Best practice guidelines for community legal information VLAF Online Legal Information Guidelines Joh Kirby Executive Director Victoria Law Foundation
About the Victoria Law Foundation • State statutory body • Focus on Victorians • Advocacy for plain language and communication skills for lawyers • Helping them understand the law • Grants • Education • And…
…information
What I will cover • VLAF online legal information guidelines • How they came about • Take you through the guidelines • Questions?
To start a question
Ever tried to find the answer to a legal question online? • Could you find what you wanted? • If you did, could you understand it? • Was it current? Could you tell? • Did it relate to your jurisdiction? • Did it tell you where to get more help? • Or did it make you want to…
VLAF Online Legal Information Guidelines • Developed to address these issues • Ultimately improve the quality of legal information available to the public online • Reduce duplication • Improve coordination
What does this have to do with plain language?
Effective communication • Plain language fundamentals • Online you need more • The whole picture
Their genesis • New government perceived duplication in community legal information • In December 2012 held a forum on issue (government, not-for-profits attended) • Some duplication, some necessary • Overall poor quality • Asks VLAF to consider issues and come back to them
Who is this VLAF? • Victorian Legal Assistance Forum • Made up of lead Victorian legal bodies • Share ideas • Coordinate • Allows for sector wide consideration of ideas
VLAF’s approach • VLAF establishes working group • Draws together experts in • Online communication • Communication • Representatives of key legal bodies
Objectives • Establishing best practice guidelines that set out standards for the development and distribution of resources that reduce duplication and improve efficiency. • Reference tools • Involve grant makers • Newsletter • Training
The Guidelines
Guideline 1 Conduct research before undertaking a new project
Guideline 1 Conduct research before undertaking a new project • Do other similar resources exist? • Is there a real need for the project? • CLEAR Database and Everyday-law.org.au, grant bodies
Guideline 2 Online legal information should be audience-focused
Guideline 2 Online legal information should be audience- focused • Who is your audience? • Tailor your project to your audience’s knowledge and skills • Consult with your identified audience - Don’t make assumptions - Use reference groups and evaluation
Guideline 2 Online legal information should be audience- focused • ‘Lead’ audience through information – simple to complex • Use plain language - Consider literacy levels - Provide contextual information
Guideline 3 Websites and other digital formats must meet appropriate usability and accessibility guidelines
Guideline 3 Usability and accessibility guidelines • Easy to use for all users - well designed, visually appealing • Accessible to users with a wide range of disabilities (WCAG 2.0, Level AA standards) • Evaluate and test at all stages to check that it meets your audience’s needs
Guideline 3 Usability and accessibility guidelines • Clear easy-to-use navigation -
Guideline 3 Usability and accessibility guidelines • Clear easy-to-use navigation - clear menus, prominent search tools
Guideline 3 Usability and accessibility guidelines • Clear easy-to-use navigation, clear menus, prominent search tools • Work on multiple browsers
Guideline 3 Usability and accessibility guidelines • Clear easy-to-use navigation, clear menus, prominent search tools • Work on multiple browsers • Designed to work on multiple formats
Guideline 3 Usability and accessibility guidelines • Clear easy-to-use navigation, clear menus, prominent search tools • Work on multiple browsers • Designed to work on multiple formats • HTML over PDFs
Guideline 4 Ensure the information is accurate
Guideline 4 Ensure the information is accurate • Check information is correct - Legal – use an appropriately qualified lawyer - Non-legal – don’t make assumptions • Use reference groups made up of relevant experts to assist
Guideline 5 The currency of the information should be clearly noted
Guideline 5 The currency of the information should be clearly noted • Include the date that the material is legally accurate to
Guideline 6 Maintain material
Guideline 6 Maintain your material • Review your content at least every 12 months • Let your audience know how often it is reviewed • Tell your audience the last date it was reviewed
Guideline 6 Maintain your material • Review your content at least every 12 months • Let your audience know how often it is reviewed • Tell your audience the last date it was reviewed • Review the effectiveness of your site - Google analytics - Ask your users
Guideline 7 The jurisdiction of the legal information should be clear
Guideline 7 The jurisdiction of the legal information should be clear • Tell your audience where the material relates to
Guideline 8 Link to other relevant resources
Guideline 8 Link to other relevant resources • Provide access to material produced by other organisations - Reduces duplication - Improves user experience • If linking to primary information explain its purpose
Guideline 9 Provide access to a legal glossary
Guideline 9 Link to a legal glossary • Explains unfamiliar words • Victoria Law Foundation has developed a plain language glossary that can be used by other organisations
Guideline 10 Use standard terms where possible
Guideline 10 Use standard terms where possible • Car/automobile (taxonomy) • Builds on knowledge • Gives your reader the best chance of understanding what they are reading
Guideline 11 Websites that contain community legal information should include information on how to obtain further advice and support
Guideline 11 How to obtain further advice and support • Stop the ‘referral roundabout’ • Not just legal advice • Need to include information on next steps • Range of services • Contact details (but check they are accurate)
Guideline 12 Raise awareness of new online legal information resources
Guideline 12 Raise awareness of new online legal information resources • Let people know what you have produced • Share your experience • Promote your publication to your audience • Host videos of YouTube (not just your website) • Search engine optimization (SEO) – meta data • Work cooperatively
In summary
In summary • Effective communication online must consider the whole picture • Small steps can make a big difference to your users • Tell people about the guidelines • Are you meeting the guidelines?
For more information www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/betterinformation •More information on guidelines •Resources for guidelines •Plain language database (Clarity Journal articles)
Questions? For more information visit: www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/betterinformation
Joh Kirby Executive Director Victoria Law Foundation jkirby@victorialawfoundation.org.au For more information visit: www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/betterinformation
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