The Waimakariri District Council’s (WDC) Roading team asked us to undertake a project to improve the Land Transport Activity Management Plan (LTAMP) as part of a larger three-year planning process. This initiative aimed to enhance the LTAMP’s readability and make it more accessible to non-technical stakeholders, including decision-makers, non-roading WDC staff, media and community members. The primary objective was to ensure that the TAMP could be effectively used by various audiences, enabling greater comprehension and engagement with the document’s contents. The project set out to simplify complex information while maintaining the necessary technical detail, creating a resource that was both informative and easy to digest.

The project applied a strategy called “Storysizing®,” developed to cater to different audience needs by presenting the LTAMP in varying levels of detail. Storysizing® involved breaking down the LTAMP into multiple formats, ranging from concise summaries to in depth technical documents. For example, senior leaders received an executive summary, while engineers had access to detailed sections with comprehensive data. This approach allowed the Roading team to communicate effectively with each audience, ensuring they received the appropriate level of information for their specific needs and interests. The strategy emphasised the use of plain language, structured layouts and visuals to enhance readability and engagement.

Throughout the project, the team also focused on improving the document’s visual design and layout, incorporating white space, infographics and images to make the content more approachable. They used readability assessments and best-in-class examples to guide the design process, resulting in a document that was not only informative but also visually appealing and easier to navigate. By treating all audiences equally in the initial presentation and then tailoring sections to individual needs, the project ultimately created a more transparent, engaging and impactful LTAMP, better positioned to serve its purpose as a valuable resource for the WDC and its stakeholders.

‍