Covering Kids & Families March/April 2004 Simplifying Program Materials Penny Lane, The Center for...

Covering Kids & Families March/April 2004Covering Kids & Families March/April 2004

Simplifying Program MaterialsSimplifying Program Materials

Penny Lane, The Center for Health LiteracyPenny Lane, The Center for Health Literacy

MAXIMUSMAXIMUS

The Center for Health Literacy 2

The EssentialsThe Essentials

Writing Writing Formatting Formatting The Web The Web TranslationTranslation Field-testingField-testing


Build a TeamBuild a Team

Stakeholders:Stakeholders: Consumers (need information)Consumers (need information) Program (content, design)Program (content, design) Systems (formatting)Systems (formatting) Lawyers (full disclosure)Lawyers (full disclosure) Mail House (production)Mail House (production) Finance (costs)Finance (costs)


The Facts The Facts

Who are “low literate readers”?Who are “low literate readers”? Almost half of the American publicAlmost half of the American public A large percentage of Medicaid/SCHIP A large percentage of Medicaid/SCHIP

consumersconsumers Many who are articulate!Many who are articulate! SurvivorsSurvivors


Conversations with consumersConversations with consumers

Consumers Consumers wantwant to understand materials to understand materials They want to know They want to know why why the state is the state is

asking for informationasking for information They respond to a friendly, encouraging They respond to a friendly, encouraging

tonetone They skim and skip aroundThey skim and skip around


The CostThe Cost

They don’t read your notice*They don’t read your notice* They read without comprehension*They read without comprehension* They miss important messages*They miss important messages* They miss deadlines/lose services*They miss deadlines/lose services* They use an intermediary (privacy!)They use an intermediary (privacy!) They’ll call you for help*They’ll call you for help*


Do you have a problem?Do you have a problem?

Arm’s length viewArm’s length view Read aloud testRead aloud test


Problematic NoticesProblematic Notices

Poor formattingPoor formatting Difficult vocabularyDifficult vocabulary Difficult syntaxDifficult syntax Packed sentencesPacked sentences Too many messagesToo many messages Consumer action/decision unclearConsumer action/decision unclear


Difficult VocabularyDifficult Vocabulary

transitionaltransitional eligible, eligibility, eligible, eligibility, ineligibleineligible

disqualifieddisqualified complycomply

exceedsexceeds penaltypenalty

terminatedterminated revealedrevealed

enrollment enrollment discontinueddiscontinued

re-enrolled re-enrolled categorycategory

disenrolleddisenrolled failurefailure

expiredexpired verificationverification

hearinghearing effectiveeffective

denialdenial


IT IS TIME TO DETERMINE YOUR CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS. THE REDETERMINATION MUST BE COMPLETED OR YOUR [PROGRAM] BENEFITS WILL END.

1. CONTACT ME FOR AN APPOINTMENT

2. PLEASE BRING THE COMPLETED FORM TO THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT AT [DATE].

YOU MUST ANSWER EVERY QUESTION ON THE APPLICATION FORM, EVEN THOUGH NOTHING MAY HAVE CHANGED. YOU MUST PROVIDE THE PROOF LISTED ON THE ENCLOSED FORM. CONTACT ME BY [DATE] IF YOU NEED TO RESCHEDULE THE APPOINTMENT.


IT IS TIME TO blah blah blah YOUR blah blah blah blah blah blah FOR BENEFITS. THE blah blah blah MUST BE blah blah blah OR YOUR [PROGRAM] BENEFITS WILL END.

1. CONTACT ME FOR AN blah blah blah

2. PLEASE BRING THE blah blah blah FORM TO THE blah blah blah AT [DATE].

YOU MUST ANSWER EVERY QUESTION ON THE APPLICATION FORM, EVEN THOUGH NOTHING MAY HAVE CHANGED. YOU MUST blah blah blah THE PROOF LISTED ON THE blah blah blah FORM. CONTACT ME BY [DATE] IF YOU NEED TO blah blah blah THE blah blah blah.


A packed sentenceA packed sentence

From a notice currently in use:From a notice currently in use:

For TANF household: your household’s For TANF household: your household’s benefits may be reduced if, since signing benefits may be reduced if, since signing the Personal Responsibility Agreement the Personal Responsibility Agreement (Form 1073), any caretaker relative or (Form 1073), any caretaker relative or parent in the TANF household has been parent in the TANF household has been convicted or has deferred adjudication for convicted or has deferred adjudication for (1) using, selling, or possessing marijuana (1) using, selling, or possessing marijuana or any controlled substance in violation or any controlled substance in violation of. . .of. . .


UnpackingUnpacking

If you get TANF, you may get less money if If you get TANF, you may get less money if

1.1. A parent or relative who cares for A parent or relative who cares for someone in the house has been found someone in the house has been found guilty of using marijuana or any other guilty of using marijuana or any other substance that is not legalsubstance that is not legal

2.2. Etc. Etc.


Difficult syntaxDifficult syntax

From an application currently in use:From an application currently in use:

Does anyone in your household, including Does anyone in your household, including yourself, own, or is anyone buying the yourself, own, or is anyone buying the home in which you live? Yes home in which you live? Yes ⁙ No ⁙⁙ No ⁙

If Yes, describe the property below, and its If Yes, describe the property below, and its use; the size of the structure (building); use; the size of the structure (building); amount of acreage, or lot size; and amount of acreage, or lot size; and location___________________location___________________


If YES, and if you are institutionalized, do If YES, and if you are institutionalized, do you intend to return to your home? you intend to return to your home? ₑ Yes ₑ Yes ⁙ No Does anyone in your household, ⁙ No Does anyone in your household, including yourself, own ANY property (in including yourself, own ANY property (in state OR out of state) OTHER than home state OR out of state) OTHER than home property, including a share in estate property, including a share in estate (heir) property (heir) property

⁙ ⁙ Yes ⁙ NoYes ⁙ No

If YES, etc.If YES, etc.


