Dr. Annetta L. CheekChairacheek@patriot.net

If you can’t read it,you can’t use it

Usability and Plain LanguageJune 17, 2008

What is Plain Language?Material is in plain language if readers can

• Find what they need

• Understand what they find

• Use it to fulfill their needs

And they should be able to do this the first time they read or hear it!

A very important point

• Plain language is audience-focused

• You must know who your audience is, what they know, what they understand, what they need

Use:

Informative headings

Active voice

Pronouns

Lists and tables

Common words

Logical organization

Avoid:

Abbreviations, jargon, legal terms, Latin

Confusing constructions

Unnecessary words

Information the audience doesn’t need

Long sentences

Read more about these and other techniques at

http://www.plainlanguage.gov/howto/guidelines/bigdoc/intro.cfm

Here’s a simplified table of contents

• Thinking about your audience• Organizing your document• Writing your document

– Words• verbs• nouns and pronouns• other word issues

– Sentences– Paragraphs – Other aids to clarity

• Testing your Document

In the event that a graffiti removal request is reported that may not be the responsibility of the County Department of Public Works, you will be directed to the appropriate agency.

If you submit a request to remove graffiti that is not our responsibility, we will direct you to the right agency.

Easy access to information and resources concerning long-term care issues for seniors and the disabled has been made available on a new website developed by the County Department of Community and Senior Services.

You can easily get information and resources on long-term care for seniors and the disabled on our new website.

Infants and children who drink water containing lead in excess of the action level could experience delays in their physical or mental development. Children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. Adults who drink this water over many years could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure.

Lead in drinking water can make you sick. Some possible health effects of high lead levels in your drinking water include:

In children In adultsDelayed growth Kidney problems

Learning disabilities High blood pressure

Short attention span

• The Department of Revenue saved $51,014 from avoided phone calls after clarifying their requirements.

• The Department of Weights and Measures collected an extra $144,000 after clarifying its payment instructions.

• The Department of Public Safety’s incoming phone calls declined 90 percent after they clarified their instructions to fingerprint-card applicants.

Name of Form Original Version

Plain Language Version

Operating Grant Application

Staff processing time – 20 minutes

Staff processing time – 3 minutes

Grant Report 25% return rate 50% return rate

Form to order trees 40% error rate 20% error rate

Old letter Plain Language

letter

Calls to each counselor each month

91.4 16

Total calls each year, 10 counselors

10,968 1,920

• We provide User Experience Design practitioners, focused on producing software artifacts and deliverables that maximize the impact of the end user experience.

• ABC is a small firm which leverages its capabilities through the association, cooperation, and coordination with a number of associate consultants, contractors and professionals in human factors, usability, and the development of interactive computer systems.

When you’re looking for increased conversion rates and repeat visitors, our patented technology is the only customer experience solution that gives you the information you need, along with the recommendations to take action in order to improve user experience.

• (1) In order more effectively to detect and interdict individuals known or reasonably suspected to be or have been engaged in conduct constituting, in preparation for, in aid of, or related to terrorism ("suspected terrorists") and terrorist activities, it is the policy of the United States to:

• (a) enhance terrorist-related screening (as defined below) through comprehensive, coordinated procedures that detect, identify, track, and interdict people, cargo, conveyances, and other entities and objects that pose a threat to homeland security, and to do so in a manner that safeguards legal rights, including freedoms, civil liberties, and information privacy guaranteed by Federal law, and builds upon existing risk assessment capabilities while facilitating the efficient movement of people, cargo, conveyances, and other potentially affected activities in commerce; and

• (b) implement a coordinated and comprehensive approach to terrorist-related screening -- in immigration, law enforcement, intelligence, counterintelligence, and protection of the border, transportation systems, and critical infrastructure -- that supports homeland security, at home and abroad.

2.1 Policy: Terrorist-Related Screening

In order more effectively to detect suspected terrorists and terrorist activities, it is the policy of the United States to enhance terrorist-related screening by implementing comprehensive, coordinated procedures that•detect, identify, track, and interdict people, cargo, conveyances, and other entities and objects that pose a threat to homeland security•safeguard legal rights, including freedoms, civil liberties, and information privacy guaranteed by Federal law•build upon existing risk assessment capabilities•facilitate the efficient movement of people, cargo, conveyances, and other potentially affected activities in commerce•coordinate immigration, law enforcement, intelligence, and counterintelligence

2.1 Policy: Terrorist-Related Screening

(cont’d)

•protect the border, transportation systems, and critical infrastructure, and•support homeland security at home and abroad. •coordinate immigration, law enforcement, intelligence, and counterintelligence•protect the border, transportation systems, and critical infrastructure, and•support homeland security at home and abroad.

2.1 Policy: Terrorist-Related Screening

To detect suspected terrorists and terrorist activities more effectively, the United States will implement comprehensive, coordinated procedures that•detect, identify, track, and stop anyone and anything that threatens homeland security•safeguard legal rights, liberty, and privacy •build on existing ability to assess risks•help people and cargo move effectively•coordinate immigration, law enforcement, intelligence, and counterintelligence•protect the border, transport, and infrastructure, and

•support homeland security at home and abroad.

• Wordy phrases such as “in order to” and “it is the policy of”

• Annoying strings of similar words such as “cargo, conveyances, and other entities and objects”

• Redundant words such as “legal rights . . . guaranteed by Federal law”

• Noun sandwiches such as “risk assessment capabilities”

• “It is the policy of the United States to enhance . . “

• “The United States will enhance . . .”

• detect, identify, track, and interdict people, cargo, conveyances, and other entities and objects that pose a threat to homeland security

• detect, identify, track, and stop anyone and anything that threatens homeland security

More information

• www.plainlanguage.gov

• www.centerforplainlanguage.org

To contact me, email me at acheek@patriot.net. Put “plain language” in the subject line.