Plain Language Review Template (ISO 24495-1)

Readers and task, review method, checklist by the four ISO 24495-1 principles, before/after measures, rewrite log, reader testing, sign-off, EU/UK/US examples

Rédaction & ContenuStandardISO 24495-1:2023 (cited); US Plain Writing Act of 2010plain language reviewMis à jour 29 oct. 2026

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Mode d'emploi: Use it when rewriting public-facing letters, notices, forms or web pages for clarity. Fill the readers and task section first, then work the checklist and log every change. The main pitfall is changing the legal meaning: have the subject or legal reviewer read the rewrite log.

Aperçu

Plain Language Review: [document or page name]

Plain language review record for public-facing text such as letters, notices, forms, web pages and instructions: readers and their task, a checklist organised by the four governing principles of ISO 24495-1:2023, Plain language, Part 1 (relevant, findable, understandable, usable), before and after measurements, a rewrite log, reader testing and accuracy sign-off. The standard is cited, not reproduced: every check below is original wording. Where a law requires plain writing, section 9 lists dated EU, UK and US examples. Replace every [bracketed] value and every row marked Example. This is a documentation format, not legal advice.

Document control

Field	Value
Review ID	[PLR-NNN]
Document reviewed	[name, version or URL]
Document owner	[@owner]
Plain language reviewer	[@reviewer]
Subject matter or legal reviewer	[@reviewer]
Status	[Draft / In review / Approved / Published]
Last updated	YYYY-MM-DD
Next review	YYYY-MM-DD or [when the underlying rule changes]

Revision history

Version	Date	Change	By
0.1	YYYY-MM-DD	Review started, readers and task defined	[@reviewer]
1.0	YYYY-MM-DD	Rewrite approved after reader testing	[@owner]

1. Readers, task and context

Item	Answer
Primary readers	[who, including language, literacy and access needs]
Secondary readers	[advisers, carers, translators, staff who answer calls]
Reader's task	[what the reader must know or do after reading]
Context of use	[device, place, time pressure, emotional state]
Consequence of misunderstanding	[missed payment, lost benefit, safety risk]
Channel and format	[letter, email, web page, form, SMS]
Languages and translation	[source language, target languages]

Example: Ferncliff Water Authority (fictional) sends a late payment notice to household customers. Primary readers are account holders, including people who read English as a second language and people in financial difficulty. The task is to pay by the due date or call before it to arrange a payment plan. Misunderstanding can lead to a fee and a supply restriction, so the notice is tested with readers (section 6).

2. Review method

Confirm readers and task (section 1) with the document owner.
Check relevance and structure first (principles 1 and 2).
Rewrite sentences and words (principle 3), logging each change.
Check usability: actions, layout and accessibility (principle 4).
Measure before and after (section 4).
Test with readers (section 6) and revise.
Obtain accuracy and legal sign-off (section 7), then publish.

3. Checklist by principle

3.1 Relevant: readers get what they need

ID	Check	Result
PL-R-01	The purpose of the document is clear in the first two sentences	[Pass / Fail / N/A]
PL-R-02	Everything the reader needs for the task is included
PL-R-03	Content the reader does not need is removed or moved to an annex
PL-R-04	The document type suits the task (letter, form, guide, FAQ)
PL-R-05	The tone suits the reader's situation and the relationship

3.2 Findable: readers can easily find what they need

ID	Check	Result	Note
PL-F-01	The most important information comes first
PL-F-02	Headings are informative (say what the section tells or asks)
PL-F-03	Related information is grouped; one topic per section
PL-F-04	Deadlines, amounts and contact details stand out visually
PL-F-05	Long documents have a contents list or summary

3.3 Understandable: readers can easily understand it

ID	Check	Result	Note
PL-U-01	Words are familiar to the readers; technical terms are explained on first use
PL-U-02	Sentences are short and carry one main idea
PL-U-03	Active voice names who does what, unless the actor is unknown
PL-U-04	The reader is addressed as "you" and the organisation as "we"
PL-U-05	One term is used for one thing throughout
PL-U-06	Numbers, dates and amounts are written in a consistent, unambiguous form
PL-U-07	Abbreviations are spelled out on first use or avoided

3.4 Usable: readers can easily use it

ID	Check	Result	Note
PL-S-01	Actions are stated as instructions, in the order the reader does them
PL-S-02	The reader knows what happens next and who to contact
PL-S-03	Layout, font size and contrast support reading (WCAG 2.2 SC 1.4.3 for web text)
PL-S-04	Headings and lists use real structure, not visual formatting only (WCAG 2.2 SC 1.3.1)
PL-S-05	Link text says where the link goes (WCAG 2.2 SC 2.4.4)
PL-S-06	Readers have tested the document and succeeded at the task (section 6)

4. Before and after measurements

Measure	Before	After	Note
Words in passage	[N]	[N]
Sentences	[N]	[N]
Average words per sentence	[N.N]	[N.N]
Longest sentence (words)	[N]	[N]
Passive constructions	[N]	[N]
Undefined technical terms	[N]	[N]
[Readability score, tool and version]	[score]	[score]	[indicative only]

Example: The payment paragraph of the Ferncliff notice.

