2011 ClearMark Award Winners
The ClearMark Awards are given to the best plain language documents and web sites. They are judged by a panel of international experts, following a strict set of criteria. Revised documents were judged on not just the quality of the final document, but also the quality of improvement. These finalists were selected from several entries.
The 2011 Grand Prize ClearMark Winner
Internal Revenue Service and Siegel+Gale
IRS Notice Improvement Project 2010
Simplified IRS Notices
Additional Child Tax Credit: Before and After
Account Notice: Before and After
Very easy to find instructions and follow them. Effectively uses “we” and “you” to clearly and personally identify the party who has the duty. Active voice and clear, concise language used throughout. Solid use of descriptive, bolded headings. Good use of white space, bulleting, and bold type for items within main headings.
Website / Dynamic Media: Non-Profit
ClearMark Category Winner
Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota
State Recount Laws Searchable Database
Overview page clearly organized and well-structured, using descriptive, clearly marked headings. Language is generally active and clear. Authors are clearly knowledgeable about various recount laws and nuances between states’ recount laws.
Website / Dynamic Media: Public Sector
ClearMark Category Winners
Texas.gov
Texas.gov
Great presentation of the search function, front and center. Great categories for the users, great plain language. Easy-to-spot top tasks in the top left corner. Site avoids unnecessary graphics. Very helpful icons directing users to relevant information.
National Archives and Records Administration, Web Program
National Archives
Good job identifying key audiences and knowing what they want. Top tasks are easy to find. Home page and most topic portal pages fit on one screen. Very clean look and feel. The site carries top-level navigation to secondary sections. A very simple-to-use site!
Other Winners:
- Internal Revenue Service, Recruitment Office
IRS Careers - National Cancer Institute, Office of Communication and Education
AccrualNet - U.S. Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Federal Energy Management Program Training - Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board
Thrift Savings Plan
Website / Dynamic Media: Private
ClearMark Category Winner
Aetna
Aetna Benefits Advisor
This is a very clever website. Script is easy to understand and dialog has a nice, friendly tone. Follow up emails were easy to understand and use. Animations were great.
Other Winners:
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement Marketing
Medicare Made Clear Video - National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging
Go4Life - Health Dialog
Growing Older Web (requires login)
Original Document: Non-Profit
ClearMark Category Winner
Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy
Horowitz Center for Health Literacy Brochure
Large headings, good use of color, good font size. Photos help to make information accessible. Information design, especially the use of color, makes hierarchy clear. Brochure creates a strong sense of trustworthiness, care and scientific rigor.
Other Winners:
- Healthwise, Healthwise® Workbooks
Healthwise® Workbook on Arthritis
Original Document: Public Sector
ClearMark Category Winner
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, and CommunicateHealth, Inc.
Lead Poisoning: Words to Know from A to Z
Easy-to-read item with language and design appealing to a wide audience, including those with poor literacy skills.Offers calls to action and is likely a piece readers can use in everyday life.
Other Winners:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC Vital Signs
Vital Signs – Binge Drinking - National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Drug Facts Week
Drugs: Shatter the Myth - U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office on Women’s Health
The Environment and Your Health - U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office on Women’s Health
FAQs on Anxiety Disorders
Original Document: Private
ClearMark Category Winner
JBS International, Inc. / Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center for: National Institute of Aging
Understanding Memory Loss
Invites a strong participatory response. Large-type page titles provide a simple structure. Table of Contents is clear and action-oriented. Many vignettes with short stories are engaging, set a humanistic tone, and carry the message. Very strong testing program.
Other Winners:
- JBS International, Inc. / Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center for:
National Institute of Aging
Frontotemporal Disorders: Information for Patients, Families, and Caregivers - UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement Marketing; Yamamoto Moss Mackenzie
Medicare Made Clear Answer Guide - Sun Life Financial Employee Benefits Group, Get to Know Sun Life, Plain Language Initiative
Sun Life Enrollment Kit – Employee Benefits
- Aetna
Plain Language Ads
- Healthy Advice Networks
Healthy Advice Magazine Fall/Winter 2010 - Health Dialog; The Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making
Growing Older, Staying Well (book)
Revised Document: Private
ClearMark Category Winner
CIGNA, Customer Experience Organization
Explanation of Benefits
Before and After
Audience and purpose are clear Information in revised version is laid out very clearly and is far superior to the original, especially the front page. Hierarchy of information is well signaled by appropriate heading and text styles.
Other Winners:
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement Marketing and Periscope, Inc.Medicare Part D Plan Guide
Before and After
- Aetna, Member Experiences Letters Redesign
Transition of Care Letter
After
- Aetna, Health Literacy Workgroup
Health Literacy/Plain Language employee intranet
Revised Document: Public Sector
ClearMark Category Winners
Internal Revenue Service and Siegel+Gale
IRS Notice Improvement Project 2010
Simplified IRS Notices
Additional Child Tax Credit: Before and After
Account Notice: Before and After
Very easy to find instructions and follow them. Effectively uses “we” and “you” to clearly and personally identify the party who has the duty. Active voice and clear, concise language used throughout. Solid use of descriptive, bolded headings. Good use of white space, bulleting, and bold type for items within main headings.
Department of Veterans Affairs Insurance Service
Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) Election and Certificate (SGLV 8286)
Before and After
Document’s clarity suggests that the authors want to make it easy for those filling out this form. It leaves few unanswered questions and appears very easy to use. Solid use of descriptive, bolded headings. Good use of white space, bulleting, and bold type for items within main headings
Other Winners:
- Judicial Conference Standing Committee on Practice and Procedure, and Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Evidence Rules
Restyled Federal Rules of Evidence - State Bar of Texas
Texas Pattern Jury Instructions: Admonitory Instructions
Before and After
Many thanks to our 2011 ClearMark Awards judges!
Meet the ClearMark Awards judges »
- Robert Linsky, Director of Judging
- Julie Clement
- Martin Cutts
- Wes Erwin
- Sandra Fisher-Martins
- Lynda Harris
- Candi Harrison
- Anne-Marie Hasselrot
- Jann Keenan
- Doug Lincoln
- Nad Rosenberg
- Michael Schwartz
- Paul Silva
- Cheryl Stephens
- Kath Straub
- Kara Zech Thelen
- Karel van der Waarde
- Rob Waller