Plain language aims to make information accessible for all people by using clear, straightforward language and design. It helps people find what they need, understand what they find, and use information to meet their goals. Plain language benefits those with low literacy, cognitive disabilities, or who don't read English well. Over 40% of American adults have below-proficient literacy. Effective plain language uses simple words, short sentences and paragraphs, logical organization, and design elements like lists and white space to support reading. It is an iterative process that simplifies content through usability testing and feedback.
Is it usable for people with disabilities?
We know a lot about how to meet the checkpoints for accessibility, but how well do you understand what makes a good experience for people with disabilities? Only getting out and seeing how people use your product will help you understand what makes it a delight to use --- or a pain. User research and usability testing should be part of your accessible UX toolkit.
Usability testing: rapid results when you need them. Have a question about whether a new feature or design idea works for users? It’s easy to find out early, so your design process is as responsive as your code. We'll look at ways to run quick usability test, how to find users in the wild, and when to add it to your project plan. Yes, it can be fast, good, and cheap.
Presentation at the dotgov design conference - March 27, 2015
What does it take to get from barrier-free to delightful experiences?
Meeting basic accessibility requirements is a critical first step. But let’s dream bigger. Let’s aim for accessible UX – great user experience for everyone. Creating innovations that include a more diverse range of interaction styles, and designs that are both inclusive and delightful starts by bringing together the whole team — from content to code. It means thinking about people, not just technology. It means finding allies and partners, new ways of working, making our tools really usable, and helping everyone manage change.
Updated May 2017
Versions presented at PhillyCHI, AccessU, IA Summit, Accessing Higher Ground
Instead of trying to reduce the chaos of complexity, we can embrace it.
Instead of thinking about designing for a narrow middle of the curve, we embrace the full spectrum....from the beginning.
We can make accessibility part of innovation, not just designing products for people with disabilities but in constructing our world. We can think about how new technology can -- and does -- change society. And how we can find inspiration in extreme needs that can change the our experience.
A library for everyone - Designing for Digital, Austin 2017
All of the tools and principles of an excellent user experience also support accessibility, just as web design that is responsive to diversity of devices is also responsive to a diversity of human needs.
Accessible UX: Beyond the checklist to great experiencesWhitney Quesenbery
Checklists, standards, and even patterns can only make sure that basic rules are followed. Even products that meet standards can be difficult or even impossible to use.
But the questions we want to focus on are:
- How easy, useful, efficient, and delightful is this?
- Is this something people want to use?
- Is it a great experience?
Presentation at IAAP 2015, October 22, 2015
Presentation on how usability and accessibility problems are related. Including people with disabilities in usability testing can reveal deeper insights into the kinds of problems users might encounter
Is it usable for people with disabilities?
We know a lot about how to meet the checkpoints for accessibility, but how well do you understand what makes a good experience for people with disabilities? Only getting out and seeing how people use your product will help you understand what makes it a delight to use --- or a pain. User research and usability testing should be part of your accessible UX toolkit.
Usability testing: rapid results when you need them. Have a question about whether a new feature or design idea works for users? It’s easy to find out early, so your design process is as responsive as your code. We'll look at ways to run quick usability test, how to find users in the wild, and when to add it to your project plan. Yes, it can be fast, good, and cheap.
Presentation at the dotgov design conference - March 27, 2015
What does it take to get from barrier-free to delightful experiences?
Meeting basic accessibility requirements is a critical first step. But let’s dream bigger. Let’s aim for accessible UX – great user experience for everyone. Creating innovations that include a more diverse range of interaction styles, and designs that are both inclusive and delightful starts by bringing together the whole team — from content to code. It means thinking about people, not just technology. It means finding allies and partners, new ways of working, making our tools really usable, and helping everyone manage change.
Updated May 2017
Versions presented at PhillyCHI, AccessU, IA Summit, Accessing Higher Ground
Instead of trying to reduce the chaos of complexity, we can embrace it.
Instead of thinking about designing for a narrow middle of the curve, we embrace the full spectrum....from the beginning.
We can make accessibility part of innovation, not just designing products for people with disabilities but in constructing our world. We can think about how new technology can -- and does -- change society. And how we can find inspiration in extreme needs that can change the our experience.
A library for everyone - Designing for Digital, Austin 2017
All of the tools and principles of an excellent user experience also support accessibility, just as web design that is responsive to diversity of devices is also responsive to a diversity of human needs.
Accessible UX: Beyond the checklist to great experiencesWhitney Quesenbery
Checklists, standards, and even patterns can only make sure that basic rules are followed. Even products that meet standards can be difficult or even impossible to use.
But the questions we want to focus on are:
- How easy, useful, efficient, and delightful is this?
- Is this something people want to use?
- Is it a great experience?
Presentation at IAAP 2015, October 22, 2015
Presentation on how usability and accessibility problems are related. Including people with disabilities in usability testing can reveal deeper insights into the kinds of problems users might encounter
A Web for Everyone: Accessibility as a design challengeWhitney Quesenbery
Let's get past the idea that checklists and compliance all there is to accessibility. Designing for accessibility is a user experience design problem, starting with understanding how people with disabilities use your products. If we aim to design for all senses we can focus on easy interaction, helpful wayfinding, clean presentation, plain language and media instead of "rules." Doing so, we can create a web for everyone and a delightful user experience where accessibility and usability work together.
Updated January 21
Replay of the O'Reilly webcast: http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/e/2992
Transcript of the O'Reilly webcast: http://www.wqusability.com/handouts/AWFE-Challenge-OReilly-Transcript.pdf
Accessibility is ease of use, being inclusive with most of the audience who are able to perform the task in a different way than normal users.
Here is the collated research on visual design best practices from accessibility perspective.
UXPA2019 UX fundamentals for adapting science-based interfaces for non-techni...UXPA International
This presentation will discuss the challenges of adapting a water simulation interface, originally built to present technical information to experts, to new audiences that include high school students and rural populations of museum visitors. It will discuss the important verbal, visual, and interactive adaptation work required to convey accurate scientific data while building a meaningful user experience. It will also discuss some of the particular considerations (such as accuracy and amount of data) that need to be accommodated when scientific content is being made more accessible.
