Usable documents are ones where users can easily and quickly find what they need. And when they find it, users should easily understand what they read.

This means your documents should be easy to navigate. A meaningful heading structure helps readers find what they need. Use a logic that meshes well with the way your readers think about the topic.

Talking headings – headings that summarise big ideas – are usually better than placeholder or bucket headings.

A well designed layout that makes the structure evident at a first glance also makes finding information easier.

Documents are easier to understand when they are written using ordinary, everyday words rather than specialised words. Sentences are usually easier to grasp when they cover just a single idea.

3 dimensions to think about documents: useful, usable, desirable.