Accessible Public Agencies Through Better Forms

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• How to address common problems that form users face
• Best practices in designing forms
• How to evaluate forms for accessibility and clarity

MORE SESSION DETAILS

Land-use and building-permit forms are often the first, if not only, point of contact with a public agency for many residents and businesses. Flexible and responsive agencies craft dynamic, approachable forms that balance what community members want with what public agencies need. Learn best these practices for crafting these forms to improve accessibility and transparency while bolstering fiscal savings through reducing staff time spent on responding to inquiries and correcting inaccurate information. This panel and interactive activity will explore how jurisdictions develop land- use and building-permit forms and applications, as well as the results of efforts to build a repository of effective forms. Cross-jurisdictional, cross-sector speakers will also present best practices from around the country and recommend designs for plain language, form-friendly visuals, and other solutions from workshops conducted in the State of Oregon. Finally, the panel will provide attendees a “good form” checklist tool. This session closes with an interactive activty during which you can evaluate a form from your jurisdiction using knowledge of these practices and tools.