The population of the developed world is aging. Most websites, apps, and digital devices are used by adults aged 50+ as well as by younger adults, so they should be designed accordingly. This talk, based on the presenter’s recent book, presents age-related factors that affect older adults’ ability to use digital technology, as well as design guidelines that reflect older adults’ highly varied capabilities, usage patterns, and preferences. Features:
• demographics of users of digital technology, by age,
• age-related factors affecting ability to use computers and online services,
• common design problems that decrease usability for older adults,
• design guidelines that can help designers avoid these common pitfalls.
UXPA2019 Enhancing the User Experience for People with Disabilities: Top 10 ...UXPA International
An estimated 1.3 billion people globally report limitations in their daily activities due to a disability. When it comes to the physical world, businesses have made progress in accommodating customers with disabilities. But in the digital world, websites lack basic accessibility features such as text alternatives describing images, proper heading level structures so individuals who are blind and use screen readers can understand the content on a webpage, or captioning for multimedia content for individuals who are deaf or are hard of hearing – let alone assistive technology for customers who have trouble using mobile devices due to dexterity limitations that arise from a variety of conditions.
In this session, attendees will:
* Understand people with disabilities (PWDs) and how they use the web
* Learn about common barriers, issues and solutions
* Discover the different testing methodologies and their interdependencies
* Uncover ROI
Accessibility as a focus for people-first designDavid Sloan
This presentation argues that by involving people with disabilities in UX activity, from user research to usability studies, design teams can increase sensitivity to diverse user characteristics and scenarios, and identify creative solutions to problems. It provides practical tips for organisations who want to involve more people with disabilities in user research, covering topics such as study design, recruitment, and presenting discoveries in an effective way.
With increased complaints and legal action for organisations of inaccessible websites (Coles, Peapod) and apps (Westpac), now is the time for all web and app Project Managers, Developers, UX/Designers, Content Producers, Business Analysts and Testers to be ‘baking in’ accessibility into processes and work practices.
This presentation will show that accessibility is everyone’s responsibility and it is not difficult to get started or find resources that will help you and your team produce a website, app or digital presence that works for everyone!
A slide deck to aid discussion on the following two research papers in the field of accessibility:
1. User Interface of a Home Page Reader
2. Digital Family Portraits: Supporting Peace of Mind for Extended Family Members
Tips About Accessibility for Online Learning Instructors3Play Media
Learn what is reasonable for instructors and online course designers to know in order to begin designing courses that are welcoming to, accessible to, and inclusive of all students and instructors, including those with disabilities.
Presentation from the DCUX 2019 talk - 7 colors of the accessibility rainbow.
The talk covers three points:
1. The importance of accessibility
2. The 7 things I've learned
3. Some useful resources that will help anyone get started
One of the simplest ways to make information more accessible is to add alternative text (alt text for short). It’s brief descriptions of images for users who can’t see them. But what to write? This is a deep dive into writing alt text that is usable and useful. You’ll learn how the right words can make images speak clearly.
Updated for AccessU and AccessU Summit 2017
A Taxonomist, a Software Engineer, and a UX Researcher Walk Into a Bar: Brid...Jenny Benevento
video available here: https://blueprintdigital.com/ia-summit-2017/jenny-benevento-giovanni-fernandez-kincade-jill-fruchter/
This was a talk given at IA Summit 2017 in Vancouver, BC by Jenny Benevento, Gio Fernandez-Kincade, and Jill Fruchter.
Etsy is a marketplace where people around the world connect, both online and offline, to make, sell and buy unique goods. Etsy is also a tech company that invests in the craft of coding and data-driven product development as a strategic priority. Etsy has employed AI and machine learning to tackle personalization, recommendations, image understanding, item similarity, search relevance, spelling correction, and many other tasks. We’ll talk through several examples of how Etsy leverages data, where it’s excelled, and where this hammer hasn’t quite hit the nail on the head.
We will be asking ourselves hard questions, recognizing the limitations of decisions driven purely by big data:
- Who are we satisfying? Our customers or our mathematical models?
- Are those models even an accurate reflection of the outcomes we want?
- In a dual marketplace, where complex changes depend on interactions between both sides of the market, can one metric or measure of success tell the full story?
- How do we consider the impact our models are having on our users?
- Are we even addressing real human needs and motivations in the first place?
- How do we inform and enrich AI with expert created & applied taxonomy & metadata?
A Web for Everyone: Accessibility as a design challengeWhitney Quesenbery
Let's get past the idea that checklists and compliance all there is to accessibility. Designing for accessibility is a user experience design problem, starting with understanding how people with disabilities use your products. If we aim to design for all senses we can focus on easy interaction, helpful wayfinding, clean presentation, plain language and media instead of "rules." Doing so, we can create a web for everyone and a delightful user experience where accessibility and usability work together.
Updated January 21
Replay of the O'Reilly webcast: http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/e/2992
Transcript of the O'Reilly webcast: http://www.wqusability.com/handouts/AWFE-Challenge-OReilly-Transcript.pdf
Accessibility is ease of use, being inclusive with most of the audience who are able to perform the task in a different way than normal users.
Here is the collated research on visual design best practices from accessibility perspective.
UXPA2019 UX fundamentals for adapting science-based interfaces for non-techni...UXPA International
This presentation will discuss the challenges of adapting a water simulation interface, originally built to present technical information to experts, to new audiences that include high school students and rural populations of museum visitors. It will discuss the important verbal, visual, and interactive adaptation work required to convey accurate scientific data while building a meaningful user experience. It will also discuss some of the particular considerations (such as accuracy and amount of data) that need to be accommodated when scientific content is being made more accessible.
The population of the developed world is aging. Most websites, apps, and digital devices are used by adults aged 50+ as well as by younger adults, so they should be designed accordingly. This talk, based on the presenter’s recent book, presents age-related factors that affect older adults’ ability to use digital technology, as well as design guidelines that reflect older adults’ highly varied capabilities, usage patterns, and preferences. Features:
• demographics of users of digital technology, by age,
• age-related factors affecting ability to use computers and online services,
• common design problems that decrease usability for older adults,
• design guidelines that can help designers avoid these common pitfalls.
