Limit Jargon

The excessive use of jargon makes it difficult for the public to receive the Department's messages. Planning touches on many disciplines, including architecture, engineering, environmental science, data analysis, and geography. If you were to combine the specialized terms each field uses, there is a tremendous amount of jargon (in addition to planning-specific jargon) that may be unknown or confusing to the public we serve.

To be clear, not all jargon is bad. Sometimes, it is necessary to efficiently describe a complex concept. And as language continuously evolves, specialized jargon can come into common usage because it conveys a specific meaning better than any others (such as "gentrification").

We place additional barriers for the public when unnecessary jargon is embedded with an academic or bureaucratic style of writing. While bureaucratic and academic writing certainly have their place, a well-written plain language document is understandable to scholarly researchers, planning professionals, and County residents alike.

Tips:

Use the Plain Language Thesaurus for alternatives to words or phrases, including planning-specific phrases.
Don't know if you should use a certain phrase in your project? Use the technical jargon decision tree to help you decide.