Improve the web with plain words V1

Plain words make the web better for everyone. They’re better for screen readers. They’re easier to understand. Plain words remove doubt and help people complete tasks online. This short talk will show you how to improve a11y by making your words plain.

Transcript

1. Ryan Bigge Improve the web with plain words
2. • Why plain words are good for a11y • How to make your words plain Today I’ll talk about:
3. • Semantic HTML or alt-text • Images, icons, and videos • Legibility (font size) and contrast • Link text or forms Today I won’t talk about:
4. Why plain words are good for a11y
5. • An average American reads at an 8th grade level • Simple words make it easier to do things Reading grade level and a11y
6. • Short sentences • Simple words • Avoid adverbs • Active voice Readability www.slideshare.net/stephaniehobson/writing-for-every-reader/
7. • No idioms • No pop culture or slang • No rhetorical questions or sarcasm • No jargon Understandability www.slideshare.net/stephaniehobson/writing-for-every-reader/
8. • Using company slang to describe things to people • Error messages are often full of nerdview • Write in the user’s words • Respect how they think Avoid nerdview
9. Users go to your site to perform a task. Don’t force them do a word puzzle.
10. What plain looks like Wow! This doc has changed a lot. To sync to the latest version, reload
11. • Original • Clear • Clear, Concise • Clear, Concise, Useful https://uxplanet.org/ux-writing-how-to-do-it-like-google-with-this-powerful-checklist-e263cc37f5f1
13. These are Patreon’s terms of use (stick with us here). We know that most people skim through terms of use statements because they’re boring and go right over our heads, but we have done everything we can to make this easy to get through.
14. Plain doesn’t mean dumbed down
15. Plain doesn’t mean dumbed down Boat that goes under the sea We’ve always had boats that go under the sea, but in the last few hundred years, we’ve learned to make ones that come back up. Thing Explainer - Randall Munroe
16. - Sarah J. Richards “You aren’t ‘dumbing down.’ You’re opening up your information to anyone who wants to read it.”
17. - Sarah J. Richards “We’re writing clearly because we respect people’s time, interest and attention.”
18. • Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print • Never use a long word where a short one will do • If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out • Never use the passive where you can use the active • Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent • Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous Plain isn’t new - George Orwell 1946
19. How to make your words plain
20. www.gov.uk/guidance/government-design-principles
21. If you can explain a tricky thing in plain words, it proves you understand it.
22. Use tools to make it simple
23. • Grade level on my Nerdview article: 11.3 • Grade level on Design words with data: 7.4 Lose your ego
24. Plain words are better for everyone. They’re better for people with cognitive challenges. They’re better for people whose first language isn’t english. They’re better for people using assistive technology. And they’re better for anyone who wants to complete a digital task quickly and confidently. Lose your ego
26. Plain words are better for everyone. They’re better for people with cognitive challenges. They’re better for people whose first language isn’t english. They’re better for people using assistive technology. And they’re better for anyone who wants to complete a digital task quickly and confidently. Lose your ego Average grade level = 10 Average grade level = 10
27. Computer says no
28. Computer says no
29. Computer says no
30. Computer says no
31. Plain words make the web better for everyone. They’re better for screen readers. They’re easier to understand. Plain words remove doubt and help people complete tasks online. This short talk will show you how to improve a11y by making your words plain. Lose your ego
32. Plain words make the web better for everyone. They’re better for screen readers. They’re easier to understand. Plain words remove doubt and help people complete tasks online. This short talk will show you how to improve a11y by making your words plain. Lose your ego **Average grade level = 6.4**
33. Nerdview: an organizational tendency to use insider language when describing products and services to outsiders. Nerdview: Using insider language to describe something to an outsider. Nerdview: Using company slang to describe things to people. Lose your ego every day
34. Fix the web with plain words How to improve the web with plain words Improve your site with plain words How I learned to love plain language and made the web better for everyone How I learned to love plain words Lose your ego every day
35. • Write for your audience • Use short sentences and simple words • Get to the point • Test your content • Lose your ego Summary
36. And yes, every sentence in this talk is plain.
37. Computer says yes YES
38. https://speakerdeck.com/biggeidea Thanks!
39. • 7 guidelines for writing accessible microcopy: www.invisionapp.com/blog/writing-accessible-microcopy/ • Writing for every reader: www.slideshare.net/stephaniehobson/writing-for-every-reader/ • Center for plain language: centerforplainlanguage.org/ • Readable.io: readable.io • Hemingway editor: www.hemingwayapp.com/ • a11y according to people with disabilities: axesslab.com/accessibility-according-to-pwd/ • Thing explainer: xkcd.com/thing-explainer/ • Design words with data: medium.com/dropbox-design/design-words-with-data-fe3c525994e7 • Government design principles: www.gov.uk/guidance/government-design-principles Resources
40. • Dumbing down: http://contentdesign.london/reading/dumbing-down/ • Writing content for everyone: https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2016/02/23/writing-content-for-everyone/ • Five steps to plain language: http://centerforplainlanguage.org/learning-training/five-steps-plain-language/ • Writing for a human-centered website: https://www.boston.gov/news/writing-human-centered-website • Manifesto on government acronyms: https://medium.com/@lflockwood/a-manifesto-on-government-acronyms-59f58dbd2774#.r13mf7k66 • UX writing at Google: https://uxplanet.org/ux-writing-how-to-do-it-like-google-with-this-powerful-checklist-e263cc37f5f1 • Tips on semantic HTML: https://internetingishard.com/html-and-css/semantic-html/ More resources