Complexity checker — help with writing complex or technical information

Use the two checks below to help you write complex or technical information clearly.

Check 1: work out which features cause complexity

The three features of a document most likely to cause complexity are:

difficulty of topic
amount of information
technical language or jargon.

Use the triangle diagram on the right to plot the level of complexity of your documents. Copy the diagram, and rate your document from 1 (easy) to 5 (difficult) on the three features.

Examples of the triangle diagram in action

New Zealanders’ Spending Habits (red line) rates highly for each feature:

difficulty of topic = 5
amount of information = 4
technical language or jargon = 5.

Compare this to the other document, Credit Risk Rating Systems (blue line):

difficulty of topic = 1
amount of information = 4
technical language or jargon = 2.

Tip to relate the triangle diagram to your work

We recommend you plot one of your documents that is not very complex and one that is extremely complex. That way, you get a feel for the range of complexity your writing covers. You’ll be able to use those two documents as a benchmark for others that you write.

Check 2: deal with your specific features

Once you understand which of the three features apply to your document, choose the appropriate plain English techniques to make your information clearer.

Complexity feature	Plain English technique to apply
Difficulty of topic	Define the audience Define the purpose(s) for the document Create a reader profile to guide style and content choices Include only relevant content Provide context for increased relevance Break information into meaningful, well-structured chunks
Amount of information	Include only relevant content Define key messages Apply a clear, reader-focused structure that highlights key messages Break information into meaningful chunks with many informative headings Keep paragraphs relatively short and focused on one topic Use a layout that best communicates key messages
Technical language or jargon	Prefer words that are clear, familiar, and inclusive Question and reduce technical terms and jargon—use in-text definitions, glossaries, and context to convey meaning Use shorter, straightforward sentences with one main idea