Agencies have made strides in writing federal documents in a simpler and more straightforward way in the more than two years since the Plain Language Writing Act was signed into law. Contractors and the public slowly are finding it easier to understand their writing.

Robert Agnello, the deputy chief in the Web and Creative Services Division of the Defense Department’s TRICARE Management Activity, said a few tips and techniques have emerged over the last few years to help agencies further improve this process.

Agnello, who is teaching a course on plain writing Wednesday for TRICARE, said at a recent conference that agencies have more of a reason to write more simply and clearly since the law.

“People are taught to write more complex because it seems smarter. We are taught that in high school, college and graduate school, so people want to use the skills they’ve learned. But, what we fail to realize is it’s not always the professor who is reading your writing,” Agnello said. “We need to talk at a level everyone can understand and understand quickly and the first time, and you don’t have to do rework. It saves time and money.”

See: Federal News Radio

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