Plain Language Research

Purpose
Find out about the experiences of other provincial and territorial jurisdictions with implementing plain language policy and practices, with a view to recommending a plan the GNWT could follow to implement plain language use.

Research Questions

  • What is out there? What is the policy or framework for plain language?
  • How did you get there? What was the process for getting where you are now? Champions? Top down or bottom up process?
  • What were the biggest challenges?
  • What were the opportunities or things that made it possible?
  • How do you know you are there? Are all public documents produced in plain language?
  • What other documents?
  • What is the public response? Internal response?
  • Who determines what is plain language?
  • Can you measure impact?

Outcomes

  • A summary of approaches taken by other jurisdictions or agencies
  • What would support for plain language in the GNWT look like?
  • Roadmap for GNWT on actions to take
  • Where to house responsibility in GNWT (now interdepartmental Literacy Committee)
  • What are the steps GWNT needs to take
  • How to encourage discussion about what plain language would look like in each department