This document provides guidance on writing clear, engaging content for digital platforms. It emphasizes writing from the user's perspective, breaking content into digestible sections, and using plain language with short sentences and common words. Tips include using user stories to understand needs, a pyramid structure with key details first, and avoiding unnecessary jargon. The goal is to make content as easy to understand as possible for users reading on screens.

1. Writing engaging content:
clear, user-focussed writing for digital
Sue Davis
GDS

2. GDS
Who said this? And when?
“I would wish that the
superfluous and tedious statutes
were made more plain and short,
to the intent that men might
better understand them.”
Sue

3. GDSSue
Edward VI
(1550)

4. 1.You ≠ your users

5. GDSSue

6. GDS
Writing for your users
Who are they?
Sue

7. GDS
What types of content do you
need to produce for them?
Sue

8. GDS
What will they do with this
information?
Sue

9. GDS
User stories state the user’s
problem clearly to come up
with solutions
Sue

10. GDS
User story
As an IT manager
I need to understand what’s
involved in setting up secure wifi
So that I can get my team to do it
Sue

11. GDS
User story
As a supplier
I need to know how I can supply
to the public sector
So that I can grow my business
Sue

12. GDS
Most people will be reading
your content on a screen.
What does this mean?
Sue

13. search
bright background
low resolution
scrolling
different
size
screen
ping!
GDS
When you read from a screen
GDSSue

14. When you read from a screen
GDSSue

15. 2. Break it up

16. GDSSue
Which is
more
appealing?

17. GDSSue
It works
Image credit: NN Group

19. 3. Structure

20. GDS
The inverted pyramid
background
must have
nice to have
theycouldstopreadingatanytime
Sue

21. GDS
Last year 17% of EU staff who
came to work over the Christmas
holidays complained that their
office was freezing!
Sue

22. GDSSue
This content was:
- emailed to all staff
- on their intranet
What does the
user need to do?

23. GDS
Christmas heating
To save energy, office heating in Brussels will be switched off during
the Christmas break – except in premises listed in the attachment,
where we know staff will be working.
If you need heating in premises not listed in the attachment, ask your
Resources Directorate to send a request to
‘resources@ec.europa.eu’.
In heated premises, heating will be switched off at 5pm (3 hours
earlier than usual). But offices are well insulated and should stay
warm for several hours. If you have any problems, please contact the
technical section on 123 456.
Sue

24. GDS
Planning to work over the Christmas break?
Check your office is on the list of heated premises.
If it isn’t, ask your Resources Directorate to send a heating
request to resources@ec.europa.eu.
In heated premises, heating will be switched off early – at
5pm – over the holidays. If your office is too cold, you can call
the technical service on 123 456.
Sue

25. 4. You can write
clearly

26. GDS
“ As civil servants, we have a reputation for
incomprehensible writing... I’ve found that fault
lies less with people’s ability, more with the
pressure – perceived or real – to conform to a
supposed ‘civil service style’. We become
institutionalised.
“ Yet when given the right support, the permission
and the clear expectation that they should write
clearly, they do. ”
- Mark Morris, ex Head of Clear Writing, DH
Sue

27. GDS
US research: Preference for
clear English increases…
the more complex the idea
the higher the level of education
the greater the expertise
Sue

28. GDS
US research: Preference for
clear English increases…
the more complex the idea
the higher the level of education
the greater the expertise
(everyone likes clear language)
Sue

29. Clear English
Write what users can most easily
understand, with:
- shorter words
- shorter sentences: fewer than 25
words
- ‘subject, verb, object’
- one idea per sentence
GDSSue GDSSue

30. GDSSue

31. GDS
on an equitable basis
on a daily basis
due to the fact that
in order to
in excess of
commence
utilise
Sue

32. GDS
Plain English
Campaign
A to Z of
alternative words
Sue

33. GDSSue
Keep your
sentences
simple.

34. GDSSue

35. GDSSue

36. Rewrite these sentences
GDSSue

37. The project, a co-operation between
Common Technology Services (CTS),
CESG, The Digital Marketplace and The
Institute for Cyber Security at Cambridge
University, explores ways of configuring
cloud-based email services so that they
are secure and reliable.
GDSSue

38. The project explores ways of configuring
secure, reliable cloud-based email services.
Project partners are:
● Common Technology Services (CTS),
● Communications-Electronics Security
Group (CESG)
● The Digital Marketplace
● The Institute for Cyber Security at
Cambridge University
GDSSue

39. We have decided that we shall
commence the implementation
of our consultations process
improvement programme.
GDSSue

40. We’ll improve our consultations
process.
GDSSue

41. Thank you.
Please leave your
quick feedback.
GDSSue Davis