Building Better White Papers

July 7th, 2009

DFID

A quick link to some excellent work launched today by DFID highlighting their new White Paper on changes to the Government’s approach to tackling poverty around the world. The page, on their standard corporate CMS, manages to get you right into the issues via documentary-style videos, links to various ‘weights’ of content from the full PDF, a key points summary and materials for bloggers (like this rather nice image) via a PressItt SMNR.

Kenya - two men at phone kiosk

I really hope this is a sign of the future for major white papers – blending the downloadable PDF with a package of summary versions, background info, video and materials for people around the world who want to talk about the issues addressed.

It’s not the first bit of good work from the DFID e-comms team: as well as the engaging visual design of their corporate site, their Google Maps-based project info is clever and their array of bloggers and youth reporters make the work of the organisation accessible and interesting even if you’re not a development professional. Congratulations guys, on a job well done.

Want to read more of my stuff like this?

  1. Building Britain’s Future: the next step to better policy discussion online
  2. Building on the Barcamp buzz
  3. Freeing data, reducing pain

One Response to “Building Better White Papers”

  1. UK Government and Social Media… 10 to Watch « BASIC CRAFT on August 1, 2009 7:31 pm

    [...] Steph Gray said it most succinctly on his blog ‘this is a sign of the future for major white papers – blending the downloadable PDF with a package of summary versions, background info, video and materials for people who want to engage around the issues online.’ Based on these solid beginnings expect more advances in this area. Have a look at the accompanying SMNR while you are at it. [...]

Trackback URI | Comments RSS

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

Email (required)

Website

Speak your mind

A load of cobblers: my Tumblog on the tools I use and how I use them