Research and consultancy
The evidence base for simplification guidelines calls on a range of disciplines. Psychologists help us to understand cognitive processes such as perception and language comprehension, and our neuroscience colleagues give us access to advanced methodologies. Linguists help us classify and describe the structure of information. We draw on the work of economists and social psychologists to understand decision making, the evaluation of risk and reward, and the nature of behavioural change. Legal studies give us insight, among other things, into the challenges of small print, and regulated information in areas such as finance and health.
We are working with our colleagues in different disciplines, and consulting with members, to plan a programme of innovative and action-orientated research. This is designed to address gaps we are aware of in the evidence base, to give us new insight about information users, and to develop imaginative ways to simplify and communicate complex information.
Collecting real documents to study
Martin Thomas and Judy Delin are building a multi-modal, searchable corpus of the kind of documents that are of interest to the Simplification Centre: for example: forms, bills, explanatory brochures. This 6-month project, funded by the Simplification Centre, will lead to proposals for further funded work in this area.
A corpus is a term linguists use to describe a collection of real documents that is digitized and available to be used to study any aspect of language in use. Our corpus will be 'multi-modal' (that is, it will include layout and graphics as well as language), and will be an important resource for the research programme that is planned for the Centre. For example, it will help us judge whether a particular document is 'normal' for its type - research has shown that people find familiar documents easier to use.
For a more detailed description of this work, please download A multi-modal corpus of everyday documents: project description (PDF - 80KB)
Helping prisons manage inequality
Sue Walker has co-ordinated a project for the Simplification Centre's newest member: the National Offender Management Service (NOMS).
Working with an external information design consultancy, Text Matters, and the Race Equality Advisory Group (REAG) team within NOMS, the Centre helped to develop the NOMS Equality Impact Assessment Tool which was created by REAG to help record, manage and eliminate the risks associated with inequalities experienced by offenders in prison or on probation.
The prototype tool is an Excel file with added macros. It contains a set of forms and guidance covering all the steps from gathering evidence and setting priorities to completing an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) report.
The following paper summarizes our approach: NOMS project overview (PDF 2.9 MB)