Services in the language people understand

Language plays a key role in the encounters between the administration and customers. As services are becoming increasingly electronic, the issue is becoming even more emphasised. The language used on websites, familiar and comprehensible terminology, easy-to-scan presentation and logical way of advancing on the page help the customer understand the matter at hand and act correctly. Complexity, difficult and foreign expressions, and a fragmented and unclear structure confuse people and cause misunderstandings or even leave the customers entirely to their own devices. 

Section nine of the Administrative Procedure Act obliges the authorities to use “language that is clear, easy to understand and to the point”. Against this background, it is strange that civil servants are still criticised for using administratively oriented and obscure language, and for a good reason. 

Over the years, I have worked on several online services in the public administration, and the same phenomenon has reoccurred in all of them. Even though the website editors are skilled language professionals, the text that eventually ends up on the website, after several rounds of fact checks, is far from simple and easy to read. 

Expressions based on legal text simply do not work 

Experts emphasise the legality of the content and do not allow the use of simplified expressions. They do not want to leave anything open to interpretation but seek absolute correctness without any legal gaps. However, expressions based on legal texts results in no one understanding anything at all. 

This conflict has been excellently crystallised in Janne Löytänä and Katleena Kortesuo's book “Asiakaskokemus –  palvelubisneksestä kokemusbisnekseen” (In Finnish; Customer experience –  from service business to experience business): "When language aims at 100% accuracy, the result is 0% effectiveness. When there are too many terms, definitions, conditions and exceptions to exceptions, the customer may no longer be able to read, let alone understand what he or she is reading.” 

In other words, less nit-picking would in most cases produce better effectiveness. It would guide the customer to act sufficiently correctly in various situations. Use of clear and understandable language on an organisation's website reduces unnecessary contacts, need for advice, misunderstandings and the number of corrections. It is not an insignificant matter. 

Fine-tuning difficult terms with customers 

At Job Market Finland, we are now in an excellent situation. Even though the services of the employment and economic development administration are carrying some baggage from the past, we are now building a completely new online service. 

We have sincere intentions and an ambitious goal: Job Market Finland will use the language of ordinary people. We also have an unambiguous policy and guidelines on that issued by the senior management. It is a good starting point. Another good starting point is that we have a chance to work together with the future users of Job Market Finland. 

We have a number of customer and cooperation groups that are taking part in the development of the service in different ways. They are involved in defining the needs and brainstorming, we are testing prototypes with them and listening to the feedback they give. 

Now we have started a discussion with them about the terms and expressions we have recognized as complicated and difficult. We receive first-hand information on what would be the clearest way of addressing certain matters and what kind of words customers use themselves. At a later stage, they will be allowed to assess texts in a broader scale and to take a stand on the quality and comprehensibility of the content. 

Accessibility also requires use of easier language 

Online services of the public administration need to be easily available and accessible. It does not mean technical implementation alone but use of understandable language as well. The more clearly worded the content of the online service, the better it also serves those who have weaker language skills or who have any kind of difficulties with reading and writing. 

When we take accessibility into account and listen to the experiences and views our customers have, we have every chance of success. We hold on to our goal and build Job Market Finland in the language used by ordinary people. 

Merja Heinonen 
Senior Specialist, Job Market Finland