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Read. Understand. Apply.
The Warn Room blogs apply 70 years of research to the practice of alerts and warnings. We show how evidence-based changes to message content, style, and structure can create more effective warnings.
Editor's Desk
Critiquing messages is easy... crafting a good message is hard. Or is it?
The Warn Room endeavors to provide solutions to alerting authorities so that they can improve their messaging. In this new section, we'll take on the task of re-creating messages that could use a little help, showing how the evidence-based resources on this site can be used to craft better warnings.
Abbreviations and incomplete messages are difficult to understand and act on
An important characteristic of an effective message is it's completeness while being concise. The goal is to deliver enough content that...
Jeannette Sutton
Nov 21, 2023
Update the order and visual design to improve message readability.
Message design is more than just the inclusion of contents, it also includes the ordering and the use of visual effects to capture...
Jeannette Sutton
Nov 17, 2023
Does sending a WEA reduce call volume?
Every once in a while, The Warn Room will see a WEA that appears to have been issued with the intent of reducing traffic to a local 911...
Jeannette Sutton
Nov 13, 2023
Message Content Order Can Affect Readability and Action
Wireless Emergency Alerts are typically sent during periods of imminent threat, where emotions are heightened and information seeking...
Jeannette Sutton
Nov 9, 2023
Punctuation matters
WEA issued for a missing person We don't frequently edit non-warning messages, but given that missing person messages are issued through...
Jeannette Sutton
Oct 1, 2023
Creating internal consistency across messages
Three messages sent from 11:41 pm to 4:55 am in one night. While its uncommon to find multiple messages issued over the course of the...
Jeannette Sutton
Sep 30, 2023
WORDS MATTER!
Technical language and jargon may accurately describe the context and the hazard but at what cost? The editor is taking a bit of a detour...
Jeannette Sutton
Sep 23, 2023
Content order can affect readability.
Did you know that social scientists investigated the best order of WEA message contents? They did! And it looks something like the...
Jeannette Sutton
Sep 23, 2023
You're yelling again...
This use of ALL CAPS can sure make things difficult for message readers. The Editor took the liberty of making some changes to this WEA....
Jeannette Sutton
Sep 16, 2023
Message content order makes a difference for readability
WEA issued 9/5/2023 When we stumbled across this WEA on pbs.warn, the thing that popped out was the idea of an "over wall moving...
Jeannette Sutton
Sep 6, 2023
Write with Style that catches the EYE
One of the strategies to improve message readability is to use a mix of upper and lower case letters. This will naturally draw the...
Jeannette Sutton
Sep 2, 2023
**Evacuation Warning** but for flash flood
(click image to enlarge) WEA issued in advance of #Hilary for the CA desert The folks at the Editor's Desk have written a LOT about the...
Jeannette Sutton
Aug 27, 2023
Include actionable instructions in an alert
A BOIL WATER notice can be confusing to many people leading to questions like: Why do we have to boil water? for how long? Will it really...
Jeannette Sutton
Aug 19, 2023
Including hazard impact information increases message understanding
Sometimes, threats and hazards may seem self-explanatory; other times, a hazard impact statement will help the receiver to understand why...
Jeannette Sutton
Aug 5, 2023
Making use of ALL CAPS
Of the many problems in public alert and warning messages, the habit of falling back upon "how things have always been done" or "what...
Jeannette Sutton
Jul 29, 2023
Edits to an incomplete message about a power outage
WEA issued on 7/20/2023 Sometimes a message will be issued that lacks so much context, we have to do some digging to figure out what it's...
Jeannette Sutton
Jul 22, 2023
Warning messages must include the hazard
WEA issued 7/10/2023 It's entirely possible that a local message recipient will know why they are advised to evacuate immediately. If...
Jeannette Sutton
Jul 12, 2023
Post-event messages should inform people that they are safe.
WEA issued 6/27/2023 Researchers are learning a great deal about how to effectively communicate that an event has ended, an order has...
Jeannette Sutton
Jun 28, 2023
Law Enforcement warning and all-clear
A series of messages about law enforcement activity. The Warning Gallery has many examples of incomplete warning messages that would...
Jeannette Sutton
Jun 10, 2023
An unfamiliar hazard and a local area emergency
At The Warn Room, we don't claim to be experts in all hazards, which is why adding hazard impact information to a message really helps...
Jeannette Sutton
May 13, 2023
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