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Plain2013 What's in a Name Neil James
- 1. What’s in a name? The future for plain language in a converging communica7on profession! Dr Neil James! Plain English Foundation! Australia! ! ! !
- 2. N The school reunion So what do you do now?! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 3. N The school reunion test Activity Field Practitioner Checking your health Medicine Doctor Doing a tax return Accounting Accountant Learning new skills Education Teacher Building a house Construction Builder Buying a property Real estate Real estate agent Fixing your pipes Plumbing Plumber Preparing a document ? ? What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 4. N A problem we share • • • • • • Plain language! Editing! Technical writing! Information design! Usability! Corporate communications! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 5. N What’s in a name? What’s in a name?! That which we call a rose! By any other name! would smell as sweet.! ! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 6. What’s in a name?! Topics for the session! 1. A fragmented profession! 2. Reuniting communication! 3. The pressure to converge! 4. Implications for the future!
- 7. N Why so fragmented? • • • • • • Plain language! Editing! Technical writing! Information design! Usability! Corporate communications! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 8. 5 reasons N 1. Historical contexts! 2. Fragmented theoretical base! 3. Rapidly changing practice! 4. Commercial pressures! 5. Divided institutional base! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 9. 1. Historical contexts N Field Context Plain language Government and legal documents Technical writing Engineering and technical documents Information design Graphic and product design Editing Books, newspapers and magazines Corporate communications Public relations and marketing Usability Human factors engineering What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 10. 2. FragmentedN theory A survey of 7 communications texts:! • 249 ‘theories’ of communication! • 80 per cent (195) appeared in only one book.! • Only 7 per cent (18) were included in more than 3 books.! ! Source: J A Anderson, Communication theory: ! Epistemological foundations. New York, Guilford Press, 1996.! ! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 11. 3. We evolved N rapidly Period Key developments in technical writing Pre-1900 Morrill Acts 1862 liKed educa7on of engineers Colleges faced literacy gaps in engineering students Early 20th century Chandler Earle’s 1911 defini7on of ‘wri7ng abili7es’ 1920s Sada Harbager English for Engineers 1940s-1960s World War ll boosted demand for technological skills, along with long tail economic boom First technical wri7ng socie7es and textbooks 1970s-1980s First major technical wri7ng journals Growth in academic programs, distant from industry 1990s-2000s Impact of the personal computer, DTP, word processing, usability and content management What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 12. 3. We evolved N rapidly Period Key developments in plain language 1940s-1960s Ernest Gowers (UK) and Rudolph Flesch (USA) Focus on expression elements Applica7on in government and media 1970s-1980s Rise of consumer movement and Plain English Campaign. Mar7n Cu`s Guide and Clarity Addi7on of structure and document design 1990spresent Influence in law, finance and insurance Growing use of tes7ng and design Expansion of applica7on Center for Plain Language and US Plain Wri7ng Act PLAIN and IPLWG What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 13. 4. CommercialN pressures ‘Is plain language enough?! Many organizations are realizing that in fact more is needed. To achieve the goals of plain language - clarity and good comprehension - documents must go beyond the use of simplified vocabulary and sentence structure. …! Good content design enables readers to quickly and easily find and digest the information they need. This expanded definition is often referred to as clear and effective communications. …! ! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 14. 5. Institutional N silos • PLAIN and Clarity! • STC, Tekom and IEEE! • International Institute for Information Design! • Societ(ies) of Editors! • International Association Business Communicators ! • Usability Professionals Association! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 15. N Parallel evolution What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 16. What’s in a name?! Topics for the session! 1. A fragmented profession! 2. Reuniting communication! 3. The pressure to converge! 4. Implications for the future!