UXPA2019 Enhancing the User Experience for People with Disabilities: Top 10 ...UXPA International
An estimated 1.3 billion people globally report limitations in their daily activities due to a disability. When it comes to the physical world, businesses have made progress in accommodating customers with disabilities. But in the digital world, websites lack basic accessibility features such as text alternatives describing images, proper heading level structures so individuals who are blind and use screen readers can understand the content on a webpage, or captioning for multimedia content for individuals who are deaf or are hard of hearing – let alone assistive technology for customers who have trouble using mobile devices due to dexterity limitations that arise from a variety of conditions.
In this session, attendees will:
* Understand people with disabilities (PWDs) and how they use the web
* Learn about common barriers, issues and solutions
* Discover the different testing methodologies and their interdependencies
* Uncover ROI
Accessibility as a focus for people-first designDavid Sloan
This presentation argues that by involving people with disabilities in UX activity, from user research to usability studies, design teams can increase sensitivity to diverse user characteristics and scenarios, and identify creative solutions to problems. It provides practical tips for organisations who want to involve more people with disabilities in user research, covering topics such as study design, recruitment, and presenting discoveries in an effective way.
With increased complaints and legal action for organisations of inaccessible websites (Coles, Peapod) and apps (Westpac), now is the time for all web and app Project Managers, Developers, UX/Designers, Content Producers, Business Analysts and Testers to be ‘baking in’ accessibility into processes and work practices.
This presentation will show that accessibility is everyone’s responsibility and it is not difficult to get started or find resources that will help you and your team produce a website, app or digital presence that works for everyone!
A slide deck to aid discussion on the following two research papers in the field of accessibility:
1. User Interface of a Home Page Reader
2. Digital Family Portraits: Supporting Peace of Mind for Extended Family Members
Tips About Accessibility for Online Learning Instructors3Play Media
Learn what is reasonable for instructors and online course designers to know in order to begin designing courses that are welcoming to, accessible to, and inclusive of all students and instructors, including those with disabilities.
Presentation from the DCUX 2019 talk - 7 colors of the accessibility rainbow.
The talk covers three points:
1. The importance of accessibility
2. The 7 things I've learned
3. Some useful resources that will help anyone get started
One of the simplest ways to make information more accessible is to add alternative text (alt text for short). It’s brief descriptions of images for users who can’t see them. But what to write? This is a deep dive into writing alt text that is usable and useful. You’ll learn how the right words can make images speak clearly.
Updated for AccessU and AccessU Summit 2017
A Taxonomist, a Software Engineer, and a UX Researcher Walk Into a Bar: Brid...Jenny Benevento
video available here: https://blueprintdigital.com/ia-summit-2017/jenny-benevento-giovanni-fernandez-kincade-jill-fruchter/
This was a talk given at IA Summit 2017 in Vancouver, BC by Jenny Benevento, Gio Fernandez-Kincade, and Jill Fruchter.
Etsy is a marketplace where people around the world connect, both online and offline, to make, sell and buy unique goods. Etsy is also a tech company that invests in the craft of coding and data-driven product development as a strategic priority. Etsy has employed AI and machine learning to tackle personalization, recommendations, image understanding, item similarity, search relevance, spelling correction, and many other tasks. We’ll talk through several examples of how Etsy leverages data, where it’s excelled, and where this hammer hasn’t quite hit the nail on the head.
We will be asking ourselves hard questions, recognizing the limitations of decisions driven purely by big data:
- Who are we satisfying? Our customers or our mathematical models?
- Are those models even an accurate reflection of the outcomes we want?
- In a dual marketplace, where complex changes depend on interactions between both sides of the market, can one metric or measure of success tell the full story?
- How do we consider the impact our models are having on our users?
- Are we even addressing real human needs and motivations in the first place?
- How do we inform and enrich AI with expert created & applied taxonomy & metadata?
I'm Sorry. I Can't. Don't Hate Me. The Post-it BreakupKyle Soucy
This talk was presented in 2017 at the IA Summit (#ias17) in Vancouver, BC and at the Big Design Conference (#BigD17) in Addison, TX. A video recording of the talk can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/ias17kyle The audio is a bit poor between 6-12 mins, but it clears up afterward. Enjoy!
Abstract:
I know, I know. UX researchers are supposed to be in love with their post-it notes and affinity diagrams. Forgive me, but when it comes to note-taking and distilling findings from user research and usability testing, I think we might have gone a bit overboard. Affinity diagramming is one of the most popular methods for organizing ideas and qualitative data, but if misused, it can easily become a fatiguing exercise, which looses its merit. In this session you will learn some of the pitfalls to avoid when using affinity diagramming for user research and explore some alternative methods that have proven to be successful for collaborative analysis.
Language Arts for the Lizard Brain: Vocabulary Design for the Predictably Ir...Andy Fitzgerald
My talk from the 2017 Information Architecture Summit in Vancouver, BC on March 24th. An earlier versions of this talk was also presented at Taxonomy Bootcamp in Washington, DC on November 15th, 2016.
Presented at O'Reilly Design 2017 and the 2017 Information Architecture Summit. This talk describes approaches to ensuring that user research findings are taken into account at every phase of design and development and that design team members and stakeholders are involved in those approaches.
Want people to understand your apps, sites, information? Write and design it in plain language so they can find, understand and use it. (Talk at Code for America, 22 Aug 2014)
Hello! I'm Caitlin and I want to bring my presentation, design, and storytelling skills to you— so I've put together this collection of my recent work to show you what I can do. Enjoy!
Katherine Spivey of the U.S. General Services Administration presented this training on plain language tips, tactics, and rules for the Federal Communicators Network event on storytelling and writing on October 30, 2014.
Presentation describes rapid prototyping of the <a href="http://www.dent.umich.edu/faceit/">Let's Face It</a> consumer health web site for persons with facial difference, including design, accessibility, communication, development, and lessons learned.
In the webinar that these slides go with we explore different approaches to integrating user testing into the development of legal content for diverse audiences. Examples include user testing in the following contexts: the development of a website and mobile app in the immigration sphere, the rollout of a pro bono mobilization website, content development for a statewide website, and enhancements to user experience when navigating online forms for courts.