Improved syntaxImproved syntax

Who owns the house you live in?Who owns the house you live in?

You ?You ? ⁱi

Someone else who Someone else who lives in your house?lives in your house? ⁱi

Someone who does not liveSomeone who does not live in your house?in your house? ⁱi

Do you own other property?Do you own other property? yesyes ⁱi nono ⁱ ⁱ

Does anyone else in your houseDoes anyone else in your house own other property?own other property? yesyes ⁱi nono ⁱ ⁱ


FontsFonts

This is a serif type face. It’s Times New Roman. The This is a serif type face. It’s Times New Roman. The letters are “finished off” with decorative strokes. It’s letters are “finished off” with decorative strokes. It’s easier on the eyes, particularly in blocks of text.easier on the eyes, particularly in blocks of text.

This is a sans serif type face. It’s Arial. (No This is a sans serif type face. It’s Arial. (No decorative strokes) decorative strokes)

Good for headers! Bad for blocks of text!Good for headers! Bad for blocks of text!


Problematic ApplicationsProblematic Applications

Poor formatting Poor formatting Hard-to-find instructions Hard-to-find instructions Difficult vocabularyDifficult vocabulary Difficult navigationDifficult navigation Sentence structure (syntax)Sentence structure (syntax)


Quick FixesQuick Fixes

ReduceReduce Revise Revise ReformatReformat

Covering Kids & Families March/April 2004Covering Kids & Families March/April 2004

Mistakes were made.Mistakes were made.

We made a mistake.We made a mistake.


More remediesMore remedies

Improve translations/adaptationsImprove translations/adaptations Translate moreTranslate more Highlight a comprehensive “help” Highlight a comprehensive “help”

messagemessage Field test! Field test! Field test!Field test! Field test! Field test!


Help messageHelp message

If you have questions, you can call If you have questions, you can call

1-800-123-4567, Monday to Friday, 1-800-123-4567, Monday to Friday,

8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (TTY: 1-800-123-4568)8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (TTY: 1-800-123-4568)

The call is free. The call is free.


The World Wide Web: Who knew?The World Wide Web: Who knew?

Used byUsed by ApplicantsApplicants Children of applicantsChildren of applicants Friends and relatives of applicantsFriends and relatives of applicants Your staffYour staff


Web material, including on-line Web material, including on-line appsapps

Plan Plan Web users SCAN more than readWeb users SCAN more than read Make it intuitiveMake it intuitive Make it visually simpleMake it visually simple Make it linguistically appropriateMake it linguistically appropriate Make it accessibleMake it accessible

doingdoing is more memorable and makes a is more memorable and makes a stronger emotional impact than stronger emotional impact than seeing seeing (Neilson)(Neilson)


General rules for the webGeneral rules for the web

Less content per screen.Less content per screen. No scrolling for key messages.No scrolling for key messages. All writing rules apply!All writing rules apply! Navigation should be crystal clear.Navigation should be crystal clear. Not too many tabs.Not too many tabs.


Online interactive applicationsOnline interactive applications

Brief, Brief, in placein place instructions instructions Error messages that “pop”Error messages that “pop” A way to revisit A way to revisit A way to page backA way to page back A review and opportunity to editA review and opportunity to edit Formatting guidelines applyFormatting guidelines apply Writing rules applyWriting rules apply A clear “what’s next?”A clear “what’s next?” A help messageA help message Usability testing!Usability testing!


And ask yourselfAnd ask yourself

Can users find it easily from your state’s Can users find it easily from your state’s Home Page?Home Page?


Translation: More important than Translation: More important than everever

Take as much care as with the English Take as much care as with the English originaloriginal

Find the right translation company and Find the right translation company and designerdesigner

Provide a glossaryProvide a glossary QA your translationsQA your translations Field test in every language!Field test in every language!


Field Testing on a shoe stringField Testing on a shoe string

Prepare, and develop unbiased questionsPrepare, and develop unbiased questions Choose 10-15 consumersChoose 10-15 consumers Do informal one-on-one interviewsDo informal one-on-one interviews Be appreciative and uncriticalBe appreciative and uncritical Protect privacyProtect privacy Watch and learn; look for trendsWatch and learn; look for trends


Field Testing Check ListField Testing Check List

ConfidentialityConfidentiality Why is this going to help?Why is this going to help? This is not a test!This is not a test! Reading out loud rulesReading out loud rules Avoid filling silencesAvoid filling silences Don’t give your opinionDon’t give your opinion ProbeProbe CheckCheck Use the protocol as a Use the protocol as a guideguide


Final words of advice:Final words of advice:

Be persuasiveBe persuasive Be persistentBe persistent Please the content experts AND the Please the content experts AND the

readers!readers!

Covering Kids & Families March/April 2004 Simplifying Program Materials Penny Lane, The Center for...

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