Kylie Mason, Ministry of Health
Winner: Best Plain English Technical Communicator 2013
Emily Cotlier, Awards judge and member of TCANZ (Awards sponsor) with Kylie Mason, Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Health
Judges' comment
This entry, on the medical side of technical communication, was a unanimous favourite with all the judges. We praise the clear Plain English language throughout; the balanced use of writing, graphics, and charts to present large amounts of information; and the teamwork behind its attractive presentation.
At its best, Plain English is nearly effortless for the reader, and seems as if it was effortless for the writer. For an entry laden with statistics and medical information to give this impression shows that it is a Plain English winner.
Media statement
I’m very pleased to be named a winner in the 2013 Best Plain English Technical Communicator category.
The reports entered in this category contain key statistics about the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders, from the 2011/12 New Zealand Health Survey. I enjoyed working with a wide range of people from the Ministry of Health, including technical and subject matter experts, to make these reports useful and accessible to a wide range of readers.
Our readers need clear and to-the-point information, so these reports aim to highlight key findings and to tell the story of the health of New Zealanders. I have personally loved the challenge of turning complex data into meaningful information in these reports, and making these statistics clear, relevant and easily understood. Presenting statistical information in a clear and engaging way helps our readers to better understand, connect with and use these health statistics.
Kylie Mason