The Center for Technology and Civic Life leads a session on free and low-cost tools at the Midwest Election Officials Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
UX Research with Limited Literacy Audiences — Tips and Case StudiesMary Ann Brody
Most of us eat and sleep with our smart phones. But there are still many people who find technology stressful and overwhelming. People with limited literacy skills are often included among this latter group.
By following a thoughtful, user-centered design process, you can overcome the common barriers to reaching and engaging people with limited literacy skills, such as:
• Complex information and navigation
• Unfamiliar tools
• New technology
Reaching out to and receiving meaningful feedback from audiences with limited literacy skills can be challenging and requires special considerations. This presentation will offer tips for conducting user testing with limited literacy audiences.
From our experience conducting usability research with hundreds of participants with limited literacy skills, we’ll share lessons learned and practical tips for a user-centered design process that leads to easy-to-use, accessible content and tools.
This presentation will detail proven strategies for:
• Recruiting participants
• Developing questions and prompts in plain language
• Moderating testing sessions
We’ll discuss user-centered design methods that are particularly effective in gaining insights from participants with limited literacy skills, including collaging, card sorting, and in-person usability testing. We’ll also talk about how to choose the right software and testing environment to meet this audience’s needs.
Lastly, we will explore — through case studies — the behaviors, habits, and preferences of limited literacy users.
Develop Your Tech Skills to Improve Elections in Your JurisdictionWhitney May
CTCL's 90-minute presentation at the 2015 National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials, and Clerks (NACRC) annual conference in Houston, Texas.
Jon Rubin & Katherine Spivey - User-Useful Government Websites: Intersection ...Plain Talk 2015
Presented by Jonathan Rubin, MA, & Katherine Spivey, MA, on March 13, 2015 at the fifth Center for Health Literacy Conference: Plain Talk in Complex Times.
An introduction to the Information Literacy Framework and Portal for health information. Presented by Eilean Craig and Rob Westwood at the CILIPS Centenary Conference Scottish Health Information NEtwork seminar which took place 4 Jun 2008.
Rubricis all around us and just about every company use some form.docxSUBHI7
Rubric:is all around us and just about every company use some form of web databases. On line retail stores are a great example. Having a web database can help track inventory, which items are selling the best and track marketing advertisements. By tracking these things, the company can gain a competitive edge by predict trends and the latest crazes
1. Include the survey report.
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely included the survey report.
Partially included the survey report.
Satisfactorily included the survey report.
Thoroughly included the survey report.
2. Describe the positive and negative aspects of creating and conducting an online questionnaire.
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely described the positive and negative aspects of creating and conducting an online questionnaire.
Partially described the positive and negative aspects of creating and conducting an online questionnaire.
Satisfactorily described the positive and negative aspects of creating and conducting an online questionnaire.
Thoroughly described the positive and negative aspects of creating and conducting an online questionnaire.
3. Speculate on the reliability of the collected data.
Weight: 20%
Did not submit or incompletely speculated on the reliability of the collected data.
Partially speculated on the reliability of the collected data.
Satisfactorily speculated on the reliability of the collected data.
Thoroughly speculated on the reliability of the collected data.
4. Recommend two (2) methods that you can use to validate the collected data.
Weight: 20%
Did not submit or incompletely recommended two (2) methods that you can use to validate the collected data.
Partially recommended two (2) methods that you can use to validate the collected data.
Satisfactorily recommended two (2) methods that you can use to validate the collected data.
Thoroughly recommended two (2) methods that you can use to validate the collected data.
5. Based on your experience, describe the major challenges of using an online questionnaire
Website.
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely described the major challenges of using an online questionnaire Website.
Partially described the major challenges of using an online questionnaire Website.
Satisfactorily described the major challenges of using an online questionnaire Website.
Thoroughly described the major challenges of using an online questionnaire Website.
6. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.
Weight: 5%
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7. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements
Weight: 10%
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5-6 errors present
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0-2 errors presen ...
Similar to Plain language is accessibility for content (20)
Designing for difference: Are you failing at the most important design challengeWhitney Quesenbery
There is no such thing as a “typical user.” People may have similar goals or jobs to get done, but they bring differences in preferences, knowledge, language, interaction style, and perspectives. Broadening our vision to design for differences is a conscious act of innovation. It starts with embracing the tools of accessibility, plain language, and language access for modern, responsive design. And broadening our research and testing to include the full diversity of our audiences. If you aren’t designing for difference, ask yourself who are you leaving out.
At the Center for Civic Design, we’ve learned that designing democracy requires changing our practice and how we approach our work. As one project partner put it, “If all we do is make it a little easier for people who already vote, we have failed.” From voter guides to ballots, the goal of our work is to expand civic engagement and participation - including everyone, with all their differences
This presentation was created for World IA Day, 2019
Presentation at edUI
Understanding our users starts from user research. But the complexities of the user patterns, behaviors, perceptions, and motivations can be hard to communicate in ways that help the team really understand the mindset of their audience.
Stories let us shape research data into compelling narratives that build empathy and engage teams in the user journey and see both research insights and problems user experience through the eyes of your users.
Presentation at UX Camp Copenhagen, May 2018
We all love our user research data… but why is it such a struggle to use the insights we uncover to create direction for our project? Storytelling is the missing link, getting past charts and graphs to dig into data. Whitney will show how stories put research insights into context, communicate the entire user journey, show problems through the eyes of your users, and help you ask better questions to gain deeper insights.
Presentation at the IA Summit 2017
Why can’t we make it easier to be accessible?
Why can’t we aim for great user experiences that are also accessible? Creating accessible technology has to go beyond minimal compliance with standards that meets the law but may not be usable.
We need a bigger goal: creating delight for everyone. We’ll start by exploring what makes a delightful experience and how a good balance small pleasures and anticipated needs supports accessible UX in both big and small ways. Like any UX, this concern for users has to be part of every design decision.
But we also need to think about what it takes to make this happen. It means incorporating a wider range of people into user research and usability testing, and making accessibility a core requirement, not an afterthought. But most of all, it takes tools that are designed to support accessibility. We’ll look at some of the progress… and some of the failures that hold us back.