- 17. N One discipline? ! ‘We really are all about the user experience. My definition of usability is identical to my definition of Plain Language, my definition of reader-focused writing, my definition of document design … ! We’re here to make the product work for people.’! Ginny Redish! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 18. Can we unite? N 1. A common heritage! 2. Overlapping definitions! 3. Differences of degree! 4. The push to professionalise! ! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 19. N 1. A common heritage? Rhetorical—communication as practical discourse.! Semiotic—communication as mediation by signs.! Phenomenological—communication as experience of otherness.! Cybernetic—communication as information processing.! Sociopsychological—communication as expression, interaction and influence.! Sociocultural—communication as (re)production of social order.! Critical—communication as discursive reflection.! ! Robert T Craig ‘Communication theory as a field’ 1999.! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 20. N The rhetorical tradition 5 canons of rhetoric! • Inventio—developing content.! • Dispositio—arranging the text.! • Elocutio—setting the style.! • Pronuntiatio—delivering a speech.! • Memoria—remembering the text.! ! ! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 21. N Rhetorical canons today Traditional canon Traditional application Current equivalent Inventio! ‘Discovery’ of arguments! Content! Dispositio! Arrangement of a speech! Structure! Elocutio! Setting language level! Expression! Pronuntiatio! Delivery of a speech! Design! Memoria! Data storage! Memorising long passages of text! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 22. 2. OverlappingN definitions Plain language! ‘A communication is in plain language if its wording, structure, and design are so clear that the intended readers can easily find what they need, understand what they find, and use that information.! Source: International Plain Language Working Group! ! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 23. N Technical writing ‘Technical communication is a broad field and includes any form of communication that exhibits one or more of the following characteristics:! • Communicating about technical or specialized topics, such as computer applications, medical procedures, or environmental regulations.! • Communicating by using technology, such as web pages, help files, or social media sites.! • Providing instructions about how to do something, regardless of how technical the task is or even if technology is used to create or distribute that communication.’! ! Source: www.stc.org/about-stc/the-profession-all-about-technical-communication What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 24. N Information design ‘Information design is the defining, planning, and shaping of the contents of a message and the environments in which it is presented, with the intention to satisfy the information needs of the intended recipients.’ "! Source: www.iiid.net/Information.aspx! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 25. Usability N ISO 9241-11! ‘[Usability refers to] the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.’! Source: www.usabilityprofessionals.org/usability_resources/about_usability/ definitions_of_usability.html! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 26. N Spot the difference • The subject matter?! • The writing process?! • The use of technology?! • The people we date?! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 27. N 3. Degrees of difference • Contexts we operate in! • Texts we work with! • Extent of our intervention! • Focus of our work! • Methods we apply! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 28. N A rhetorical spectrum What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 29. 4. The push to N professionalise Our other common headache! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 30. N The options paper 1. A common definition! 2. International standards! Clarity !"#$%&'()''''''''''!*+%#$%&',-./*"&012'*3'45% 604%&0146*012' 177*86146*0 9&*#*460:' 92160'2%:12'210:"1:% 3. Training! 4. Research! E0'4567'677"% Dr Annetta Cheek 1. Defining plain language 5 Lynda Harris, Susan Kleimann and Christine Mowat 2. Setting plain language standards 6. Certification! ?"%74'%<64*&'3*&'4567'677"%= !%62'/1#%7 ?"%74'%<64*&'3*&'!"#$%&''(@= A10<&1'B675%&CD1&4607'10< /1#%7'B675%& 33 Carlos Valdovinos 5. Advocating plain language ;<64*&'60'856%3= /"26%'>2%#%04 26 Dr Karen Schriver and Frances Gordon 4. Grounding plain language in research 5. Advocacy! 16 Helena Englund Hjalmarsson and Karine Nicolay 3. Training for plain language 40 Sandra Fisher-Martins 6. Certifying plain language 46 Dr Neil James and Eamonn Moran 7. Strengthening plain language institutions 54 Clarity and general news This issue Contributing to the journal Member and other news and events How to join Clarity Message from the Presidents 3 32 53 61 62 7. A governing body! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 31. N Testing professional status 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Full time occupation! Work based on extensive theoretical framework! Field with presence in universities! Requires extensive specific education ! Professional association or institute! Testing and certification of competence! Code of ethics or conduct! Fee paid work for individual clients! Mobility and autonomy of practitioner ! Institutional experience and ongoing learning! Recognition of social benefit of occupation! Regulation and authorisation through statute! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 32. Criteria Edi*ng Tech. comms N ü Plain lang. Info. design Testing professional ü ü status Full 7me occupa7on ü Theore7cal framework Usability ü Part Part Part Part Part ü ü Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Fee-‐paid work ü ü ü ü ü Mobility and autonomy ü ü ü ü ü Part Part Part Part Part Professional associa7on ü ü ü ü ü Tes7ng and cer7fica7on ü Part û û û Part Part û û Part Regula7on through statute û û ü Part û State recogni7on of benefit û û ü Part û University presence Extensive specific educa7on Exp. and ongoing learning Code of ethics What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 33. What’s in a name?! Topics for the session! 1. A fragmented profession! 2. Reuniting communication! 3. The pressure to converge! 4. Implications for the future!
