The Plain Language Act 2022 in New Zealand makes sure that government agencies use simple language when communicating with the public. The initial bill passed into law in October 2022, and the Act takes effect this month to cover official Government agencies preparing documents, forms, websites, and speeches.
The purpose of the Act is to help everyone understand important information without having to know difficult words or phrases. That should sound familiar to learning professionals whose aim is to create accessible learning. So, although it’s not law for designing web content and online learning modules, why not take onboard the same advice for writing learning content using plain language.
Here are five easy tips for writing using plain language:
- Keep your reader in mind: Think about what they need to know and how much they understand. Use examples and clear explanations to help them.
- Use active voice: Write sentences with the person first, like “I wrote the report” instead of “The report was written by me”. This makes it easier to understand.
- Keep it simple and short: Use simple words and sentences. Get rid of any extra words that may confuse readers. Try to use less words, but if you need to use complex words, explain them in your text.
- Organise your content: Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to make it easy to read and find information.
- Get feedback: Have someone review your content, like a co-worker or friend. They can give you suggestions to make it clearer and easier to read.
If you are interested in finding out more about clear communication, view the Readability guidelines or get your hands on a copy of Designing Accessible Learning Content: A Practical Guide to Applying best-practice Accessibility Standards to L&D Resources by Susi Miller.