This presentation is also available as a seminar in the All You Can Learn Library at aycl.uie.com
Center for Civic Design workshop on September 26, 2014 to discuss what we learned in our project and share insights, experiences, and example materials with the election officials who made this work possible by hosting our researchers
Alt means alternative text. A look at how to write it, thinking about audience, content, context.
These slides are from the Accessibility Summit, 2014. Register for access to recorded sessions:
http://environmentsforhumans.com/2014/accessibility-summit
Every study starts with a question. This session at CSUN 2014 started by examining the questions that usability testing can answer. Short case studies illustrate how the right technique will help us know not only what is happening but also why it’s happening. It's an overview of usability testing as a research method, and what you can (and can’t) learn from working with real people as they try to use a web site or other product.
Accessibility as Innovation: Creating accessible user experiencesWhitney Quesenbery
Designing a web for everyone is a conscious act of innovation. Instead of focusing on barriers, we can put people first for delightful user experiences.
Persona Stories: Weaving together quant & qual for a richer pictureWhitney Quesenbery
Stories have power to add empathy and connection to our work. They can help us learn about people, culture, and context—why, when, and how our products might be used—and share this with a design team. Stories permeate UX techniques from user stories to storyboards. They come to full power when used with personas: the persona provides a fully envisioned lead character for the story, a perspective through which interactions can be explored, and a voice for the emotional reactions to design ideas.
Creating stories for personas is a craft. They are not fiction, but are grounded in the data and user research that informs the persona. They are not fact, but are imagined events, shaped to explore possibilities. They are realistic, but not perhaps real, because they represent not just one individual or event, but something that might happen, and that provides insights into a user experience.
These slides were used in a presentation at CHIFOO on February 5, 2014
CHIFOO members have access to the video of this presentation, with sign interpretation
http://www.chifoo.org/index.php/chifoo/events_detail/persona_stories_weaving_together_qual_and_quant_for_a_richer_picture/
I put this presentation together for a team, as we explored the different ways to work with users in a participatory, collaborative way. It ends with 3 mini case studies of how we used these techniques in an innovation workshop, and as part of a design process
6 Awesomely Practical Tips: Making content better for everyoneWhitney Quesenbery
Tips 6 - 12 from 31 Awesomely Practical Tips, a one-day online conference by Rosenfeld Media and Environments for Humans. Recordings available: http://rosenfeldmedia.com/events/practical-ux-tips/
Content for everyone: Making information accessible.
Excellent, clear content is also accessible content that everyone can use. See how many of your content guidelines support plain language and WCAG 2.0 checkpoints.
Updated February 2014
Presented at STC 2013 and ConveyUX 2014
This is a presentation I gave to the Department of State's International Visitors Leadership Program, April 16, 2013.
Links to projects and materials mentioned in the slides are available in the Notes pages of the presentation.
EASY TUTORIAL OF HOW TO USE CAPCUT BY: FEBLESS HERNANEFebless Hernane
CapCut is an easy-to-use video editing app perfect for beginners. To start, download and open CapCut on your phone. Tap "New Project" and select the videos or photos you want to edit. You can trim clips by dragging the edges, add text by tapping "Text," and include music by selecting "Audio." Enhance your video with filters and effects from the "Effects" menu. When you're happy with your video, tap the export button to save and share it. CapCut makes video editing simple and fun for everyone!
Can AI do good? at 'offtheCanvas' India HCI preludeAlan Dix
Invited talk at 'offtheCanvas' IndiaHCI prelude, 29th June 2024.
https://www.alandix.com/academic/talks/offtheCanvas-IndiaHCI2024/
The world is being changed fundamentally by AI and we are constantly faced with newspaper headlines about its harmful effects. However, there is also the potential to both ameliorate theses harms and use the new abilities of AI to transform society for the good. Can you make the difference?
Connect Conference 2022: Passive House - Economic and Environmental Solution...TE Studio
Passive House: The Economic and Environmental Solution for Sustainable Real Estate. Lecture by Tim Eian of TE Studio Passive House Design in November 2022 in Minneapolis.
- The Built Environment
- Let's imagine the perfect building
- The Passive House standard
- Why Passive House targets
- Clean Energy Plans?!
- How does Passive House compare and fit in?
- The business case for Passive House real estate
- Tools to quantify the value of Passive House
- What can I do?
- Resources
Storytelling For The Web: Integrate Storytelling in your Design ProcessChiara Aliotta
In this slides I explain how I have used storytelling techniques to elevate websites and brands and create memorable user experiences. You can discover practical tips as I showcase the elements of good storytelling and its applied to some examples of diverse brands/projects..
1. Plain language:
accessibility for information
Whitney Quesenbery
WQusability.com | Center for Civic Design
Twitter: @whitneyq | @civicdesign | @awebforeveryone
www.slideshare.net/whitneyq/plain-language-is-accessibility-for-content
2.
3. What is plain language?
Information in plain language helps
people
find what they need
understand what they find
and use it to meet their own goals
Plain language speaks to the readers,
using words they understand.
4. Plain language helps...
People who don't read English well
People with cognitive disabilities
People who with low literacy
44% of Americans don’t read well.
National Assessment of Adult Literacy
5. People read with different levels of
literacy
Below basic – only the most
simple and concrete reading skills
Basic – able to manage everyday
tasks
Intermediate – moderately
challenging activities like
consulting reference material
Proficient – interpreting text,
comparing viewpoints
U.S. National Assessment of Adult Literacy http://nces.ed.gov/naal/kf_demographics.asp
6. A right to understand
Sandra Fisher-Martins “The Right to Understand”at TEDx O’Porto -www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP2y0vU7EG8
Transcript: http://rosenfeldmedia.com/a-web-for-everyone/plain-language-accessibility-for-information/
7. Plain language is accessibility for
cognitive disabilities
Many barriers to cognitive accessibility are
the same as usability problems for general
audience…but more severe.
- Clayton Lewis
14. People can read, understand, and use the information
• Write for your audience.
• Follow plain language guidelines for writing content.
