Plain language relies on testing with users. If the intended users can use the content to do what they need to do, it’s plain. If they can’t, it’s not plain. So you can only really know whether you have succeeded in writing in plain language when you have tested with the actual users.

And of course, this detail is fundamental to content design as a discipline. It's about following the principles of clear writing, but making decisions based on research and data. You need to understand what users need before you start writing. Then you need to test your content when you're done to make sure it meets those needs. It's only plain or clear if it does.

Sure, these days it's more bloated than it needs to be, but it does still do the essential things you need to get your bits and bobs in order. This content template is very similar to the one I tend to use and is pretty good for getting started.

It looks like I'll be spending the best part of this year designing some pretty tricky tables. There will be lots of columns and lots of rows. More data that I can shake a stick at. And making all of it accessible is really important too.

Anyway, I'm expecting lots of learning. Lots of user research. And plenty of digging into resources that are already out there and available, like this quick video explainer from GOV.UK on how screen readers use headings.

One of the lovely colleagues on my previous project shared this blog post by Cap Watkins with me last year and I have thought about it a lot since. Essentially, if you are having a difficult design or content conversation, how much does the issue mean to you on a scale of 1–10?

There have been a few times recently when I could tell someone felt far more strongly about a decision than I did. So, I acquiesced, with the hope that the next time I'm a ten-out-of-ten on a topic with that person involved, they'll recognize that and hear me out. If you can let go of the things that don't matter so much to you directly, you can build currency with others and earn their trust when you do wind up pushing back.

I have found this an incredibly useful mental trick. When you are in the fog of deadlines and challenging work, it is easy to feel like every decision matters and all arguments are worth fighting for. But that's not how true collaboration works.

To work effectively as a team when things get tough and tense, there has to be a bit of give and take. You can't go full steam ahead into every single conversation. It's unlikely that your way will be the right way every time.

So yeah – these are good questions to ask. Is this decision – this argument – really that important to me? Do I feel so strongly about it? Or can I let this one go and save my persistence for a problem that's more of an 8, 9 or 10 out of 10?

Instead of thinking about what we want to say, we research what a user needs to achieve their desired outcome. What they want and what they need can be different. It’s a content designer’s job to figure that out. Once we have researched user needs, we determine what sort of content will meet those needs.

I'm aware that I talk about content design a lot on the blog and in the newsletter. That's because writing in clear language is in large part about understanding who you are writing for and what they need. And that's crucial to content design.

But I am also conscious that there are many people who write in clear language and do not work in content design. This one-page content design overview is from Shelter's style guide and a brilliant place to start.

If you want to dig deeper, I recommend the handily-titled Content Design, written by Sarah Winters and Rachel Edwards.

It was first published 9 years ago by the excellent A Book Apart, which has since sadly closed down. Fortunately, Accessibility for Everyone is now entirely free for you to read online.

If you are short on time, there is a section on content and design. I'm due a refresher and plan to dip in over the next couple of weeks.

For example:

drive out (unless it is cattle)

And:

deliver (pizzas, post and services are delivered – not abstract concepts)

And perhaps my favourite:

one-stop shop (we are not a retail outlet and creating a single place for everything often does not meet user need)

There are better, clearer, ways to tell people where things are than by using directional text. As well as avoiding problems like locations changing with device type, and making things more difficult for people with low or no vision, you’ll end up with better content.

There's lots of good, practical advice in this piece. I think one of the easiest ways to help people navigate your website is by writing meaningful links. It solves a lot of problems for all users. And it becomes second nature quite quickly.

For example, I could write: 'Subscribe to the newsletter from the main menu on the left.' But the menu is not 'on the left' if you are reading on mobile. And there is no menu at all if you are reading via an RSS feed reader.

Instead, I can write a meaningful link: 'Subscribe to the newsletter.' There is no need for directional text because the link is right there. And the link itself describes exactly where the user will end up. Bonus: 7 fewer words.

Good content design comes from combining clarity and kindness.

Yes! This is exactly it. This is the very feeling I have in my waters when I go to work each day and try to put words in the right order. How can this piece of content be clearer? How can it be kinder to the person reading?

I like the word kind a lot. I think everybody instinctively knows what it means to be kind. I tell my children to be kind most days when I drop them off at school. Have fun. Be kind. See you later.

This shared understanding of kindness is why it's so important to speak to and understand your reader. How can you be clear and kind if you don't know what being unkind might look like to them? Or if you do not take the time to research the potential impact of your words?

Anyway, writing about death is absolutely the time to be as clear and kind as you possibly can. I haven't talked about it publicly, but I have spent almost the last two years working in this space. I was part of the team that helped set up the Infected Blood Compensation Authority.

I'm sure I will write about this experience over the coming months. But needless to say, it saw me work on some of the most challenging content I have ever had to write. At times, and especially when referring to death, it felt like the need to be clear made it harder to also be kind. Or as kind as perhaps I would have liked.

