One of the best things to come from the technology age is the blending or morphing of writing and designing. It is now desirable, actually preferable, for content creators and website designers to work together, even simultaneously. Yes, the architect and the painter. The surgeon and the physiotherapist. The CEO and the administrator. It is the synergy of this teamwork that creates satisfied clients, our ultimate goal. So how does that relate to plain language?

Three guidelines for accessibility
Plain language is the process of creating clear content readers can understand, access and use. It’s about audience, accessibility, inclusiveness. It shares these common goals with:
Content Design, the practice of creating user-focused content for websites, as explained by Content Design Centre’s Sarah Richards,
and
 Visual Design, improving user experience on websites, as defined by interaction-design.org.
Together they are the communications reality of the world of Universal Design.

The Rickhansen.com blog, Universal Design 101, outlines the seven basic principles, from an architect’s or planner’s perspective. Each one can be applied to designing clear websites created with plain language content and developed together.

I particularly like: 
“Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive Use.  Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.”

This is also one of the key foundations of plain language, clear web content and visual design practices.

Where do I start?
All these new design practices support our goals of effectively sharing online content. Plain language and web development are both team endeavours. When setting up your web project team aim for these three milestones:

• Understanding
• Accessibility
• Usability

Build a team that includes your:

• plain language content creator
• clear web platform developer
• user-oriented graphic designer 
• and users.

This holistic approach will ensure the end project meets the three key goals before it’s launched. Then you can celebrate with your happy clients.
 
Don’t just talk about ‘universal design’, live it in every project. You and your clients will experience the rewards.

Find out more:
 
Content Design podcast by Sarah Richards, Content Design Centre, London
Visual Design ideas blog from interaction-design.org
PlainLanguageAcademy.com Creating Clear E-content online, interactive course.
 

The International Plain Language Federation, with representation from PLAIN, Clarity and the Centre for Plain Language, recently celebrated a go-ahead from the International Standards' Organization (ISO) to apply for an international plain language standard. Their focus is on setting a definition of, establishing international standards for, and training and certifying practitioners of plain language. So, why is this such exciting news? Here are three reasons.

Plain language is now a global profession
When plain language first became mainstream, in English-speaking nations and countries such as Sweden, it was often called plain English. That was in the 90s. Today, plain language is practiced in many countries, in many languages. So, how do you manage a movement that covers so many countries, organizations, audiences and topics? You set a standard.

New media, methods and messages
​The old methods of a readability test, a grade level and a quick edit have evolved into new practices. Thanks to leaders in the field carrying out research, tracking progress and sharing findings, the plain language process has matured. It now integrates design and usability. Technology has had a major influence. The process, much like marketing, includes a clear plan, audience assessment, clear writing and editing to facilitate understanding, navigation and action; design for accessibility; and reader or user testing. Users drive successful projects. They are involved throughout. And, standards will help ensure we are achieving plain language in a systematic way that meets their needs.

Skill goals for the future
​Skill development is challenging organizations as the effects of technology, the environment and economics keep changing. Conferences, courses and collaborations have helped make plain language more mainstream. However, as a trainer and consultant, I am often asked by clients and students for a recognized plain language 'stamp'. The proposed standard is looking at training as well as application. Soon we will be starting with and sharing a recognized definition and guidelines to ensure we are providing consistent quality. That's what standards do.

The Plain Language Standards working group has representatives from Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, the US, Mexico, Argentina, Canada and Portugal. All members are passionate about plain language and the standard. How lucky are we? Very. Visit the International Plain Language Federation website to find out more.

My newsfeed often identifies stories with 'Plain Language' in the title. I don't know how the author got to that claim, but it is usually obvious they have tried to take a complex topic and make it simpler. However, plain language is a process that involves steps, reader feedback, visual design standards and writing guidelines. One of today's toughest topics to explain clearly is climate change—now called climate crisis.