• Write sentences and paragraphs for easy scanning.
• Support users through their tasks.
• Structure the whole page for scanning and comprehension.
• Write helpful links.
• Use language your audience is familiar with, or provide
definitions.
• Provide plain language summaries of complex content.
• Don’t rely on readability formulas.
• Usability test your content.
Accessible UX Guidelines and a cross-reference to WCAG 2.0
http://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/a-web-for-everyone/resources/
Accessible UX content guidelines for
Plain language: creates a converation
15. Attention Customers:
Vegetation Management Work
In accordance with Section 14:5-9.67 of the New Jersey
Administrative Code, this notice is to advise you of planned
vegetation management activity on transmission rights-of-way in
your area. If there is work to be performed on your property, a
representative authorized by Jersey Central Power & Light will notify
you of the necessary work.
Our qualified tree contractor(s) will be sent out to maintain the
vegetation. This work is necessary to enhance reliable electric
service. All our methods and applications are approved, consistent
with industry standards, environmentally sound, and performed in
accordance with New Jersey Board of Public Utilities' regulatoins
referenced above.
16. 5 guidelines
• Write for your audience
• Organize information logically
• Write for action
• Short words, sentences, paragraphs
• Design for reading
17. 1. Write for the
audience
Speak to them
in their words
about their tasks
18. Use simple, everyday words
Description Of Service
The Site is an online community which enables photographers and graphic artists to
post photographs and images, share comments, opinions and ideas, promote their
work, participate in contests and promotions, and access and/or purchase services
from time to time made available on the Site (“Services”). Services include, but are
not limited to, any service and/or content 500px makes available to or performs for
you, as well as the offering of any materials displayed, transmitted or performed on
the Site or through the Services. Content (“Content”) includes, but is not limited to
text, user comments, messages, information, data, graphics, news articles,
photographs, images, illustrations, and software.
Your access to and use of the Site may be interrupted from time to time as a result
of equipment malfunction, updating, maintenance or repair of the Site or any other
reason within or outside the control of 500px. 500px reserves the right to suspend
or discontinue the availability of the Site and/or any Service and/or remove any
Content at any time at its sole discretion and without prior notice. 500px may also
impose limits on certain features and Services or restrict your access to parts of or
all of the Site and the Services without notice or liability. The Site should not be
used or relied upon for storage of your photographs and images and you are
directed to retain your own copies of all Content posted on the Site.
19. Write directly to the readers
Vote Early – The Registrar of
Voters office is open as a polling
place for the November 5, 2013
Election, beginning on Monday,
October 7, 2013 through
Tuesday, November 5, 2013. You
may vote a vote-by-mail ballot
at the Registrar of Voters office.
Vote early in person
You may vote early at Registrar of
Voters office, or at the voting
centers listed on page 5.
October 7 through November 5
Monday – Friday, 8am to 5pm
Registrar of Voters
4321 Franklin Avenue
.
20. ... Even when the reader is a only
indirectly "you"
§ 408.315. Who may sign your application?
(a) When you must sign. If you are mentally competent, and physically
able to do so, you must sign your own application.
(b) When someone else may sign for you. (1) If you are mentally
incompetent, or physically unable to sign, your application may be
signed by a court-appointed representative or a person who is
responsible for your care, including a relative. If you are in the care of
an institution, the manager or principal officer of the institution may sign
your application.
(2) If it is necessary to protect you from losing benefits and there is
good cause why you could not sign the application, we may accept an
application signed by someone other than you or a person described in
paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
23. Get ready:
Establish context and requirements
The page says:
Online Registration Renewal
A simple 4-step process.
1. Enter vehicle registration
2. Enter owner information
3. Pay fees
4. Provide feedback (optional)
Make sure you have the following ready:
• Your registration renewal form
• Your Social Security Number (SSN)
• Your Insurance Identification Card
• A valid credit card
4 images show cards for Visa, Mastercard,
American Express, Discover
Identify the number
of steps or process
Tell people what they
will need
24. Table of contents
Provide a roadmap
Let readers know what to
expect.
Show how information is
organized.
26. Write in bites, snacks and meals
Bite: Shortest
possible
information
Snack: Summary, with
enough information for an
experienced voters
Meal: Full details or instructions
27. Include both overview and details
Level Where in the Guide Example
Bite Cover General Election
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Polls are open from 7am to 8pm
Snack Three ways to vote
page
Vote in person at the polls
Polls are open on Election Day, November 4, from
7am to 8pm
The location of your polling place is printed on the
front cover of this guide.
Or, you can look up your polling place:
• On the web: www.franklinvotes.org
• Using the automated phone service: 1-222-555-
1216
Meal Detailed
instructions on
page 6
How to vote in person at the polls
[ instructions on the voting process and how to
mark the ballot ]
28. Starts with a "bite"
Active headings
Lists
"If" options before "then"
actions
Links to action in each
section
Design to Read: Guidelines for People Who Do Not Read Easily
http://uxpamagazine.org/people_who_do_not_read_easily/
This page has been replaced with:
https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/eligibility
30. Write headings as questions or
active instructions
Heading
Style
Example Why it works
Question What is the last day to request
a vote-by-mail-ballot?
Suggests a question that voters ask
Quasi-
Question
How to request a vote-by-mail
ballot
Suggests what the question the
text will answer
Instruction Request a vote-by-mail ballot
by October 29
Provides the answer to an implicit
question
32. First things first
Put instructions in the right order
Draw a triangle on top of an upside down “T”
33. First things first
Put instructions in the right order
Draw a triangle on top of an upside down “T”
Did you draw a pine tree or a wine glass?
34. Be positive
How much are the annual tuition fees at this
university?
A typical three-year degree at £3,000 a year
adds up to to £9,000 – a hefty sum that doesn’t
include living costs....
The fees at the Open University are one third of
the tpical costs at other univerisities (on
average to £3,046 compared with £9,000...
Universities will be able to charge up to £3,000 for
annual tuition fees and the government is
predicting that average levels of student debt will
be around £15,000 for those entering higher
education next year...
35. 4. Keep the text
as short as
possible
Short words
Short sentences
Short paragraphs
36. Use summaries for key points
This example is from http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/bone
37. How to vote
(1) Mark only with a writing instrument provided by the board of
elections.
