The document discusses strategies for writing content in plain language to improve user experience. It recommends using simple, clear language without jargon; writing in an active voice; focusing on the reader's goals; using common words; keeping text concise; including images, lists and other design elements; and testing content with users. The goal is to make information easy to find, understand and act upon for all people, regardless of ability, language or environment. Plain language helps ensure everyone can benefit from online content.

1. The Clear and Simple Content Strategy

2.  Show of hands
• Raise your hand if your customers or clients include:
 People who speak English as a second language
 Seniors
 Visually impaired
 Distressed
 Busy
 Using a handheld device

3.  Were all hands raised?
 Everyone is“impaired” at some point
• Environment, stress, even hunger

4.  Q: How do we improve
the user’s environment
for cognition?
 A: Plain Language and
great design If you can’t explain it simply,
you don’t understand it well
enough.
--Albert Einstein

5. What is plain language?
Reader-focused writing
 Can your audience:
• Find what they need
• Understand what they find
• Act appropriately on that understanding?

6. Strategies:
 Simple, clear, straightforward language
 Common words and simple grammar
 Minimal text
• Instructional images
• Data visualization
Hard writing is e asy re ading
Easy writing is hard re ading
--EBWhite

7. 1. Identify your audience
• What are their goals?
1.Design a conversation
• Employ best practices
1.Test

8.  What do you know about your users?
• Analytics
• Observations and Interviews
• Surveys and Usability Testing
 Ask: Why? What were they trying to do?
 Create Personae
• Be provisional if you must!
• Required: Goals & Behaviors
8

9.  Decide what you need to say
• Business/Marketing
• Legal
 Focus on the goal of your
message
 Remember Ockham’s Razor:
• Simpler explanations are best.
9

10.  Begin with the most
important idea first
 Talk to your users
•Living room language
•Accessible design
 Keep the conversation
flowing
•Let them respond at appropriate
times
•Give them breaks when they need it
10

11.  Keep it short
• Use simple declarative sentences
• 20 words or less
“Get rid of half the words on each page, then get rid of half of
what's left.”*-- Krug’s Third Law of Usability
When We Need It
We need your answer by [date]. We will
have to turn down your request if we don't
get your answer by that date.

12.  Write in the Active Voice
We reduced your payments on
December 1, 1996 to $202.00 per
month. You will receive another letter
about this change. The letter will
show if you have a debt.

13.  Make it personal; Use personal pronouns
Your Right to Privacy
The information you give us is private. We
might have to give out this information in a
few special cases.

14.  Banish Jargon
• Use common language; define difficult terms
From a medical website for parents:
“What is the incidence of asthma?”
From another site:
“How common is asthma in children?”
-- from: Ginny Redish, Letting Go of the Words

15.  Provide a little help
• If you can’t make it plainer, provide context
 Courtesty of MailChimp:
http://blog.mailchimp.com/mailchimps-redesigned-terms-of-service-and-privacy-policy/

16.  No! Never use multiple negatives
• Original: No changes will be made to the Department of
Transportation’s regulations unless the administrator reviews
them and concludes that they are not lacking any important
information.
• Revised: Changes will be made to the Department of
Transportation’s regulations only if the administrator reviews
them and concludes they are lacking important information.

17.  No! Never use multiple negatives
• Original: No changes will be made to the Department of
Transportation’s regulations unless the administrator reviews
them and concludes that they are not lacking any important
information.
• Revised: Changes will be made to the Department of
Transportation’s regulations only if the administrator reviews
them and concludes they are lacking important information.

18.  Avoid redundancy
" . . . To avoid needless repetition, apply this rule: if one word
swallows the meaning of other words, use that word alone."
(Bryan Garner, Legal Writing in Plain English. Univ. of Chicago, 2001)
Redundant terms: Solutions
•Important essentials Essentials
•Log into the _____ Log in
•Very unique Unique
•End result

19.  Design for readability– No “Walls of Words!”*
Break up text with:
• Lists
• Tables
• Images
*Ginny Redish, Letting Go of the Words
• Titles
• Sentence caps & title caps
• Sections and white space

20.  How to write instruction:
•Organize the instruction by steps
•Put first things first and number sequential steps
•Put them where they are needed
•Write in the positive; do not threaten
•Show them with images
•Make the last action last
*Ginny Redish, Letting Go of the Words

21.  From this
TITLE 14--AERONAUTICS AND SPACE
CHAPTER I--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES--
Table of Contents
Subpart A--General
Sec. 39. 1 Applicability. This part prescribes airworthiness directives that apply to aircraft, aircraft
engines, propellers, or appliances (hereinafter referred to in this part as ``products'') when-- (a) An
unsafe condition exists in a product; and (b) That condition is likely to exist or develop in other products
of the same type design. [Doc. No. 5061, 29 FR 14403, Oct. 20, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 39-106,
30 FR 8826, July 14, 1965] Sec. 39. 3 General. No person may operate a product to which an
airworthiness directive applies except in accordance with the requirements of that airworthiness
directive.
Subpart B--Airworthiness Directives
Sec. 39. 11 Applicability. This subpart identifies those products in which the Administrator has found
an unsafe condition as described in Sec. 39.1 and, as appropriate, prescribes inspections and the
conditions and limitations, if any, under which those products may continue to be operated

22.  To this
Title 14: Aeronautics and Space
PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Source: Doc. No. FAA–2000–8460, 67 FR 48003, July 22, 2002, unless otherwise noted.
§ 39.1 Purpose of this regulation. The regulations in this part provide a legal framework
for FAA's system of Airworthiness Directives.
§ 39.3 Definition of airworthiness directives. FAA's airworthiness directives are legally
enforceable rules that apply to the following products: aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers,
and appliances.
§ 39.5 When does FAA issue airworthiness directives? FAA issues an airworthiness
directive addressing a product when we find that:
(a) An unsafe condition exists in the product; and…

23.  From this
 To this
Check for messages every 30 minutes. If my
computer is not connected at this time,
connect only when not working offline.
Check messages every 30 minutes.

24.  From this

25.  To this

26.  Put your communication in front of users

27. 1. Rewrite the next slide as a Plain Language tweet
• Avoid Twitter abbreviations
2. Include the hashtag: #GAADPlain
3. Watch the magic!

28. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans
recommends a half hour or more of
moderate physical activity on most
days, preferably every day. The
activity can include brisk walking,
calisthenics, home care, gardening,
moderate sports exercise, and
dancing.
#GAADPlain

29. 31

30. 32

31.  Thank you

32.  www.plainlanguage.gov
 www.centerforplainlanguage.org
 www.usability.gov
 webstyleguide.com/wsg3/index.html
Janice (Ginny) Redish, “Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web
Content that Works,” 2007
Steve Krug, “Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common
Sense Approach to Web Usability," 2014
Sarah Horton and Whitney Quesenbery, “A Web for
Everyone,” 2014