Lexicology recently posted a piece with the title Climate change - a plain language guide for business. It was well organized. It may have met its primary audience's needs. However, jargon clouded the issue. Terms like 'global stocktake' (which showed up as a spelling error for me), 'ratchet mechanism', 'material fiscal risks', 'acute catastrophic' and 'gradual onset' detracted from the message. I have a business. I am concerned. But, the jargon didn't persuade me to read on or take action.

Scientific America published an article that is clear, well-organized, concise and targeted. Scientists need to communicate their findings in plain language so planners can look ahead, not use old standards. It was a good read. How to Talk Global Warming in Plain English, even though it is from 2016, shows how applying plain language guidelines can help get the message across.

The UK's Guardian newspaper lead the way in changing the lexicon of climate reporting. Their readers' editor highlighted the publishers' new initiative by defining the words and phrases they would now use. For example, global warming will now be global heating, as is it a more accurate description. The article highlights climate change's need for a "robust new language to describe it". I like the sections, definitions and explanations designed to answer questions and feedback the public gave them. The involvement of their audience in crafting a response is a key component of the plain language process.

The next time you craft a blog, opinion piece, organizational directive, why not search the Internet for the topic adding the words 'plain language'. I hope you are pleasantly surprised.

There’s no project more in need of a style guide than a web site update or creation. Unlike print documents, they usually have multiple contributors, specific design requirements and unique audience needs. It might also be the first time your team has integrated plain language. So, where do you start?
 
Launching your style guide
 
Your style guide needs to work with your project’s goals. Even if you have an existing one, you will want to tailor the guide to your project, contributors and audiences. This may mean starting from the beginning or simply updating or adding some new content. Remember the guide is there to help and the clearer it is the more effective it will be. Plain language should either have its own section or be integrated. Ultimately, the entire guide should meet clear writing standards. Set clear project and style guide goals to succeed in creating clear content.
 
Designing and planning a style guide 
 
Gathercontent.com recently shared the University of Dundee’s Content style guide. Check out how simple and clear it is. Four sections cover what most content creators need: the content principles; how to write in the best tone and voice; general web writing guidelines; and a searchable content reference guide, for things like grammar, quotations, acronyms and abbreviations.
 
Style guides come in all shapes and sizes, but their purpose is to help contributors. Everyone benefits from uniform, helpful and accessible content.
 
Creating a plain language style guide
 
Before you start with your creation or update, ask people what they need in a guide. They may not all be familiar with plain language, online content style, proofreading and editing. This guide can make their, and your, job easier. Consistency plays a big role in communicating effectively in plain language and online. The guide can be the foundation for a great end product.
 
A style guide is the ounce of prevention that is worth a pound of cure. In plain language, it is the pre-planning that saves loads of time and money reworking content later.

​Need help with yours? I’m here.
 

The truly collaborative, universal, inclusive content Readability Guideline project is now drawing conclusions. It will create a style guide that includes plain language recommendations. Content Design London is leading the project using Slack and Wikidot. As we are often challenged to create or follow a style guide, having one with this kind of solid research, global input and varied expertise behind it is invaluable. 



​

Focus on accessibility 
​Plain language is all about accessibility and this is a critical factor in online content. The project’s Beta phase discussions focused on 15 topics. Under plain language their recommendations include:

• Make content understandable and clear for users who may have a variety of literacy and accessibility challenges.
• Always use short, common words.
• Avoid jargon, abbreviations and acronyms.

They consulted Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Nielsen Norman Group and R. Trudeau on legal plain language, just to name a few.

Plain language readability guidelines
Their public wiki activity identified these readability guidelines supported by evidence:

• Use simple sentences.
• Keep link text at the end of a sentence.
• Avoid referencing gender or age in content.
• Choose respectful vocabulary.

Their research showed readability best practice should include plain language, active tense, good grammar and accurate punctuation.

Where to next?
They will continue to usability test important readability questions. Topics are still open for discussion and people with relevant data should share it.

Support this initiative by using #readabilityguidelines, providing any research-supported readability data you have collected or donating funds.

Thanks to Rob Mills at Gather Content for his blog share.

Another great resource is the online, searchable UK Government Style Guide. 

