Tag Archives: usable

Create documents that are easy to use

Plain language / Plain English, Writer training, ,

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.

How to create a document that readers want to read

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip, ,

The documents we write at work should be, primarily, useful.

That is, these documents will usually contain vital information that users need to perhaps make a decision, or follow a process, or complete some other action.

Readers need information and knowledge they can act on, and they need to gain that knowledge with some ease.

Readers should be glad they read your document because it helped them in some way.

Here’s 3 dimensions to help evaluate documents:

  1. A document should be useful.
    That is, it provides content readers can act on.
  2. A document should also be usable
    That is, readers can quickly and easily find the information they need and understand it.
  3. A document should be desirable
    Attractive to look at and attractive and pleasant to read with valuable content.