The Cheryl Stephens Innovation Award is an international award recognizing innovation in plain language.
Purpose
- to recognize the significant contribution of a PLAIN member
- to honor one of PLAIN’s co-founders, Cheryl Stephens, and her outstanding achievements in innovation for plain language
2023 winner: IRIS Lab
IRIS Lab from Brazil has been awarded the Cheryl Stephens Innovation Award for their outstanding contributions to plain language communication. Their groundbreaking initiative, the Plain Language Act of the State of Ceará, has simplified communication and championed the cause of plain language. They have contributed to a federal agency’s 35% increase in participation and 70% increase in payments without administrative appeals.
Criteria
The Cheryl Stephens Innovation Award is presented to a person or organization whose plain language activities have brought significant benefit to the community through one or more of the following areas:
- Technology – adapting emerging technology to develop new services and systems
- Advocacy – extending the scope and influence of plain language internationally
- Research – strengthening the knowledge base for plain language
- Professional development – helping to develop the skills of plain language practitioners and the institutions supporting them
Eligibility
To be considered, a person must be nominated by a PLAIN member. Their nomination must:
- be in writing (maximum of 5 pages total for nominating and supporting documents)
- document the nominee’s achievements, referring to the criteria shown above
- be supported by another member of PLAIN and at least one other person active in the plain language profession who doesn’t have to be a member of PLAIN.
To be eligible for the award, a recipient should (but doesn’t have to) be a PLAIN member. Serving PLAIN Board members are not eligible for the award.
Call for nominations
We notify members by email and through social media when nominations are open. You can nominate yourself (or your organization) or someone else (or their organization).
Judging
The PLAIN Board establishes a selection committee chaired by a Board member to select the award winners.
Announcement of the winners
A member of the PLAIN Board advises successful nominees a few months before the conference. The awards are presented to the winners at the PLAIN conference award ceremony.
