Services

Research and planning

Here are some questions we think about when helping clients plan a project for a limited-literacy audience:

• Who is the target audience?
• What does the audience know about the topic?
• How can we find out more information about the audience?
• What range of reading levels would reach the audience?
• What other materials already exist on this topic?
• How can we make the material culturally relevant?

We can help you choose from a variety of print products that will be suitable for your target audience and your budget. Here are some examples:

• booklets
• brochures
• mini-tabloids
• tabloids
• posters
• leaflets

Writing

Both skilled and unskilled readers face barriers when trying to understand print materials. Some barriers include:

• long, complicated sentences
• too much information
• multiple ideas within a paragraph
• unclear organization
• lack of headings, subheadings, and other organizational cues
• unfamiliar or technical vocabulary
• lack of cultural appropriateness

Clear writing techniques

We have extensive experience writing in clear language for diverse audiences.  Here are some techniques we often use during the writing process.

1. Text and supporting graphics

• Use the active voice most of the time.
• Use concrete examples.
• Involve the audience by using an interactive style; for example, use questions to help readers focus on what they will be reading.
• Include personal stories that readers can identify with.
• Use sequential order when telling a story or giving directions.
• Write short paragraphs, focusing on only one idea.
• Use graphics to convey meaning.
• Include captions and labels for graphics.
• Use readability tests (e.g., Fry, Flesch-Kincaid) only as a guide to the reading level of the text.

2. Vocabulary

• Use common words.
• Use concrete words.
• Use idioms sparingly.
• Explain or illustrate unfamiliar or difficult words.
• Explain abbreviations and symbols.

3. Working with content experts

We have worked with experts in many fields. We often need to negotiate content and wording. We believe in involving content experts at the beginning stages of any publication.

Editing

There are many tasks involved in editing materials. We can provide:

• fact checking
• rewriting and adapting materials
• Canadianizing or Americanizing
• structural editing
• stylistic editing
• copy editing
• proofreading

Design and layout

The design of a document is as important as the content: how you present information affects readability. Readers face many barriers:

• Too little white space on a page
• No graphics to help explain text
• Unclear relationships between graphics and text
• Font size that is too small or too large
• Text in ALL CAPS or italics
• White type on black or coloured backgrounds
• Confusing or distracting design elements

Clear design techniques

Here are some techniques that we use to improve readability.

• Use upper and lower case, not all caps.
• Use a common serif typeface for body text; for example, Times New Roman,  New Century Schoolbook. Use a sans-serif typeface for headings, subheadings, and captions; for example, Helvetica, Helvetica Neue.
• Use a larger text size (12 to 14 depending on the typeface).
• Use extra space between lines (leading) and words (tracking). Use kerning between letters when necessary.
• Use headings, subheadings, boxes, lines, and bullets to help the reader see how information is organized, and to divide information into manageable units.
• Use colour to help break up the page, to highlight important information, to help the reader navigate the page, and to add visual interest.
• Include extra white space.
• Do not hyphenate (except compound words).
• Use ragged right margins, not justified.
• Use graphics that are simple, clear, and culturally appropriate.

Desktop publishing

Desktop publishing is done in-house. We use Adobe Creative Suite 5—InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. In-house desktop publishing ensures a streamlined production process.

Digital photography, video, and audio

Publications that use photographs to help illustrate information achieve greater success with limited-literacy readers. We often work with our clients to take photos that illustrate their particular message. We often keep in mind the demographic of the target audience, and make sure to represent them in our photographs. Readers can identify with the images that we produce. Please have a look at the photography section of our portfolio.

Clients have found that their print publications have benefited from the addition of audiovisual materials. We can supply digital photography, video, and audio.

Pretesting

We have many contacts in agencies and organizations in Alberta and British Columbia. As part of the production process, we can help arrange for pretesting of drafts. Pretesting helps ensure that readers will understand your main messages.

Permissions and licences

We make sure that we have permission to use any graphics and text that come from other sources.