Contents

	How you can make plain English work for you Plain English Benefits at a glance for organisations and clients.   What's plain English? Plain English is good, clear writing which communicates as simply and effectively as possible. But it is not a childish or simplistic form of English.   Why plain English is important Clear, straightforward communication saves organisations time and money. We explain how.   Who supports plain English? Just about everyone. Government, the business community, unions, consumer groups, and the legal profession all recognise the benefits.   A step-by-step guide to becoming a plain English organisation From setting up a plain language committee to the final clearance -- we explain the nine essential steps.   Writing tips How to make your documents more effective, easier to understand and much more reader-friendly.   Design tips Design plays an important role in good communication. Whether you are considering design ideas or working with a graphic designer, keep these points in mind.   How audience testing works Audience testing is like an insurance policy, says the principal of a market research company. "If you've invested a lot of time and money in a document, why not take out a policy for a few thousand dollars and make sure it works."   Plain English: the story so far 1997 is the 21st birthday of the plain English movement in Australia. We follow it from birth to maturity.

Case studies Leading by example "If we want people to implement our ideas, we can't expect them to wade through masses of difficult material," says Warwick Smith, Independent Commission Against Corruption. "So we always use a plain English approach -- we've found it to be so successful we wouldn't go any other way."   No more fine print After Royal SunAlliance overhauled its home insurance documents, there was a dramatic increase in the proportion of forms which were accepted immediately. "We improved the policy wording so that customers can more easily understand what's covered and what's excluded," says company lawyer Suzanne Maudlen.   Spreading the word Since it introduced its plain English policy, Campbelltown City Council has saved on both printing bills and staff time. The Forms and Documents Committee estimates those savings as at least $100,000 over the past five years.

For more information Some useful publications A list of useful publications for plain English users.   Consultancies Some leading consultancies in the field.