- Open administration
The AOC initiates a pilot of inclusive support in the digital environment
The new version of the “Clear communication guide from the Generalitat de Catalunya” provides guidelines for writing clearly, without using unnecessary words or technical jargon, and conveying all information briefly and clearly. It is an expanded and updated tool to help communicate clearly and effectively.
Plain language and clear communication
Plain language, also known as simple language or citizen language, is a “simple and efficient writing style that allows readers to easily understand the written text, which is based on the use of concise and clear expressions, an orderly linguistic structure and good document design,” according to TERMCAT. This writing style helps the reader understand the content the first time they read it.
Likewise, clear communication is the “direct, transparent and effective transmission of relevant information for citizens through any type of channels and media”.
In the Administration, the use of plain language and clear communication allows the communications received by citizens (notifications and warnings, sanctions, responses to inquiries, etc.) to be clear and easily understood. It also ensures that procedures are written in an understandable way and that everyone can do them without asking for help, or even that legal texts are understandable to the majority of the population.
Clear communication is aimed at the entire population, regardless of age, level of literacy, location, financial means, etc., and is based on a series of writing rules that facilitate the understanding of texts, as well as models of understandable structure and appropriate graphic design.
Towards a more understandable administration: the AOC's commitment to clear communication
At the AOC we are very clear that a digital administration cannot be truly efficient if it is not also understandable. That is why we have been working for some time to incorporate clear communication as a fundamental principle in the design and provision of our digital services.
Clear communication is not just a matter of plain language. It is a way of putting people at the center, of ensuring that any citizen —regardless of their level of administrative or digital knowledge— can understand what is being asked of them, what they need to do, and how they can do it. This involves revising texts, simplifying processes, improving the visual hierarchy of information, and eliminating unnecessary technicalities.
Over the past few years, we have promoted various initiatives along these lines: from reviewing key messages in digital processes, to training our team in clear and accessible writing techniques. We have also collaborated with language and usability specialists to ensure that our services are increasingly intuitive.
The results are clear: easier-to-use services, fewer errors in procedures and a better experience for citizens. But we don't stop there. We continue working to make clear communication a transversal standard throughout the Catalan digital administration. Because an administration that understands is an administration that is closer, fairer and more efficient.
Resources from other administrations
Other guides and manuals stand out in the field of clear communication, such as:
- "Clear communication” Guide from the Madrid City Council to develop content and communications in a clear and unambiguous way.
- "How to write clearly” European Commission guide to writing documents clearly.
- "Manual of lenguaje claro style” Manual of the Government of Aragon with criteria for writing clear texts on the Internet.