I suppose that's because although clarity and kindness are at the heart of good content design, they can sometimes feel at odds. Being clear can sometimes seem cold. Being kind can maybe confuse. It's a tough balance.

The good news? This piece by Cass-Maran is a brilliant place to start if you are dealing with any of these content challenges. Go read it now. And let me stew on the subject for maybe a later, longer, more thoughtful blog post.

Content audits aren’t one-and-done projects. Content degrades over time. Sites grow. Strategies evolve. User needs change. If you don’t build in a way of keeping on top of it, you’ll find yourself back where you started in a year or two – sitting on a pile of content nobody is quite sure about.

This is such a useful post, whether you're experienced with content audits or attempting one for the first time.

It took a little longer to get here than planned, but I am pleased to tell you that the Clear Language Club blog is now live. Imagine!

It’s no ordinary blog, either. It combines different types of post with a focus on ‘link posts’. If you don’t know what the heck I mean by that, do not panic! It’s all explained in an exciting launch post.

Don’t forget, you can always reply to these emails. I’m just a wally with a keyboard and a dream. So do share your feedback. Tell me your thoughts.

And now on to the good stuff. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Iain

Good content

How to do a website content audit
An essential for your bookmarks – Lauren Pope provides all you need to know when it comes to planning and then doing a content audit. It's a brilliant resource, whether you're an old hand or auditing for the first time.

Top, right and other directional text
While I do think you should 'check out the links below', this is not a good way of pointing you in the right direction. Marian Avery at Content Design Ireland explains why and suggests some alternative ways of telling people where to go on a web page.

Designing for people with anxiety
A fab guide on the Tetra Logical blog that looks at how people with anxiety may experience your content. And of course, how you can make the process easier for them. I already shared this piece on the blog with some thoughts of my own.

Documenting a service as a content designer
This post by Amy Noss at Kainos covers all the reasons it's a good idea to document the content decisions you make. If you work in a large team or with other content bods, it's a must read.

Why delivering simple content isn’t simple
Matt Billingsley on the Content Design London blog looks at the idea of 'simple content' and how really, perhaps you need to get some systems in place first. Clear goals, user needs and shared standards. That kind of thing.

Choosing an accessible font

I have used (and heavily fiddled with) a custom Ghost theme for the Clear Language Club blog. I know it looks like a bit like Bluesky, but it gives me the foundations to do the things I need, like link posts.

Anyway, the theme comes with a few fonts to choose from. At first, I went with good old Inter. It's popular and fairly uncontroversial. Lots of people like it. I quite like it.

But then I thought, "This is a website about clear, accessible language. Surely there is something more appropriate out there?" And so off I went – on a wild font chase – to find a typeface that would make the blog easier to read for more people. Here's what I found.

First, this great explainer on accessible fonts provides some context if you need to persuade someone important that having a readable font is a good idea. And this post by Lizzie Bruce covers what actually makes a good, accessible, easy to read font.

If you want to get really into the weeds, I also recommend this detailed guide to what makes a typeface accessible by Gareth Ford Williams.

After lots of searching and much link following, I narrowed my search down to two fonts. They are both free, open-source and, quite handily, described in Kristian Mikhel's post on inclusive typefaces.

In fact, that post also mentions a font called Dyslexie, which is great for people who are dyslexic, but not right for Clear Language Club.

Inclusive Sans is a really lovely font that ticked plenty of boxes. It's designed for high readability and looks ace, but I couldn't get over how similar some of the letters are. For example, the upper case I and the lower case l are hard to distinguish. And as person called Iain, this is a known issue.

So in the end, I went with Atkinson Hyperlegible Next, a font developed at Braille Institute. It's designed specifically for people with low vision, but has features that make it easy on the eye for everyone. I think it looks fantastic. Kicks and flicks everywhere. It's even available through Google Fonts.

I know it can be hard to make a big font change when you work at an organisation with an established brand. This is just a humble blog and I can do what the heck I like. However, do feel free to send some of these links to your designer pals or boss-like colleagues. It might just get a good conversation going.

Things to do now

Have I mentioned the new Clear Language Club blog? Go check that out and read the launch post if you haven't already. I recommend the RSS feed and using a free feed reader app to get new posts as they are published.

If you are new to the newsletter and want to subscribe, there is an official newsletter page. I also recommend the new about page too if you want to know more about the project and what it's all about. Oh – there is even a changelog!

It includes the following statistic and link:

According to a WebAIM survey of 1,539 people in January 2024, 71.6% of screen reader users navigate pages using headings.

Make a note of that, as it might come in handy for future discussions with your senior leadership team or design colleagues.

There are 4 basic elements of plain writing. If you consider these elements, you’ll be well on the way to writing in plain language. They are: structure, word choice, active voice, short sentences.

I really like the last section that explains why plain language benefits everyone. Always worth reminding yourself. And anyone who'll listen.