(2) To vote for a candidate whose name is printed on this ballot fill in the
(insert oval or square, as applicable) above or next to the name of the
candidate.
(3) To vote for a person whose name is not printed on this ballot write or
stamp his or her name in the space labeled “write-in” that appears
(insert at the bottom of the column, the end of the row or at the bottom
of the candidate names, as applicable) for such office (and, if required
by the voting system in use at such election, the instructions shall also
include “and fill in the (insert oval or square, as applicable)
corresponding with the write-in space in which you have written in a
name”).
(4) To vote yes or no on a proposal, if any, that appears on the (indicate
where on the ballot the proposal may appear) fill in the (insert oval or
square, as applicable) that corresponds to your vote.
(5) Any other mark or writing, or any erasure made on this ballot outside
the voting squares or blank spaces provided for voting will void this
entire ballot.
(6) Do not overvote. If you select a greater number of candidates than
there are vacancies to be filled, your ballot will be void for that public
office, party position or proposal.
(7) If you tear, or deface, or wrongly mark this ballot, return it and obtain
another. Do not attempt to correct mistakes on the ballot by making
erasures or cross outs. Erasures or cross outs may invalidate all or part
of your ballot. Prior to submitting your ballot, if you make a mistake in
completing the ballot or wish to change your ballot choices, you may
obtain and complete a new ballot. You have a right to a replacement
ballot upon return of the original ballot.
(8) After completing your ballot, insert it into the ballot scanner and wait
for the notice that your ballot has been successfully scanned. If no such
notice appears, seek the assistance of an election inspector.
38. How to vote (another try)
Instructions
Mark the oval to the left of the name of your choice.
To vote for a candidate whose name is not printed on the ballot, print the nameclearly in the
box labeled 'write-in', staying within the box.
Do not make any marks outside the spaces provided for voting. If you do, your ballot may
not count.
The number of choices is listed for each contest. Do not mark the ballot for more candidates
than allowed. If you do, your vote in that contest will not count.
If you make a mistake, or want to change your vote, ask a poll worker for a new ballot.
41. Let lists be lists Good information
design supports
good
accessibility
The most
important
information in this
email is buried in a
massive,
parenthetical
sentence.
Hello.
From time to time we update our agreement governing the use of Square's payment
processing services, Square Reader, and Square Register. We're writing to inform you
of a few changes recently incorporated into this agreement.
Click here to read the updated Seller Agreement.
The vast majority of changes result from either reorganization, clarification of
language, the deletion of duplicative text, or other aesthetic changes, although there
are a few substantive modifications. (See, for example, Section 6 [Your Square
Account], Section 7 [Our Role], Section 12 [Applicable Network Rules], Section 15(a)
[Access to Square Account Funds], Section 15(b) [Right to Setoff], Section 16 [Payout
Schedule], Section 24 [Taxes], Section 36 [Disclosures and Notices], Section 47
[Representation and Warranties], and Section 49b [Third Party Products].)
The updated agreement will take effect on June 9, 2013. If you continue to use our
services after June 9, 2013, you agree to the terms of the new agreement. You will be
able to access the previous version of the agreement for the next thirty days.
Thanks,
The Square Team
squareup.com
Email from square.com and link to https://squareup.com/legal/seller-agreement
42. Use typography to support reading
Do
Have enough space between lines
Make the font big enough (12pts +)
Don't
Use centered text (even on headings)
Use all capital letters
43. Use layout to convey content
Layout can communicate the type of content on a page
Layout can differentiate page types from one another
44. Good layout makes information
seem simpler
"Simpler. Takes time to read."
"Clear headings. More space.
Less of a pitch and more facts."
"I just want to focus on the
priorities, not so much about
who they are."
"Less words, more info per
page."
"Good layout vs. blocks of text."
"Easy to read. Names and
information are separated so
you can read each one."
46. Untangling information
What is it trying to say?
Put the information in the right order
Adjust typography
Simplify words
Use active phrasing
47. NOTICE
If you tear, deface, or make a mistake and wrongfully mark any ballot,
you must return it to the election bard and receive a new ballot or set of ballots.
To vote for a person whose name is printed on the ballot, darken the oval at the left of the person’s name. To vote for a person whose name is not printed on the ballot,
write the person’s name in the blank space, if any is provided, and darken the oval to the left.
TO VOTE, DARKEN THE OVAL NEXT TO YOUR CHOICE, LIKE THIS
TO VOTE, DARKEN THE OVAL NEXT TO YOUR CHOICE, LIKE THIS
To vote for a person whose name is printed on the ballot, darken the oval at the left of the person’s name.
To vote for a person whose name is printed on the ballot, darken the oval at the left of the person’s name. To vote for a person whose name is not
printed on the ballot, write the person’s name in the blank space, if any is provided, and darken the oval to the left.
If you tear, deface, or make a mistake and wrongfully mark any ballot,
you must return it to the election board and receive a new ballot or set of ballots
1. Put the instructions in a logical order
To vote, darken the oval next to your choice, like this:
To vote for a person whose name is printed on the ballot, darken the oval at the left of the person’s name.
To vote for a person whose name is not printed on the ballot, write the person’s name in the blank space, if any is provided, and darken the oval to the
left.
If you tear, deface, or make a mistake and wrongfully mark any ballot, you must return it to the election board and receive a new ballot or set of ballots
2. Adjust typography – no capital letters, highlight important information
48. To vote, fill in the oval next to your choice, like this:
To vote for a person whose name is printed on the ballot, fill in the oval at the left of the person’s name.
To vote for a person whose name is not on the ballot, write the person’s name in the blank space, and fill in the oval next to it.
If you make a mistake marking your ballot, return it to the election board and receive a new ballot or set of ballots.
3. Simplify phrases to use common words
To vote, fill in the oval next to your choice, like this:
To vote for a person whose name is not on the ballot, write the person’s name in the blank space, and fill in the oval next to it.
If you make a mistake marking your ballot, ask a poll worker for a new ballot.
