Communicating knowledge
When sharing information with others, it is important to think about the most effective way to communicate it.
- Points to consider include:
- Who will deliver the information or message? If it is a presentation, telephone call or email that needs to be delivered, who will be the most appropriate person to carry out the communication.
- How will the information be communicated? There are many formats, such as newsletters, e-bulletins, websites, conferences, presentations, reports and emails, so it's important to choose the most appropriate format.
- Who is your audience? Tailor your message to your audience and how they prefer to receive information.
- What do you want to say? Think and write clearly, considering the key points you are trying to communicate. Summarising key points can be a helpful way of communicating a clear message. Summaries should be concise, logical and written in plain English.
Tips for writing in plain English:
- Stop and think - make a note of the points you want to communicate in a logical order before writing.
- Use simple words and omit any unnecessary words.
- Avoid jargon and legalistic words, and explain any technical terms you have to use, including acronyms.
- Keep your sentence length down to an average of 15 to 20 words.
- Try to stick to one main idea in a sentence using paragraphs to separate out thoughts.
- Use active verbs as much as possible. Say 'we will do it' rather than 'it will be done by us'.
- Be concise.
- Imagine you are talking to your reader. Write in a suitable style and with the right tone of voice.
- Check that your writing is clear, helpful, human and polite.
