How the 'JASPER' writing course improved the work of my team
Home Office senior investigating officer Richard Murray explains why he recommends Foundations of writing in government (JASPER) course.
Richard Murray, Home Office
Richard Murray’s job is to investigate complaints against Home Office staff.
A complaint could come from a member of the public or from a colleague accusing a workmate of some form of wrongdoing.
The importance of clear and concise writing
Richard’s team’s role is to investigate it and produce a report summarising their investigation and the actions they recommend the Home Office should take.
“Our reports could lead to someone losing their job so it’s vital we write them clearly, accurately and in a way that sets out simply the nature of our investigations and their conclusions,” said Richard who is based in Manchester.
“So the whole team needs to be able to capture complex information in a way that is easy to understand – using short, simple sentences and plain English that avoids jargon.”
About the course
Foundations of writing in government (JASPER) is one of Government Campus’ most highly rated courses. It is free on Civil Service Learning and comprises four hours of bite-size learning that can be done at the learner’s own pace.
“I was looking for a course that would help investigators in my team to write with real impact,” he said.
“So I did JASPER myself and felt it could make a real difference.
“My team need to know how to communicate directly with the public. They also need to be able to write persuasively to justify their recommendations.
“I’ve noticed a qualitative difference in the work of those who have done the course. That makes my job easier and also means my team is able to meet the highest professional standards more consistently.”