Measure	Before	After
Words in passage	87	68
Sentences	3	6
Average words per sentence	29.0	11.3
Longest sentence (words)	42	19
Passive constructions	4	0

The rewrite is 22% shorter (19 fewer words out of 87), and the average sentence length fell from 29.0 to 11.3 words.

5. Rewrite log

ID	Location	Before	After	Check	Reason
[RW-NNN]	[section, paragraph]	[original text]	[new text]	[PL-x-NN]	[why]
RW-001 (Example)	Payment paragraph, sentence 1	"Please be advised that in accordance with the provisions of the Customer Charter, failure to remit the outstanding balance indicated above within the period specified herein may result in the imposition of a late payment fee and the possible suspension of service."	"Please pay 84.20 by 15 March. If you pay late, we will add a late fee of 5.00 and we may stop your water supply."	PL-F-01, PL-U-02, PL-U-03	Action and deadline first; one idea per sentence
RW-002 (Example)	Payment paragraph, sentence 2	"Customers who are experiencing financial hardship are encouraged to make contact with the Authority prior to the due date in order that consideration may be given to the establishment of an alternative payment arrangement."	"If you cannot pay in full, call us on 0100 555 0199 before 15 March. We can set up a payment plan."	PL-U-03, PL-U-04, PL-S-02	Speak to the reader; say who acts and how to get help
RW-003 (Example)	Payment paragraph, sentence 3	"Payments may be made by any of the methods listed overleaf."	"You can pay online, by phone or at our office. The ways to pay are on the back of this letter."	PL-U-01, PL-U-03	"Overleaf" is unfamiliar to many readers; name the methods
RW-004 (Example)	Heading	"Notice of Arrears"	"You have a bill to pay by 15 March"	PL-F-02	Heading states the message, not the document type

6. Reader testing

Item	Plan
Method	[task-based interview / paraphrase test / remote unmoderated test]
Participants	[N, recruited how, matching which reader profile]
Tasks	[find the amount, find the deadline, say what happens if late, say how to get help]
Success criterion	[Example: at least 5 of 6 participants complete each task without help]
Accessibility	[screen reader users, large print, translated version]
Consent and privacy	[consent form, no personal data in notes]

Task	Round 1 result	Problem seen	Change	Round 2 result
[task]	[N of N succeeded]	[what went wrong]	[RW-NNN]	[N of N]
Example: Say what happens if you pay late	3 of 6	Readers did not link "suspension of service" to their water supply	RW-001	6 of 6

7. Accuracy, legal and accessibility sign-off

Meaning of every changed passage confirmed by the subject expert
Legal or policy reviewer confirms obligations, rights and deadlines are unchanged
Amounts, dates, phone numbers and links checked against the source
Accessible version checked (structure, alt text, contrast, PDF tags)
Translations commissioned from the approved text, not the old one
Templates and systems that generate the text updated

Role	Name	Decision	Date
Subject expert	[name]	[Approved / Changes needed]	YYYY-MM-DD
Legal or policy reviewer	[name]		YYYY-MM-DD
Document owner	[name]		YYYY-MM-DD

8. Findings summary and follow-up

Item	Detail
Checks failed before rewrite	[N of N]
Checks failed after rewrite	[N of N]
Reader testing outcome	[summary]
Open items	[item, owner, due date]
Lessons for the style guide	[rule to add to `writing/style-guide`]

9. Legal requirements: dated examples

Jurisdiction	Instrument or guidance	What it covers	Official source
United States	Plain Writing Act of 2010, Public Law 111-274 (approved 13 October 2010)	Federal executive agencies must use plain writing in covered documents (documents needed to obtain a federal benefit or service or file taxes, that explain such benefits, or that explain how to comply with a federal requirement; regulations are excluded). Section 6 states the Act is not subject to judicial review.	https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/PLAW-111publ274
United Kingdom	GOV.UK content and publishing guidance, writing guidelines (Government Digital Service)	Writing standards for content published on GOV.UK; guidance rather than statute	https://guidance.publishing.service.gov.uk/writing-to-gov-uk-standards/writing-guidelines/
European Union	How to write clearly, European Commission Directorate-General for Translation (2011)	Guidance for Commission staff; some EU laws separately require information to be clear and intelligible, so check the specific instrument	https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/c2dab20c-0414-408d-87b5-dd3c6e5dd9a5

Check the current official text and ask a qualified professional before relying on any row for compliance. This is not legal advice.

10. References

ISO 24495-1:2023, Plain language, Part 1: Governing principles and guidelines (first edition, 2023). Official text: ISO, purchase or licensed access: https://www.iso.org/standard/78907.html. This template names its four governing principles and does not reproduce its text or guidelines.
W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, W3C Recommendation, 12 December 2024: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/ (success criteria 1.3.1, 1.4.3, 2.4.4; 3.1.5 Reading Level is Level AAA).
Plain Writing Act of 2010, Public Law 111-274: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/PLAW-111publ274

Standard and licence note

Structure aligned with the four governing principles of ISO 24495-1:2023 (relevant, findable, understandable, usable), which are named and paraphrased only; the checklist, method and examples are original wording. Legal examples are based on the Plain Writing Act of 2010 and public government guidance as checked in October 2026. Check the current official versions before relying on them. This is not legal advice. Template licence: MIT.

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