I like the statement plain language is for everyone. But, I would add: plain language is for all communication. This year I did three completely different projects, in three different sectors, with three different audiences. But, the results were singular: plain language practices work for all types of information.

As I worked through all these projects, I was motivated by the solutions and opportunities plain language offered, regardless of the challenge.

I am committed to FireSmart and all the work they do to help people protect their homes, neighbourhoods and communities from wildfires. This was my first work as a plain language editor for signage. Working from content that came with academic and public-sector influences, we ‘whittled’ away at the words until we had content that was concise, educational and would help readers navigate the site. Images were selected to support the content. For accessibility to information, we considered the size and position of the signs. Signs are basically instructions. But, they offer limited space. The project will be launched in the spring. People will certainly provide their feedback once the trails are open. We really did make every word count and plain language helped us achieve this.

As I worked through all these projects, I was motivated by the solutions and opportunities plain language offered, regardless of the challenge.
​

The days of businesses saying, ‘I am the best’, ‘You must have my product’, ‘This is all you need’ are gone. People want a conversation, a connection problem solved. If your customers are meeting you online for the first time, or catching up on the latest news, turn your About page into a story that will connect, create interest and build commitment. Tell them your story. It’s seen as the number one way to market. But, like any great marketing writing, you have to have a plan that focuses on your audience. Here are some tips and examples to get you going.
 
Making a connection
 
This Forbes magazine article highlights how storytelling is the best marketing tool to make an “emotional connection”, which is what many clients want, after more than two decades of virtual buying and selling.  Top takeaway tip is to ‘be authentic’. Be honest. Be respectful.
 
Focus on audience
 
Today’s audiences are well-informed, well-traveled (including virtually) and focused. They know what they want, or at least what questions they want answered. And, they are interested in being entertained. Ask yourself what your clients want, why this story matters to them. As I share in my Writing Your Business Story workshop, it’s your client’s story, not yours. And, you want it to be so memorable so they share it with others. 
 
Take a look at the image and content on Lamplighter Brewery’s About page. Doesn’t it make you want to work there, hang out there, buy their product? I’m sure those were their goals. Another key part of writing your business story is having clear goals, linking stories to your mission statement and tracking results.

Focus on emotions
 
Check out how Toms shoes took a one-off in-house event, 
One Day Without Shoes, and turned it into a global story. Can you just imagine it? They used people, an activity everyone could participate in, and got to the ‘soul’ of it. The visual use of social media, and easy inclusivity, helped take this story, and the charity, to the world.
 
On a global level, Dove’s Mission: Care video tackling the issue of men who miss their families is extreme, storytelling, with emotion, lots of emotion. 
 
You can do it too. Critical components: real people, relatable situations, making connections. It shows you can go outside of your core market, you can target fringe interest and create new connections, all through storytelling. But, you don’t have to be a global business to have success.
 
Focus on local
 
BC’s Kootenay based Elevation Industries has an About page that will make any outdoor enthusiast want to go in and see what’s there for themselves. They are very motivational, connect with target audience’s emotions, and use humour. These are all key components of great story-telling.
 
Nelson-based Kootenay Mountain Culture takes you on the journey of their successful magazine and website. They don’t tell you what they do: they weave an image of their passion to sharing their environment, the people who influence them and their connection to the adventure and culture. If you didn’t know who they were when you visited their site, you’ll know when you leave.  
 
Whether your local is a few feet from your office, or an online social community or a global initiative or enterprise, narrow down your story’s scope. Know your audience profiles, so you can talk directly to them. Global is accessible, but making your business local is powerful. Always make your ending come alive. The best way to do that is to collaborate with your audience from the start to the finish of telling your—I mean ‘their’—story.

Read the earlier Key Advice Blog on Getting Attention with Your About Web
page.

Do you have a great business story to share? 

Gregory Younging is presenting at the  ​Editors Canada Conference: Bridging Communities. Saskatoon, SK. May 25-27, 2018. Indigenous and Plain Language  presentation streams run both days.

