The Eindhoven Municipality wants to make its letters easier to read and be understood by as many of its residents as possible. They are, therefore, starting a trial with infographic letters.
In a press release, the City Council states, “About 15% of the population has great difficulty reading. This group appears to be growing.” The Eindhoven City Council will send out the first infographic letters this month. People whose passport or identity card are expiring soon will receive such a letter as a renewal reminder.
The infographic letter stems from the Heldere Communicatie (Clear Communication) motion. The Council unanimously adopted this motion last September. The Municipality has known about the Heldere Taal (Clear Language) programme for some time. They use it to train their employees to write in short, active sentences using simple language, wherever possible.
QR Code for audio
“The infographic letters also contain a QR code,” the press statement reads. “When the reader scans the QR code, they will be directed to an official webpage where they can listen to an audio version of the letter.”
The Rotterdam Municipality developed these infographic letters. They also tested them extensively among various target groups. The Eindhoven City Council hopes to build on Rotterdam’s knowledge and experience.
The Eindhoven trial will initially run for three months. During the trial, the Municipality will ask recipients of the letters and panels of people who have difficulty reading to give their opinion and rate their experience.
Source: Eindhoven Municipality
Translator: Nicole Cullinan
Editor: Melinda Walraven
