News of Joanna Richardson

Joanna Richardson

Joanna Richardson is a clear communications consultant. A British native, Joanna is an Argentine citizen who has made her home in Buenos Aires. She is president of Plain Language International Association (PLAIN, plainlanguagenetwork.org).

Clear Communications

Get out of your comfort zone: recharge your creative batteries

06-07-2019 19:03 An unconventional architecture tour helps clear the mind of any preconceptions about the Caballito neighborhood and starts a total reboot of the way we perceive the city we live in.

by Joanna Richardson

Rosanne Bostock (far left) and volunteers from the NGO she co-founded and has been working at for the last 13 years, OxClean. The charity aims to keep Oxford tidy.

CLEAR COMMUNICATIONS

Storytelling: using narrative to engage

17-04-2019 16:40 It's only when a speaker or writer creates an emotional connection with a story that the audience can relate to what they are saying and, what is also important, remember it later on.

by Joanna Richardson

There is nothing wrong with using acronyms or indeed some jargon but it is not advisable when used institutionally as it alienates anyone not in the know.

CLEAR COMMUNICATIONS

Showing you are part of a tribe: acronyms and jargon

11-03-2019 16:50 Just like the clothes, hairstyle and tattoos we have can show that we are part of a tribe, so does the language we speak.

by Joanna Richardson

WhatsApp is a great tool for keeping in touch with friends and family, especially with groups. But how effective is it for work?

CLEAR COMMUNICATIONS

WhatsApp for work: an effective communication tool?

30-01-2019 12:18 Its use in Argentina is endemic and WhatsApp is a great tool for keeping in touch with friends and family, especially with groups. But how effective is it for work?

by Joanna Richardson

Another 12 months have drawn to a close and it's that time of year when many of us take a moment to reflect upon how the last year went for us and what the New Year will bring with it.

CLEAR COMMUNICATIONS

New endings

08-01-2019 15:55 Endings are important. For a reader to be satisfied, a good ending needs to connect to the beginning and tie up your piece of writing.

by Joanna Richardson

In English it does look as though the time when we can choose not only our title, but also our pronoun has arrived. It now appears that singular “they” is here to stay.

CLEAR COMMUNICATIONS

Gender-neutral pronouns in English: using the singular 'they'

21-11-2018 14:41 I believe that we are currently in the middle of another important language change which also has to do with identity: gender-neutral pronouns.

by Joanna Richardson

Built in a neo-Gothic style in the 1930s, work on the La Plata cathedral was interrupted when it was suspected that the structure was not strong enough to support its two towers.

CLEAR COMMUNICATION

Building solid structures to engage our readers

18-10-2018 08:00 When writing, use the structure that is most appropriate for your needs and the one which you think will engage your reader best. If you end up with an unusual result, it may actually be more appealing – as long as the solid structure is there.

by Joanna Richardson

Clear Communications

Create a connection and get off to a strong start

18-09-2018 13:12 How can we engage our readers so that they carry on reading what we have so painstakingly written?

by Joanna Richardson

Who could have imagined back then, that in 2018 we would be typing not just on keyboards but mainly on the touchscreens of devices that are the size of our hands?

Clear Communications

Future-proofing writing skills: from typewriter to tablet

27-08-2018 15:25 Just as we read differently from how we used to, we need to learn to write differently too. We need to write more clearly and concisely for a new type of reader.