01
Start with the claim
Write the sentence you want to publish. Mark what it states as a fact, what it interprets and what it invites people to do. A single sentence often mixes all three.
Take a fictional example: “Our notebook reduces waste” connects a product feature with an environmental effect. A specification stating only that the notebook is refillable does not demonstrate that reduction. Start with the documented feature; leave the comparison pending until its method and scope have been established.
02
Return to the document
Find the document containing the information. Note who wrote it, when and what it describes. For example, the number of workshop visits is not the number of different people: someone may have come several times.
For each item, keep the document title, version, date and a precise location: page, row or cell. Record the unit, period and scope of each figure. Someone who was not involved in preparation should be able to trace the message back to the reference material.
03
Say what still needs confirming
If a workshop venue is not confirmed, say so on the page and in the email. If a budget is an estimate, label it as such. Shortening a text should make it easier to read while keeping the details people need to decide whether to take part.
Group information as confirmed, awaiting checks or excluded. An excluded claim must not reappear in a shorter headline. For a calculated figure, keep the inputs and operation: the result alone cannot distinguish sound arithmetic from a misleading comparison.
04
Review a specific version of the text
Send the text and source together. Request a decision on that version. If the source changes, identify the passages that need another look.
A change to a date, amount or condition may affect several formats. Record where that information appears, then have those passages reviewed. Approval of an earlier email does not automatically cover a rewritten page. Keep the reasoning behind wording choices as well: it helps the next person resume work without reopening every decision.
Points to check
- Every factual claim points to an identifiable source.
- Figures retain their unit, period and scope.
- Assumptions and missing information are visible.
- Formats that reuse a fact are recorded.
- Review covers the version intended for publication.
Your working template
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Read the template on this page
SOURCE RECORD Claim to publish: Reference document, version and date: Page, row or cell: Confirmed fact: Unit, period and scope: Calculation and inputs, if relevant: Qualifications or points to confirm: Affected formats: Person responsible for checking: Agreed version and decision date:
Common questions
Must every source appear in the message?
The working dossier should let reviewers find the sources. In public copy, include the references and details people need to understand the claim. A link to a detailed page can support a short format; it should not hide a qualification that changes the meaning of the promise.
Can the tone change while the facts stay the same?
Yes. Order, length and vocabulary can vary. Quantities, conditions, scope and limitations stay the same. The personalisation demo lets you explore this distinction using prepared fictional examples.
A good message helps people understand what is known, what is proposed and what still needs checking.
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