- 34. N What is convergence? Technological convergence: the tendency for different technologies to evolve toward performing similar tasks.! Digital convergence: the merging of IT, telecommunications, electronics and entertainment industries.! Accounting convergence: the development of single accounting standards internationally! ! Logic: the tendency for different transformations of the same state to end up at the same end state.! ! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 35. N Communication convergence The tendency for different communication fields over time to apply a common range of methods.! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 36. The pressures N converge to 1. Technology! 2. Information age! 3. State sanction! 4. Self-interest! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 37. 1. Technology N main driver the • Writer! • Editor! • Typesetter! • Designer! • Proofreader! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 38. N The disappearing proofreader Letterpress: attached to printing presses! Offset lithography: moved to publisher! Digital printing: merged with editorial! E-publishing: outsourced or merged! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 39. N 2. The information age What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 40. N 3. State sanction The Plain Writing Act! ‘To enhance citizen access to Government information and services by establishing plain language as the standard style for Government documents issued to the public.’! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 41. N 4. Our own interest 1. Resources! 2. Recognition! 3. Impact! 4. Income! 5. Professional status! ! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 42. What’s in a name?! Topics for the session! 1. A fragmented profession! 2. Reuniting communication! 3. The pressure to converge! 4. Implications for the future!
- 43. N The plain language future • Communication will be highly fluid! • There will continue to be a demand for us! • We need to adapt to new skills and methods! • Opportunities will emerge across fields! • There will be increasing reason to converge! !What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 44. N Step 1: start some dialogue • Within each field! • Between fields! ! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 45. N Step 2: do some research • What do we each do?! • Where do we work?! • What texts do we work on?! • What skills do we have?! • What do we earn?! • What are we called?! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 46. N Step 3: put pieces together • Draw from research! • Formalise the dialogue! • Look at institutional options! • Consider federation or mergers! • Move cautiously! ! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 47. N Step 4: engage stakeholders Academy! • Unify research and theory! • Negotiate a home! Industry! • Research job requirements! • Map future benefits! Government! ! • Inform and seek support! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 48. N Step 5: pick a name • Plain language ! • Clear communication! • Technical writing! • Information design! • Editing! • Usability! • Professional communication! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 49. N My crystal ball • Plain language ! • Clear communication! • Technical writing! • Information design! • Editing! • Usability! • Professional communication! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 50. N More at the conference… E: Neil.James@plainenglishfoundation.com! T: @drplainenglish! W: www.plainenglishfoundation.com! F: www.facebook.com/plainenglishfoundation! nt to display ise what is consistent conveyed via your ologies. s demonstrate the business. suasively can make all the in government or law, hances are that writing takes place, even the best ideas can x to write more effective mos. Whether you need help ext, selecting the right tone the practical tools to achieve for professionals at all nd effective. hich bewilders and baffles rave clarity and brevity. t they want.’ Neil James riting workshops with orkplace examples to show in practice. Writing at Work ting is a key nal success $30 at conference www.allenandunwin.com $20 at conference www.scribepublications.com.au! WRITING & EDITING What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013
- 51. N Copyright notice This presentation is the property of Neil James, the Plain English Foundation, and other respective owners, and is protected by copyright, trademark and other intellectual property laws. It can only be viewed and downloaded for personal and non-commercial use. Material must not be reproduced in any form, or used for any purpose other than for individual reference, unless the owners give permission to do so in writing. ! What’s in a name? Neil James plenary PLAIN 2013 Vancouver N © Plain English Founda7on 2013