Editing
Document Redesign
This document explaining Utah's drug and alcohol laws is the result of a substantive document redesign. Improvements have been made to the layout, style and information design to make the document more effective at conveying this important information. Additionally, the writing itself has also been edited to increase efficiency while preserving the delicate legal messages.
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The original document was aesthetically lacking to the point of appearing unprofessional. Additionally, there was little-to-no contrast between sections and elements. Aside from adding style elements (font, color, shapes), the document has been completely restructured. Readers are presented with logical categories and the dense material within each category has been separated into manageable chunks. The redesigned document looks much better aesthetically, but more importantly, it is also a much more functional information tool.
Comprehensive Technical Edit
This comprehensive edit focused on making a document set more efficient and reader-friendly. The document details telecommuting policies enacted in response to COVID-19 at a major university. Included is an email to the client that summarizes the changes made and the reasoning behind those choices.
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This original document was created in a hurry in response to the outbreak of the Pandemic in March 2020. This comprehensive edit focused on creating a more permanent guide appropriate for continuous use. Research, an awareness of the audience, and extreme attention to detail were all key to the success of this edit. Much of the information was out of date and all the information had to have its continued relevance verified with the client. The document was published on the University's intranet and purposed for University personnel only; so, the language was adapted to allow the assumptions of common knowledge among those working at the University. Still, this was a sensitive process as many of the topics covered here could have legal consequences if communicated poorly.
Print-to-Web Edit
Webcopy requires special attention to certain properties to be successful. Here, an article originally intended for print has been adapted for use on the web. Succinct and efficient phrasing, short paragraphs and clear headings have been employed to create an experience more suitable for web readers.
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The main challenge in this edit was the dramatic decrease in the word count required to transition this piece to webcopy while still delivering the same message. Efficient sentences and phrasing only go so far; some of it simply had to go. While those choices can be difficult, they are necessary. The article was analyzed as a whole and the elements least crucial to the overall message were eliminated or severely gutted, while those that were essential to move the article forward were largely preserved.