Get ready for the 2014 Report Card

Jana GoldmanKath Straub April 9, 2014

Getting ready …• About the scores• What to send• Timeline• Which agencies will be reviewed in 2014

Parts of the score• Compliance with Plain Writing Act

requirements• Writing• Information design

Scoring: ComplianceDoes the agency have … A plain language (PL) webpage A link from the agency homepage to the

PL page

Does the PL program page…

Scoring: ComplianceDoes the PL page provide … Name the senior official In charge of the program? Have info about other contact people?

Does the PL web page describe the PL program? An implementation plan? A Compliance report for 2013? A Compliance report for 2014? Describe their training program?

Scoring: ComplianceDoes the PL webpage provide …. An email address for citizen feedback (or other

mechanism to provide comments)?

When you contacted the agency (through the citizen feedback email), … Did anyone respond? Provide the information you asked for?

Total score: 130 points

What kind of documents should you send?• Documents designed to help the public

understand or do business with your agency

• You will improve your odds if you send an assortment of documents– How-tos – Program descriptions– Public education documents– Response letters– Specific (single) webpages with a reasonable

amount of written content

What kind of documents should you send?

You pick*/send 5, we will score 3

Logistics– Published or designed within the last 2 years– Word or PDF formats– Specific, single web pages (URLs)– We don’t want befores, just afters.

*If you don’t send documents, we are NOT taking them from your public website. If you don’t select web pages that fit the requirements, we will NOT pick them out from the website you sent.

Think about …• What has your agency or bureau done that provides clear

and helpful public information? – Easier-to-read form or clearer instructions to apply for

a benefit or service? – Plain language presentation of technical or scientific

information– Informative visualization replacing previously word-

based process description?

Hints: • Don’t send regs or letters to Congress or internal memos• Do send your best plain language documents!

Scoring: WritingAcrolinx 4.0 Scorecard

• Tone of voice• Terminology• Style• Spelling• Grammar

Overall Score

http://www.acrolinx.com/

Example Acrolinx scorecard Webpage: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/fair-lending/

Example Acrolinx scorecard

Webpage: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/fair-lending/

In case you are interested

Webpage: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/fair-lending/

In case you are interested

Webpage: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/fair-lending/

In case you are interested

Webpage: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/fair-lending/

Guidelines include• Use simple subject-verb-object structure• Use shorter sentences• Use fewer embedded sentences• Use fewer complex words• Remove noun clusters

In case you are interested

• Use contractions• Use discourse markers

In case you are interested

Other guidelines include• Vary sentence length• Shorten average sentence length• Use active voice• Ask the readers occasional questions

Scoring: Information DesignCenter volunteers score design details, including

– Font size and legibility– Visual hierarchy– Use of color– Content value of

images

Notably absent mention of extension of deadline

TimelineNowIs your PL webpageup-to-date?

April 30Informationand documentrequestsset to feedbackEmail and PL Sr Official

July 30Responsedeadline

July 5Reminder1

~ Oct 14Report cardsIssued

July 15Reminder 2

August/SeptemberScoring

No extensions. No excuses!

In 2014, we plan to grade…Agriculture– Food Safety & Inspection Service– Natural Resources Conservation Service

Commerce– Census– Minority Business Development Agency

Defense– National Guard– US Coast Guard

Education– National Center for Education Statistics– Institute of Education Sciences

Energy– Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability– Office of Fossil Energy

Health and Human Services– Food and Drug Administration– National Institutes of Health

Homeland Security– Transportation Security Administration– US Customs & Border Protection

Housing and Urban Development – Federal Housing Administration– Office of Sustainable Communities

Interior –– US Geological Service– Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation– Community Relations Service

Labor – Mine Safety & Health Administration– Veterans Employment and Training Service

State – Trafficking in Persons– Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs

Transportation –Federal Highway Administration–Federal Transit Administration

Treasury – Bureau of Engraving & Printing– Community Development Financial Institution

Fund

Veterans Affairs – Veterans Health Administration– Veterans Benefits Administration

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Securities and Exchange Commission Small Business Administration Environmental Protection Agency General Services Administration National Aeronautics and Space Administration Social Security Administration

Now is your chance for …Questions? Comments?Concerns?Suggestions?

Thanks for listening!

After the fact …

If you have questions or comments, contact:

Jana Goldman presshereJG@gmail.comKath Straub kath@usability.org