Why chooseEn Clair?
Hello, prospective client! Do you have questions about our services and whether they're right for you? Here are some answers to your most frequently asked questions.
What isEn Clair's area of expertise?
I’d describe us as a mix of information designer, content architect, communications expert, and legal expert who makes complex concepts accessible. A non-traditional profile, in other words!
In practical terms? Let's illustrate the point.
You work for a large company. As part of your job, you’re required to periodically review the content of certain documents that are central to your service offering. Most of these documents have been in use for years. They’re long, dense, and complex. While everyone agrees that this content needs a thorough review, no one knows where to start.
That's whereEn Clair comes in.
We tailor your content to meet your needs and those of your users. When you hire us, you’re investing in expertise, experience, and ideas.
Who are our customers?
I had some fun putting together two fictional profiles that are pretty representative of our clients! If you recognize yourself in one of the personas described, chances are we can help you achieve your goals.
Christine Mongeau, 52
Title: Assistant Vice President, Legal Affairs
Industry: Insurance
Number of employees at the company in Quebec: 1,500
Responsibilities: Immediate supervisor of the company's legal counsel
His daily work routine:
Juggling a thousand and one problems
He's running out of time
Considers itself to be at the service of all other departments within the organization
His risk tolerance is limited
Wants to innovate, but not too much!
Has clear decision-making authority
Is limited in its actions by a large number of organizational constraints (financial and IT-related, among others)
His motto: “Discipline above all else”
We chose En Clair for several reasons:
New regulatory requirements are forcing it to simplify certain existing content
Internal efforts to simplify the content have yielded mixed results
There are significant tensions between the departments expected to collaborate on this type of initiative
Lack of time
Bachar Kessous-Lapointe, 41
Title: Senior Director of Marketing, Communications, and Business Development
Industry: Public Services / Government Agency
Number of employees in the organization: 2,500
Responsibilities: Is responsible for developing content aimed at citizens
His daily work routine:
The content for which he is responsible is developed in collaboration with several departments
Sometimes has to go through several levels of the hierarchy to get a decision
Deplores the systemic complexity present in the work environment and in documents
Advocates for changes to promote a user-centered approach
They have great ideas, but they aren't always met with an open mind
His motto: “My main client is the citizen.”
We chose En Clair for several reasons:
No one on his team has expertise in simplification (clear and effective communication)
Seeks to bring service design to life in the execution of its projects
Would like to seek the opinions and advice of consultants regarding certain writing practices
Provide impetus for the implementation of new practices within the organization
What kinds of projects do we take on?
Here are three examples of projects we frequently undertake. Needless to say, each project has its own unique characteristics. We adapt to your specific situation and needs.
Take the simplification work carried out by an internal team to the next level
An in-house team at Company X was tasked with revising the content of a contract provided to all customers during a transaction. The team’s objectives were to update the document and simplify it.
The work was carried out with great care, but the contract remains very complex and cumbersome. The in-house team has reached the limits of its expertise and would like to enlist the services ofEn Clair to improve upon the work that has already been done.
Our Services
Evaluate the final document (findings, recommendations, presentation of results)
Implement the recommendations from the diagnostic report
Simplify a set of documents that are related to one another
An organization has hired En Clair to work on simplifying a set of six interrelated documents. These documents need to be simplified quickly in preparation for the launch of a marketing campaign in a few months.
Our Services
Analyze the context in which these documents are used (the needs they address, how they are used, the challenges encountered, etc.)
Revise the document structure (rethink the content of documents so that they meet the needs of users and staff)
Simplify documents (in multiple versions)
Test
Customized training followed by coaching
Company X has asked En Clair to train a group of people on the principles of clear and effective communication (legal affairs, communications, customer service, etc.).
These individuals will need to incorporate these concepts into their writing practices.
Our Services
Provide personalized training on the principles of clear and effective communication using examples drawn from their documents
Support internal teams through ad hoc advice, targeted proofreading, or group coaching
What is our approach to simplification?
When En Clair is asked to thoroughly review documents with the goal of drastically simplifying them, we naturally estimate the number of hours that will need to be invested in this process. Here is a typical simplification process.
Understanding Needs and Content
This step allows us to get to know you better—your needs, your challenges, and your approach—as well as the context in which the documents we’ll be working on will be used.
We also need to understand the content we’ll be simplifying. We need to familiarize ourselves with your business field in order to simplify it. We take extensive notes and ask a great many questions.
To complete this step:
In-person meetings (management team, legal affairs, customer service, etc.)
Phone calls to clarify certain aspects of the content
Reviewing reports, usage statistics, and documented issues related to content elements that need to be simplified
Review of the legal framework, as necessary: laws, regulations, directives, or policies
Restructure the content
A complex document often has structural flaws. Before simplifying all the content elements in detail, we take a broader look at the document's structure.
We review the organization of information (information design), the order in which this information is presented, the hierarchy of headings, and so on.
En Clair 's initial recommendations focus on information architecture. We reorganize content so that it serves the user and quickly addresses their needs and questions.
We typically propose substantial changes at this stage. We present everything to you and seek your approval before moving on to the next step.
Write content that is clear and simple
The monk's work begins here.
We work on several versions of a piece of content. Three versions are usually sufficient.
Version 1 is the one that requires the most effort and time from theEn Clair team:
Adding missing information to aid understanding
Removal of Duplicate Messages
Simplification of the sentences and words used
Visualizing Certain Concepts
Form Review
In short, a brand-new document is taking shape. The messages contained in the original document haven’t disappeared—they’ve simply been put through our clarification and simplification process. Rest assured! The document’s legal validity remains intact.
Versions 2 and 3 allow you to refine your work.
Issues arise during the fiscal year that require the company to take a stance and make changes to its content.
Some messages are deemed unnecessary and are removed in version 2 or 3.
Elements simplified by En Clair reveal misunderstandings and inconsistencies, etc.
Content Workshops
The simplification process is carried out in close collaboration with your team members. You remain the experts in your business area! We will therefore reach out to you as needed.
After Version 1 is submitted, a content workshop should be scheduled betwe En Clair , and your team. This workshop is an ideal opportunity to explain certain decisions that have been made, ask questions, challenge certain elements, share feedback, and make decisions.
Work on Version 2 will begin following this first workshop. A second content workshop will follow the release of Version 2.
How long can the simplification process take?
It all depends on the project!
If you want the best possible result— level 3 simplification—it usually takes between 3 and 6 months. That said, there are both expedited and long-term options.
Your ability to respond quickly to our needs and requests has a huge impact on the completion time.
How much does this process cost?
The real question is this: What is it costing you right now not to have started sooner? There is a huge cost associated with managing complexity.
One thing is for sure: we're much cheaper than private-practice lawyers!
We usually provide a quote shortly after receiving the documents from our clients. We primarily charge by the hour or on a flat-rate basis.
Please feel free to ask us for an estimate.
Where should I start?
It's easy. Every client started by just having a chat with us.
Learn More
Discover our service for simplifying your complex content.
Sign up for our training course, “The Art of Clear Communication and Information Design.”