4. Continue simplifying and using active phrasing
To vote, fill in the oval next to your choice, like this:
To vote for a person whose name is not on the ballot, write the person’s name in the blank space, and fill in
the oval next to it.
If you make a mistake marking your ballot, ask a poll worker for a new ballot.
5. Make the text large enough to see
49. Attention Customers:
Vegetation Management Work
In accordance with Section 14:5-9.67 of the New Jersey
Administrative Code, this notice is to advise you of planned
vegetation management activity on transmission rights-of-way in
your area. If there is work to be performed on your property, a
representative authorized by Jersey Central Power & Light will notify
you of the necessary work.
Our qualified tree contractor(s) will be sent out to maintain the
vegetation. This work is necessary to enhance reliable electric
service. All our methods and applications are approved, consistent
with industry standards, environmentally sound, and performed in
accordance with New Jersey Board of Public Utilities' regulatoins
referenced above.
51. Myth:
“My audience doesn’t need plain language”
Teens
Write simply, using
words that are
common to your
readers’ vocabulary
Be concise and get to
the point
Make the content
apply to personal and
cultural experiences
Older adults
Use words that most
older adults know
Write in plain
language with short,
simple and
straightforward
sentences
Low literacy
Put the most important
information first
Write text with a simple
sentence structure
Keep pages, paragraphs,
sentences short
Teenagers on the Web www.nngroup.com/reports/teens/
Designing Web Sites for Older Adults, http://www.redish.net/articles-slides/articles-slides-older-adults
Work with low literacy web users www.stc.org/intercom/pdfs/2004/200406_19-23.pdf
But compare these guidelines for different audiences
52. Myth:
“People can’t tell the difference”
9
82
9
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
No preference
Plain language version
Traditional version
Preference for style of instructions
(% of participants)
Report of Findings: Use of Language in Ballot Instructions, NIST IR 7556
53. Myth:
My information can’t be expressed in plain
language
Information can be
technically accurate,
interesting and well written
appropriate to the audience
and also
clear and understandable
54. Plain language resources
Federal Plain Language Guidelines
http://www.plainlanguage.gov/
SEC Plain Language Handbook
http://www.sec.gov/pdf/handbook.pdf
How to write clearly – European Commission
http://ec.europa.eu/translation/writing/clear_writ
ing/how_to_write_clearly_en.pdf
LinkedIn
Grouphttp://www.linkedin.com/groups/Plain-
Language-Advocates-
158634?trk=myg_ugrp_ovr
Letting Go of the Words
by Janice (Ginny) Redish
55. Get in touch!
Whitney Quesenbery
whitneyq@civicdesign.org
@whitneyq
civicdesign.org
@civicdesign
Editor's Notes
Examples of information that is not plain are all around us. I found this sign hanging over the mail drop in a post office near DC.
What does it mean?
I think it’s trying to say “Please bring any heavy letters to the window so we can check them with you. Otherwise, we will have to open it to see if there is anything dangerous inside. Your mail will be delayed, and it costs us something, too.”
The image shows a bar graph with the number of people at each level of literacy defined by the US National Assessment of
Adult Literacy:
Below Basic: 30 million people or 14%
Basic: 63 million people, or 29%
Intermediate: 95 million people, or 45%
Proficient: 28 million people, or 13%
Literacy
Careful reading
Don’t know the language or how to read it
Cognitive disabilities may affect a person’s ability to process information:
Remember and recall
Read information
Process information
Make choices
Most government offices have a collection of form letters like this. And they often spend a lot of time explaining their explanations. It’s not really anyone’s fault. Often the regulations or laws are complicated.
At the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, 10% of their calls used to be questions about procedures. When they created new letters and accompanying fact sheets, the number of calls dropped do 1%.
They made three big changes:
Spoke directly the person in the letter
Showed the steps in the process (and options) in a list
Added a fact sheet with answers to the questions they spent the most time answering
Notice that the fact sheet isn’t that fancy. It’s printed on regular paper.
And... it's not a letter
It also focused on how to create a successful records request
- what the department needs
- what it costs
- information already available on the web site
In other words, it answers the questions that people have, providing clear, concise instructions
This flyer about making a claim under disability insurance isn’t too bad.
It’s not too long and mostly uses words people will understand.
But let’s look at what happened when they revised it.
Same trifold. Same printing costs, but so much clearer, with different types of information grouped sensibly.
It even takes the same amount of space, but it’s fewer words.
Same brochure, but fewer, clearer words, and helpful information design.
Process shown clearly
Revised absentee ballot instructions for Minnesota after 2010.
Shows process
What things are easy to have at hand?
What questions can be answer easily?
The Key Points:
Cancer that starts in the bone is uncommon.
Pain is the most common symptom of bone cancer.
Surgery is the usual treatment for bone cancer.
With modern surgical techniques, 9 out of 10 people who have bone cancer in an arm or leg may not need amputation.
Because bone cancer can come back after treatment, regular follow-up visits are important.
People with bone cancer are encouraged to enroll in clinical trials (research studies) that explore new treatments.
This is 356 words of instructions for how to vote.
This proposed version is only 106 words, and a picture.
The letter says:
Hello.
From time to time we update our agreement governing the use of Square's payment processing services, Square Reader, and Square Register. We're writing to inform you of a few changes recently incorporated into this agreement.
Click here to read the updated Seller Agreement.
The vast majority of changes result from either reorganization, clarification of language, the deletion of duplicative text, or other aesthetic changes, although there are a few substantive modifications. (See, for example, Section 6 [Your Square Account], Section 7 [Our Role], Section 12 [Applicable Network Rules], Section 15(a) [Access to Square Account Funds], Section 15(b) [Right to Setoff], Section 16 [Payout Schedule], Section 24 [Taxes], Section 36 [Disclosures and Notices], Section 47 [Representation and Warranties], and Section 49b [Third Party Products].)
The updated agreement will take effect on June 9, 2013. If you continue to use our services after June 9, 2013, you agree to the terms of the new agreement. You will be able to access the previous version of the agreement for the next thirty days.
Thanks,
The Square Team
squareup.com
“These are the top five pages selected by participants”
Each step is an improvement.
It can be done incrementally
It can be done with your own staff
Within the law