I’ve been asked to write a feature for a magazine in subhead format. As a web-journalist and editor I welcomed this refresher. They are critical to getting, keeping and entertaining readers, so I thought I’d share these tips.

Yes. Readers like, are used to and expect small chunks of information on the web, particularly in blogs. It is our responsibility as writers to help lead our readers through our stories, and subheads are important signposts. Search engines also like them, although filling them with keywords is not recommended. Subheads help you target information, promote benefits and inspire action. Hubspot has a great overview.

With less than 10 seconds to grab the attention of most web readers, it’s important to make subheads work. Smartblogger lists these three tips:

1. Be creative. Simple subheads that repeat the opening line or simply restate the topic don’t work.
2. Use words like ‘benefits’, ‘successful’ and ‘proven’ to entice the reader. Spoiler alert subheads just give away the topic and readers are likely to scan and move on.
3. Make it easy for readers to understand your message. Too-smart subheads, full of lingo, may sound good but they aren’t great for keeping readers involved.

 
Examples
Before: Becoming a freelance writer
After: Why becoming a freelancer was a great idea

The ‘before’ example is simply a regurgitation of the topic that follows.
The ‘after’ example raises interest, makes the reader curious, has readability.

Pay attention to the subheads in blogs you enjoyed reading. Look for common characteristics like:

1. Gets the reader curious, wanting to know more.
2. Uses the element of surprise, makes it memorable.
3. Shows your personality, makes connections.
4. Shares emotions, is real.
   

Smartblogger’s writing tips advise drafting your full blog, then going back and writing your subheads. That makes sense. You have much more control then.
I enjoyed this refresher, and hope you did too.
Kate
kate@keyadvice.net

Plain language editing is the process of making information readable, accessible and actionable by the readers. Plain language editors use clear writing guidelines and user-friendly design criteria to ensure the message really connects with the audience. But sometimes it is challenging to know where to start a plain language edit. Here are some ideas on how to focus on plain language.

Substantive Editing: Organize for the reader
Reduces review time by 40-60%* --Plain language writing and editing leads to less review time. Organizing for easy reading plays a big role.

• State purpose in opening. Put the most important (for your reader) information first.

• Use clear, concise, consistent headings to organize the content.
• Remove, reorganize and revise sentences, paragraphs and sections for optimum readability

Copy Editing: Write concise sentences
Decreases production time by 50%*—Focus on conciseness. Train everyone contributing on how to write and edit for less volume. Use a plain language checklist.
Show others how to improve their sentence structure. Most likely they’ve been taught how to write lengthy, descriptive sentence. Explain the benefits of active voice.

• Keep sentences short (20 – 25 words).
• Write using first person. Instead of ‘the organization’ or ‘the administration’, use ‘we’, ‘I’.
• Use active voice (who does what) for a clearer sentence structure.

Proofreading: Choose the best words
 Reduces word count by 40%*--focus on how to get rid of jargon, empty phrases, passive voice, repetition.
You are aiming to create a message that audiences can easily understand, efficiently navigate and effectively act on. So, you need to speak their language, clearly. At the proofreading stage, check for:

• Repetition (keep a synonyms list handy), empty phrases (in order to), and redundancies.
• Acronyms, abbreviations, technical terms that can confuse and lose the readers. If you need to, create a glossary to help readers understand.
• Weak words. Choose the best words for your audience. A style sheet is recommended.

Set goals and track progress: Keep data
Increases customer satisfaction by 50%*—research shows clear communications means happy clients
As you go through the editing process, remember to get feedback from real readers, especially at the beginning and end. Track the feedback data for future projects. Save your before and after examples. Plain language is an investment, make sure you get a great return.
Integrating plain language editing guidelines into the style guide you already use is the easiest way to achieve success. The proof is in this plain language process.
 
Resources
Plain Language Association International: PLAIN.org
US Government Plain Language site: www.plainlanguage.gov
Training: PlainLanguageAcademy.com
 
*Bold points are from PLAIN President Neil James, Plain English Foundation, Australia, PLAIN 2017 Conference presentation.