I’ve always loved to go behind the scenes and see how things work. Just as Toto exposed the Wizard of Oz for the mere mortal he was, I want to see what’s behind the curtain.
In the late ‘80s, when I worked for a big public employee union, I made sure to visit facilities like maximum security prisons and sewage treatment plants because I figured it might be my only chance to get into such places.
These days, I'd like to pull back the curtain on a number of nonprofits, who present an opaque face to the world by hiding behind a wall of jargon and popular lingo.
How many times have you read what an organization writes about itself only to wonder, “Okay, but what do they do and how do they do it?”
I get that every field and every issue area has its own language. (Note: I don’t mean to single out equity, diversity and inclusion; I just happened upon this list.)
Insider language may (may being the operative word) be fine when you’re talking to your people but it leaves the rest of us out. And I’m not sure that even insiders really always know what they mean when they use lingo.
Civilla is a non-profit design studio that helps public institutions become more accessible to everyone.
This story explains how Civilla helped improve Michigan’s public benefits renewal system.
I love it!
It’s an incredibly generous piece of writing.
It describes a complex process in plain English.
It explains what Civilla does so we can understand, learn and perhaps borrow from it.
And it subtly points out how Civilla’s process is different and unique.
Writing this clear is hard. But it pays off big time.
Do you ever wonder whether your organization's writing does full justice to your work?
Get in touch! I pride myself on my ability to simplify, clarify and strengthen anyone's prose. I'd love to do it with you.
As always, thanks for reading!