Communication (Developing)

70% on-the-job learning

• Read the Policy Project’s guidance on Writing for Ministers and Cabinet.
• Understand and apply the Plain Language Act (see Plain Language Act 2020: Guidance for agencies).
• Understand that by relaying experiences, stories make it easier for audiences to understand.
• Practise ‘storylining’ techniques by setting out the evidence, reasoning and drawing conclusions.
• Judiciously use metaphors and imagery as devices to help explain complex ideas or situations.
• Read your organisation’s style guidance and processes for the type of document you are developing.
• Understand and apply the templates, formats, and quality standards for different policy ‘products’.
• Review examples of written advice, verbal discussions and presentations to get a feeling of tone, language and appropriate format for the audiences.
• Look for opportunities to produce a different kind of written product than what you have previously done.
• Verbally present to your peers, team or others outside your agency.
• Ask your manager or senior colleagues whether you can help them by preparing a summary, report or paper.
• Peer review work using guidance to practice the skills for different communication products.
• Learn more about how to make your work accessible, including familiarising yourself with the accessibility requirements for our work (see Accessibility and Designing for web accessibility).
• Learn how to use the online Contrast Checker by WebAim to make sure the colour contrasts between text and background meet accessibility requirements.
• Read The Accessibility Charter and associated resources.

20% learning from others 

• Ask the team about the feedback given by quality assurance panels on your agency’s policy advice. 
• Seek feedback, coaching, or peer review on your communication style (both written and verbal) from more experienced colleagues or your manager.
• Ask your peer reviewer to provide feedback on your approach, and use of evidence and reasoning.
• Use peer review opportunities to debrief with your peer reviewer to apply lessons learned.
• Set up an informal discussion on a topical issue to practise how you communicate and respond to issues.
• Shadow or observe a more experienced colleague at meetings with different audiences, and debrief them afterwards on how they handled difficult questions or challenging audiences.

10% formal learning

• Attend internal training sessions or seminars on policy writing.
• Take an effective writing course or communications course.
• Take training in ‘storytelling’ approaches to shape communication products (e.g. Infographics: Telling stories with pictures by Write Limited).
• Take a presentation skills course.
• Take te reo Māori lessons to build your ability to communicate in te reo Māori.