Step 1: Know your readers and purpose. Who are your readers? What do they need to know? What do you want them to do? Step 2: Organize. Make an outline. Is the most important information first? Are sections in logical order? Do headings describe them? Do readers know right away what the document's about? Can readers find information they need? Step 3: Write or edit. Are the words simple, short, and clear? Is there just one idea per sentence? Are sentences short? Is the tone positive? Active writing style? Are the paragraphs short? With bullets or lists where appropriate? Are the extras left out? Step 4: Design your document. Does white space break up the text? Is important information highlighted? Can people read the style and size of font? Do charts, photos or other graphics help? Is colour effective? Step 5: Test and revise. Did you get feedback from a sample of your readers? Did you read the document out loud? Did you do a readability test? Did you ask a co-worker or plain language specialist to read your document? Did you revise your document based on different tests?
