Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Tell it in pictures! Easy Guides finds niche market*

James Tennant was working as a workplace English teacher when he was asked by a number of workers to help explain the questions and answers in a forklift test they were sitting the following week.

Although the workers were all experienced forklift operators, they had to pass the theory part of the test to be issued with the government forklift licence.

What surprised James was that he was being asked to help both learners who spoke English as their first language, as well as learners who spoke English as their second language. The problem lay in the test. It was written in formal English, with almost no diagrams or pictures to explain the words.

James began producing simple pictures to explain the concepts in each question and answer in the test. An idea was born. Why not put the whole test into pictures?

That was over ten years ago now, and that simple idea has grown into a successful company, Easy Guides Australia Pty Ltd. James no longer has to create his own pictures for the forklift guide or any of the other 25 safety and licence guides that have been added to the series. He now employs graphic artists to do the artwork, as well as other staff needed to run the company.

Easy Guides has expanded its product range into a wide variety of safety and training products, including a multimedia site induction program, PowerPoint versions of all the guides, safety posters, daily inspection checklist books and training logbooks.

For further information on how Easy Guides can help with training at your Council, phone (03) 9870 0276 or visit www.easyguides.com.au

*Copy supplied by Easy Guides Australia Pty Ltd