Chloe Hooper, Statistics New Zealand
Finalist: Best Plain English Technical Communicator 2013
Judges' comment
This was an exceptionally strong entry, of wide benefit to the staff of Statistics NZ and thereby to New Zealand as a whole.
It is a clearly written set of instructions, encouraging Statistics NZ staff to be even more diligent in their record keeping. A combination of Plain English and additional writing flair makes it easier to follow and more engaging than most technical documentation.
Media statement
As an Information Management analyst with Statistics New Zealand, I work as part of a business unit that guides and supports staff in managing their information.
Our work has a legislative grounding, so it’s easy for records management jargon to creep in where even a word like ‘archive’ can mean different things to different people. I think it is important to choose language and tone that not only suits your audience, but is right for them in the situation in which they read it. For me, this hasn’t meant stripping out the tough words, but making sure I know the vocabulary of the organisation, and how the guidance I write is used.
Statistics New Zealand has really embraced Plain English. We’ve made the finals in the WriteMark Plain English awards multiple times over the past few years and in two categories this year.
I am particularly pleased to be able to show that our commitment to Plain English runs right through the organisation. It doesn’t start and finish with the material we produce for the public; we take Plain English just as seriously in our internal communication.
Chloe Hooper