The Center for Plain Language announced Thursday, May 9, the winners of its 14th annual ClearMark Awards. The ClearMarks recognize the best in plain-language communications—in English, French, and Spanish—from government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private companies in North America.
Check Out 2024 ClearMark Award WinnersCategory: Apps
Winner: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “This is a T.E.S.T (Tabletop Exercise Simulation Tool): The Cooperative Board Game”
Praise from Judges:
“pairing of written and video instructions is great for increasing understandability”
“great work describing acronyms and lesser-known words”
“such a clever way to provide realistic (and fun, even!) practice for complicated scenarios”
Category: Before & After – Digital
Winner: Comcast: “WiFi Stateful Header in the Xfinity app”
Praise from Judges:
“great improvement here from the before material”
“incorporated real customer feedback to directly address user needs”
“text is kept brief, welcoming, and conversational”
Category: Before & After – Print
Winner: British Caribbean Insurance Company: “BCIC Max Motor Policy Booklet”
Praise from Judges:
“fantastic job of addressing [audience’s] needs in a clear and easy-to-follow way”
“process for testing and evaluation is fantastic”
“speaks to users in a way they can understand”
Category: Blog Posts & Summaries
Winner: US Government Accountability Office: “The WatchBlog”
Praise from Judges:
“structure is very clear, and transitions are outstanding”
“clear audience concern, identifies the problem, and then lays out the solutions”
“conversational style does not diminish the seriousness of the content or the professional, competent tone”
Category: Emails & Newsletters
Winner: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina: “Teladoc / Headway Teletherapy”
Praise from Judges:
“emails are well targeted…entry uses design very effectively”
“target specific caregiver concerns and then answer those concerns clearly and concisely, with actionable steps”
“measuring results is so important, and these are terrific statistics”
Category: French
Winner: En Claire Service-conseil and Territoires innovants en économie sociale et solidaire (TIESS): “Gabarit d’acte de fiducie”
Praise from Judges:
“the readers have been taken into account throughout the process”
“succeeds in orienting non-lawyers to be able to complete this complex task”
“various users are given clear guidance on how to fulfil their particular roles”
Category: Infographics
Winner: Atlantis Health and Bristol Myers Squibb: “Your AML Treatment Journey”
Praise from Judges:
“design is easy to follow, colorful, and upbeat”
“uses a sustained (but simple) metaphor to provide an overview of the treatment journey”
“tone is respectful, helpful, and appropriate while still keeping text direct and brief”
Category: Legal
Winner: En Clair and Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec: “Desjardins Access Card Terms of Use”
Praise from Judges:
“design elements meant to meet consumers’ needs…uncommon clarity and usability”
“graphics are imaginative yet practical and informative”
“user testing…reflected a true commitment to improving communication and meeting consumer needs”
Category: Longer Brochures
Winner: REI Systems Inc.: “REI Systems CX Playbook”
Praise from Judges:
“it is clear the designers care about CX/UX and put that knowledge to work”
“clear, cohesive, and consistent structure…easy to scan”
“uses color, emphasis, and imagery to excellent effect”
Category: Mailed Materials
Winner: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina: “Medicare Advantage Member Onboarding”
Praise from Judges:
“people can easily get what they need from the materials”
“great color and use of icons…everything is blended seamlessly”
“excellent tone and writing…materials are well designed and follow a logical flow”
Category: Posters, Charts & Fliers
Winner: Tonic by Highmark Health: “Highmark Employee Preventive Care Poster”
Praise from Judges:
“lets employees know what they can do, how to do it, and where to find the service”
“uses familiar words and (only a few) short sentences…QR code is clearly displayed with its purpose stated next to it”
“percent of filled appointments suggests that the poster had a positive impact”
Category: Shorter Brochures
Winner: Health Literacy Media and Incyte Corporation: “Learn About Clinical Trials Factsheets”
Praise from Judges:
“very appealing with excellent flow and structure…headers were helpful and clear”
“great job of talking to people directly using pronouns and imperatives…imagery complements the messaging”
“multiple rounds of testing and feedback to improve the fact sheets”
Category: Spanish
Winner: Maximus: “MI DHHS Medicaid Renewal Brochure – Spanish”
Praise from Judges:
“readers can find what they want with ease”
“every step is labeled to facilitate understanding of the information provided”
“combines all plain language best practices”
Category: Websites
Winner: CommunicateHealth and US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: “MyHealthfinder Anxiety Topics”
Praise from Judges:
“empathetic, focused, helpful, and well-designed”
“carefully considered the needs of the audience and want them to succeed”
“large section headings, helpful for readers scrolling to a particular section or topic”
Category: Grand ClearMark Award Winner
Winner: CommunicateHealth and US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: “MyHealthfinder Anxiety Topics”
Praise from Judges:
“incredibly strong on design…ext is large and visible, with lists, bolding, headings, and content chunking all used to improve scannability and navigability”
“site deftly manages a large volume of information and sub-topics without becoming cluttered or overwhelming”
“tone is warm, personable, empathetic, and helpful…word choices are everyday, natural, and accessible”
“great reported efforts on user testing for this entry, especially in the careful consideration of diversity among the test audience”