Improved SMS with Lovoy Method

V.Group’s internal subject experts used the Lovoy Method to make procedures and key documentation more user-friendly.

Text by V.Group, July 2020

A project to present key information in a way that enables the reader to quickly find, read and understand what is required has been successfully completed by V.Group.

As part of improving our overall safety performance, the V.Ships Safety Management System (VMS) procedural washing project which began in 2016, has followed in the footsteps of NASA, the airline industry, governments and the medical profession in introducing the Lovoy Method to make its procedures and key documentation more user-friendly.

The Lovoy Method Allowed Us to Do It Ourselves

The Lovoy Method comes from the Norwegian company Lovoy AS, who specialise in developing new methods for writing concise text. It allowed our own writers to convert overly complex text into efficient and easy to use text presentable in various formats and media.

Following the project’s completion, superintendents Arun Mehta and Aavishkar Gupta, who completed the work, have been recognised with letters of appreciation from Mike Bradshaw, Global Head of HSEQ.

User Friendly Without Loosing Technical Content

Mike said: “When we started this project in 2016, we knew it would be challenging. The aim was to reduce our VMS in size, making it clear, concise and user friendly yet ensuring the technical and business critical content is maintained. Thanks to the hard work of Arun and Aavishkar we have been able to achieve that and complete the project to such a high standard.”

Mike explained that the success of the project was based on three key performance indicators (see below) of word count (volume of content), % passive text (non-active language) or filler words and words per sentence (complexity and ease of reading).

Data Clearly Show the Method Delivers More Concise Information

“The figures clearly show that the process is helping us deliver more concise information and part of our ongoing drive to make information more user-friendly for our seafarers. We believe the new format of the VMS will be well received by all our colleagues when the updated version is released this month”, said Mike.

Launched After Listening to Seafarers

The project was launched after listening to comments from seafarers, who said that V.Group’s procedures were too complex and not user-friendly.

“The applied styles and formatting rules of the Lovoy Method were originally developed by NASA and was initiated in the airline industry with impressive results. The successful completion of this project is all part of our goal to continually simplify and improve the information we provide our seafarers which will improve compliance, safety and efficiency”, added Mike.

You can find more info about the Lovoy Method at https://lovoy.info/