What expertise do you need?

It is sometimes assumed that creating information is a straightforward task that can be done by anyone with reasonable writing skills. But it isn’t so. Creating better information requires a wide variety of different skills.

In order to produce effective information, it is necessary to have a strategic overview of issues, and be able to identify clear objectives and outcomes; to know the law and the practicalities of the process or problem; understand the needs of the audience; and have excellent writing and editing skills. If the information is a publication, it also needs to be designed with the needs of the audience in mind. It will then have to be promoted and distributed, and the whole project needs to be managed effectively.

It is unlikely - though not impossible - to find all these very specific skills in one person, which is why much of the best information is created by a team.

The editorial and project management role/s are crucial - the person playing this role (often in collaboration with experts and those working in frontline services) will research the need, set the objectives and outcomes, and determine the final shape of the information, as well as deal with timeframe and budgetary concerns.

The writer also has a crucial role to play; a talented writer can make even the most complicated or dull of legal processes or problems interesting and accessible.

Often the writer will work with experts and those in frontline services to ensure that the information is accurate and covers everything important.

Sometimes the expert will also be an excellent writer and capable of writing the information themselves - however, this is unusual. Experts are often deeply immersed in the detail of their subject and may not be best placed to get simple information across to a wide audience. Equally, a writer who lacks experience of legal issues will struggle to maintain legal accuracy while explaining complicated issues in simple terms. In our experience, the best writers are those who have a good overview of the issues, understand the needs of the audience, and can write well.

What they produce will need to be checked by a legal expert. The peer reviewer has to know the law but also understand the purpose of the publication and the needs of the audience. They aren’t being asked for a ‘legal opinion’ of the publication; rather they are checking it is legally accurate within the confines of what it is setting out to do.

In many cases, there will also be a need to use a skilled designer to ensure the information is presented in an effective way. The value of good design shouldn't be underestimated - especially when presenting complicated information. Skilled design can be very effective in helping to get complicated issues across clearly and comfortably.

Have you got time and resources to plan, edit, and pilot?

Even the simplest publication is a project in itself and requires careful planning and project management. All too often, information producers are asked to create information in a short time with a small budget, often with little warning. Understandably, this rarely produces excellent results.

There's a need to plan the project, research the needs of your audience, involve experts, write inventively, edit, check the accuracy, and design the publication. This all takes time.

Pre-launch testing is essential to be sure that the material works with your audience. The best practice is to pilot the information with members of the target audience and those that work with them - and then make appropriate changes.