Over the last few months I have been trying to write in a way that is readable and accessible – apparently the average reading age is around eleven.
It is harder than it looks, especially when my reading age is far higher than eleven.
I am benefitting from doing this and I think that whoever reads my emails and documents are benefitting but there is a problem – sometimes the terms you need to use cannot be reduced to an eleven year old reading age.
Sometimes they need to reflect the law or where a precise word was developed to describe the subject.
Also, words change over time but you have to work within the context of what the word meant then and what it means now.
That is why Information Governance (IG) should/could really help – it is a methodology for working out connotations (look up the dictionary definition) – not just the literal meaning/subject of what is sent your way.