From Confusing to Clear: The Magic of Experts by Experience in Easy Read

Panels of Experts by Experience: the Secret Ingredient to Better Easy Read Materials?

Have you ever looked at an Easy Read document and thought, This doesn’t feel all that… easy? You’re not alone. A lot of so-called Easy Read materials still miss the mark. They’re packed with simplified language and pictures, sure—but somehow they still leave the people that really need them very confused or struggling to make sense of the information.

Why? Because Easy Read isn’t just about “simplifying”—it’s about meeting people where they are. And here’s the kicker: you can’t do that properly without the people you’re trying to reach. This is where Experts by Experience—and co-production—come in.

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Why Co-Production Changes Everything

If you’re not familiar with co-production, let me give you the quick version. It’s not about asking for feedback once you’re done. It’s about rolling up your sleeves and working alongside the people your materials are meant to serve from the very start.

Experts by Experience are at the heart of this. They’re the people who’ve lived the challenges you’re trying to address, whether that’s navigating confusing forms, struggling with language barriers, or grappling with complex healthcare info.

Co-production with a panel of Experts by Experience ensures that the end product actually works. Without it, you’re flying blind. Sure, you might think you’ve written something accessible, but until it’s tested and shaped by the people who need it, you’ll never know for sure.

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What Happens Without Experts?

Here’s where it gets real. If you try to create Easy Read materials without involving Experts by Experience, you end up with documents that might look accessible but still fail to do the job. Let me give you a few examples of how this happens:

• Simplified Language That Misses the Point: You might swap out a complicated word for an easier one, but is the meaning still clear? I’ve seen “simplified” sentences that end up being vague or confusing because no one thought to ask, Does this actually make sense to someone who struggles with reading?

• Visuals That Don’t Translate: Pictures are great, but only if they’re meaningful. Without input from Experts by Experience, you might choose images that don’t resonate—or worse, confuse people even more.

• Jargon in Disguise: Here’s a big one. Even when you strip out the obvious jargon, some of the assumptions baked into formal documents remain. Words like “support services” or “eligibility criteria” might seem clear to a professional, but for someone outside that world? They’re still jargon.

Without a panel of Experts by Experience, these issues slip through the cracks. The result? Documents that claim to be Easy Read but leave people feeling frustrated and excluded.

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Why Experts by Experience Make all the Difference

Here’s the thing: you can’t guess your way to accessibility. Experts by Experience know where the roadblocks are because they’ve hit them themselves. They know what works and what doesn’t. When you bring them into the process through co-production, they help you catch the blind spots you didn’t even realize you had.

I’ve seen this magic in action. Take the time we were working on a guide to health issues. The simplified ‘transcription’ of the original document that had been put together (ready for the relevant Easy Read images to be selected) looked fine—until our panel of Experts by Experience got their hands on it.

They pointed out that while the sentences were short and the words simple, the way the information was organized didn’t make sense to them. They suggested breaking it down even further, with much clearer and more familiar phrases. It wasn’t because the words were wrong; it was about how the intended ideas just didn’t come across to them.

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Co-Production: The Gold Standard

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that co-production isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s essential. It’s the difference between guessing what people need and actually knowing. And the best part? It’s a two-way street. Experts by Experience aren’t just helping you—they’re also empowered by the process. They get to see their insights make a tangible difference, which is incredibly meaningful.

Of course, co-production takes effort. It means being open to criticism, putting your assumptions aside, and investing time in collaboration. But the payoff is worth it: materials that genuinely work for the people they’re designed for.

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Let’s Stop Pretending to Know Best

Here’s my challenge to anyone working on public communication: stop pretending you can create accessible materials on your own. You can’t. No amount of readability tests or professional know-how can replace the insight of lived experience. If you really want your Easy Read materials to be effective, you need to stop guessing and start listening.

Panels of Experts by Experience aren’t just helpful—they’re transformative. They turn the process into a true collaboration, where everyone’s expertise (both lived and learned) is valued. And in the end, you get materials that don’t just check the “accessibility” box—they actually help people.

So, the next time you’re asked to create an Easy Read document, ask yourself: Have I involved the real experts? If the answer is no, maybe it’s time to start.