You have reviewed the drawings, checked the calculations and followed every regulation. When it is time to write a project summary, public notice or stakeholder update, the people reading it are residents, business owners, council members and reporters. Most of them will never open a specification.
Writing for a non-technical audience means giving those readers what they need to understand the project and how it affects them. It is a skill engineers and architects can learn.
Of Canadian adults aged 16 to 65 scored in the two lowest literacy levels in the 2022 international adult skills survey.
The Government of Canada requires plain language in its web content under the Directive on the Management of Communications.
Who Counts as a Non-Technical Audience?
Anyone who does not work in engineering, architecture or construction every day. That includes residents, elected officials, reporters, community leaders, small business owners, school administrators and public servants in non-technical roles. Lawyers, finance staff and other professionals also benefit from explanations without design jargon.
Three Common Mistakes
Too much jargon. Terms like "geotechnical investigation" or "mechanical integration" are everyday language on a project team and unfamiliar to most readers. Say "ground testing" or "equipment installation."
Too much detail. Every calculation and material specification matters to the project. Most readers want to know the timeline, how they will be affected, what they will get when it is done and who to contact.
Leaving out the human impact. Technical documents describe the structure. Readers want to know what changes for them, for example: "Expect construction noise between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m."
Five Steps to Clearer Writing
Who will read this, what do they already know and what are they worried about? A resident cares about access and noise more than structural design.
Are you informing, explaining a change, inviting input or responding to concerns? Cut anything that does not serve that goal.
Use short sentences and active voice. Explain any technical term you keep, and remove filler.
Organize around what is happening, when, why it matters and who to contact, so readers can scan for what they need.
Step 5: Add visuals where they help. A map of the detour route, a simple phase diagram or icons for noise, dust and closures can explain a change quickly. Our post on visual storytelling covers more ways to use visuals in engagement.
| Technical Version | Plain-Language Version |
|---|---|
| "We will implement pedestrian detour routing adjacent to the affected site boundary." | "We will set up a sidewalk detour next to the construction site." |
| "Excavation activities for subgrade preparation will commence as per phase 2 sequencing outlined in drawing C-142, contingent on site access clearance." | "We will begin digging and preparing the road base on Monday as part of phase 2. Work will start once the area is clear and safe." |
We turn technical reports, drawings and schedules into notices, web content and presentations the public can follow.
Explore Content and MessagingWhen to Bring in a Communications Specialist
On large or high-profile projects, a communications specialist can take on the public writing so the technical team can stay focused on design and delivery. That support can include translating technical reports into public summaries, drafting notices and news releases, preparing teams for open houses, designing print and digital materials and coaching technical staff who speak to the public. Our page for engineering firms describes how we work alongside project teams.
- Would someone outside the industry understand every sentence?
- Does the reader know what is happening and when?
- Have we explained why the work is needed?
- Are technical terms removed or explained?
- Is there a named contact for questions?
Need help explaining a technical project to the public?
We work with engineering and architecture teams across Alberta to write and design public-facing project materials.
