ANZ Corporate Responsibility website
"We needed to engage a copywriter to help refresh some web content relatively quickly. Angus did a fantastic job...his ability to take a brief and bring it to life in such a short timeframe is amazing."
> Belinda Wallin, Manager, Community Relations, ANZ
The brief
ANZ is one of Australia's top 10 listed companies and top 4 banks, with operations throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region. Angus Gordon of Usable Words was engaged to refresh the Corporate Responsibility site content to make it easier to read and navigate, more up to date, and easier to maintain. The refreshed site also had to reflect the group's changed branding guidelines, and its change in focus from a country-specific approach to a global approach.
What I delivered
The existing Corporate Responsibility site was difficult to navigate and maintain, because content had been added haphazardly over several years, with no consistency of approach or formatting. Usable Words streamlined and reorganised the content throughout the site. I developed a new content template, ensuring consistency across similar pages. I clearly separated static and changing content to make the content easier to update.
I also rewrote most of the content, making it easier to read, more consistent in branding, more focused on case studies and tangible results, and more up-to-date.
The result
With my help, ANZ now has a Corporate Responsibility website that provides a readable and accessible introduction to the group's many community and environmental initiatives. ANZ has subsequently engaged Usable Words for further work.
Victorian Registration & Qualifications Authority
Simplifying complex rules and procedures
The brief
The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) regulates all education providers in the State of Victoria, from schools and universities to parents home schooling their children. As part of a website redesign, they engaged Usable Words to rewrite most of their web content in plain English, and to contribute to fleshing out the site's information architecture.
What I delivered
The existing website was organisation-centric rather than user-centric. The content was difficult to navigate and even more difficult to read; it was often copied and pasted directly from legislation.
The project involved extensive rewriting of content, but even more important was my input into the structure of the site. Taking a very basic revised IA that the organisation had developed, I structured the content to create logical pathways through the complex tasks that users had to perform with the website's help, always keeping in mind that the site had to function for multiple audiences (students, parents and education providers).
The result
The VRQA accepted my content and my suggestions with only minimal changes. As a result, their new website will make it much easier for students, parents and providers to perform key tasks and understand complex legislation. This in turn will lighten the administrative burden on the organisation's staff.
New website launching soon
Victoria Teachers Credit Union
Simple, clear and consistent
The brief
One of Victoria's largest credit unions, Victoria Teachers Credit Union provides banking and finance services for the education community. They engaged Usable Words to write clear, concise, user-friendly upper-level content for index and summary pages throughout their redesigned website.
What I delivered
This large project involved deep research into the organistion, its customers and its brand values. Language and tone had to be consistent with existing marketing collateral, and the content had to fit strict design constraints.
During the briefing, I noticed that some aspects of the proposed site structure reflected organisational and marketing priorities rather than user needs. I was able to suggest some easy to implement but important changes to navigation and labelling that made it much easier for users to find the information they need.
The result
The Victoria Teachers Credit Union's new website makes it easy for users to accomplish tasks and access information, with clearly written, straightforward text that supports clean design and intuitive navigation.
Best Friends Pet SuperCentre
"I am REALLY happy with the copy you sent through. I am so pleased that your team has taken the time to understand the Best Friends concept and business. Great work!"
The brief
Best Friends Pet SuperCentre is a growing retail chain that brings a vast range of pet supplies, veterinary services, grooming, and obedience classes under one roof. Pixel Group was engaged to develop a new website for the company, and contracted Usable Words to provide the content.
What I delivered
The site needed a large amount of content written to very strict design constraints. At the same time, the content had to reflect the client's brand values: fun and friendly, with an understanding of pet owners' emotional attachment to their pets, and a cheeky sense of humour.
Although I was working as a contractor without direct contact with the client, I was able to quickly grasp the requirements and the essence of the brand. The client was delighted with the quality of the copy I produced.
The result
The website has been extremely successful at engaging the client's audience. I have since been engaged to write several other pieces of content for the website and for marketing emails.
Pan Australian Travel
Pinpoint targetting of niche audiences
The brief
Pan Australian Travel is a boutique travel agency located in Carlton, Melbourne. They engaged Usable Words to write copy for their new website, focusing on two key audiences: business travellers and upmarket leisure travellers.
What I delivered
The client had a clearly defined audience and point of difference from its competitors. They were not competing with discount agencies, and needed to emphasise the extra level of service they give to travellers looking for the best rather than the cheapest travel agency.
The copy I wrote focused on the key problems that Pan Australian Travel could solve for their audiences. For business travellers, that meant saving the time and hassle of dealing directly with airlines; for business travellers, it meant providing the indepth firsthand knowledge to put together a "dream holiday" without compromises.
The result
Pan Australian Travel now has a website that precisely targets the needs of its audiences, without hype or clutter. Feedback from customers and potential customers is that the website gives a very clear idea of what the business is about and how it is different from its competitors.
ANZ Reconciliation Action Plan report
"Angus did such a fantastic job [with our web content] that we then engaged him to help with a report brochure. Angus's ability to take a brief and bring it to life in such a short timeframe is amazing."
> Belinda Wallin, Manager, Community Relations, ANZ
The brief
ANZ is one of Australia's top 4 banks. In April 2007, ANZ became the first major Australian company to register a Reconciliation Action Plan, making concrete commitments aimed at improving the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Australians. Usable Words was engaged to produce content for a 12-page report reflecting on the achievements and lessons of the Reconcialiation Action Plan.
What I delivered
Timeframes for this project were very tight. I was responsible for over 80% of the report's content. I wrote the summary content, organised interviews for case studies, conducted the interviews and wrote the case studies, delivering a full draft nine days after the initial briefing.
Writing on Indigenous issues needs to take into account the priorities and sensitivities of many different stakeholders, and large organisations like ANZ have a complex approval process. Despite this, my first draft was accepted virtually without revisions.
The result
The final report "The journey so far..." was printed and publicly launched on 12 December 2009 - less than a month after the initial briefing.
Cooperative Research Centre for Spatial Infrastructure - Discussion Paper
"Angus has structured and developed a key strategic document for us from minimal initial source materials and with minimal oversight. He has provided a first rate document in terms of communication, clarity and style, and at the same time ensured our essential message and objectives are fully expressed. Great work,and great to work with."
> Bruce Thompson, Director Spatial Information Infrastucture, Department of Sustainability and the Environment
The brief
The Cooperative Research Centre for Spatial Infrastructure (CRC-SI) brings together key Australian government, academic and industry stakeholders in the fast-growing field of geospatial technology. Usable Words was engaged on the CRC-SI's behalf by the Victorian Department of Sustainability and the Environment to write a discussion paper arguing for a change in strategic research focus for the centre.
What I delivered
I came to this project with no previous knowledge of the field, but was able to quickly grasp the essentials of the field of spatial technology, as well as recent developments such as its integration with robotics.
Even more important was my ability to put together a coherent, well-structured argument, illustrated with clear examples and leading persuasively to the desired conclusion.
The result
The client accepted the document I delivered virtually without changes, apart from some minor technical details. They have a document that makes precisely the argument they wanted to make, without the enormous time investment that would have been required to produce it themselves.