed 351 letters sent to the public by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in reponse to complaints. It looked for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors that could affect flow and understanding.
It found:
- Only 66 letters were deemed to be of good quality. Even the 113 letters rated adequate contained some minor errors or mistakes.
- In some responses there was a reliance on using standard paragraphs when it was unnecessary or inappropriate.
- In many cases, the letter did not explicitly state whether a complaint was upheld either fully or partially or not upheld at all. In most cases it could be inferred from the letter what the outcome was. However, greater clarity would help recipients, especially because the letters are often lengthy.
This matters.
As the Chief Inspector said in the foreword to the report about the analysis: “Written correspondence is one of the few ways the CPS communicates directly with members of the public. So sending out letters containing errors can lead to an erosion of confidence in the CPS and wider criminal justice system.”
They continued: “I recognise that not all complaints the CPS receive are justified, but the individuals making the complaints clearly feel aggrieved. Dealing with them courteously and effectively can help restore their confidence in the organisation and the criminal justice system.”
Take action
I hope I’ve shown why writing well matters.
If you’re concerned your organisation’s writing might be affecting its productivity or its trustworthiness, please get in touch. I’d love to have a conversation to see how I could help.
