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Guidance on building better digital services in government
Plain language is communication that is clear and easy to understand for your target audience, regardless of the medium used to deliver it. It is communication your audience can understand the first time they encounter it. Using plain language on government websites is one of the best ways to reach your target audience. A clear, concise message builds trust with users because they can understand your call to action and complete their tasks and meet their needs.
Using plain language is required on all government websites and also creates a better user experience.
On the web, people are in a hurry. They skim and scan, looking for fast answers to their questions, so it’s important to get to the point—quickly.
What we learned from examples of web content that received both high and low scores.
The Access DOJ initiative shares nine lessons on making services more accessible, effective, and efficient.
Testing for accessibility ensures that digital services are usable for everyone. Explore how the Office of Natural Resources and Revenue (ONRR) streamlined their manual testing process with plain language instructions to create a more uniform testing methodology across their agency. By balancing detail with usability and continually updating resources, ONRR empowers both their small team and subject matter experts to meet Section 508 compliance. — via Office of Natural Resources Revenue
The Department of Homeland Security’s Customer Experience Directorate developed a customer experience (CX) toolkit to help agencies implement CX strategies using a human-centered design approach. The toolkit offers resources to enhance service delivery, processes, and systems, following a “Ready, Set, Grow” framework for planning and implementation. It aims to serve as a reference for organizations bringing CX practices to their own agencies. — via Department of Homeland Security
At USA.gov and USAGov en Español, the goal is to make content more useful to the public, and meta descriptions are one way to help people quickly find the government information they’re looking for. These brief summaries of webpage content appear in search engine results to entice users to click through, attracting visitors to agency websites. Regularly updating these descriptions based on user data can enhance their effectiveness. Read in more detail about their three tips to create effective meta descriptions: identify commonly searched keywords, write engaging and actionable descriptions, and ensure each one is unique. — via USA.gov
The Federal Emergency Management Agency Office of External Affairs is convening risk and crisis communicators and community leaders who are on the front-line of the climate and emerging hazard crises. Attend the free, June 10, 2024, summit virtually, or in Washington, DC. The agenda includes: the sharing invaluable tools and insights, how to implement culturally competent and accessible communications, how to integrate behavior change strategies, and more. An ASL interpreter will be provided. — via Federal Emergency Management Agency
Learn how to implement 21st Century IDEA to design and deliver better websites and digital services.
A deeper look at accessibility: what to do, how to do it, and why it matters.
Multilingual resources to standardize the use of various languages across government.
Learn how to partner with social media influencers and design, implement, and measure an influencer program.
Best practices for creating clear, useful, digital content for federal websites and digital services.
Guidance on how to build government websites that people can trust.
Understand how and why to use plain language on government websites and other digital services
This event recap highlights best practices, a short case study video, and examples of federal web content that received both high and low scores in the 2021 Plain Language Report Card.
In this webinar, Laura Godfrey and Fedora Braverman share tips for translating content in the digital context.
A resource to help federal employees write in plain language and comply with the Plain Writing Act of 2010.
This page is a collection of style guides created by government agencies.
The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) put together these federal guidelines to help implement the Plain Language Act of 2010.
Help your readers complete their tasks with these Plain Language writing tips.
66 posts
The Access DOJ initiative shares nine lessons on making services more accessible, effective, and efficient.
Testing for accessibility ensures that digital services are usable for everyone. Explore how the Office of Natural Resources and Revenue (ONRR) streamlined their manual testing process with plain language instructions to create a more uniform testing methodology across their agency. By balancing detail with usability and continually updating resources, ONRR empowers both their small team and subject matter experts to meet Section 508 compliance. — via Office of Natural Resources Revenue
The Department of Homeland Security’s Customer Experience Directorate developed a customer experience (CX) toolkit to help agencies implement CX strategies using a human-centered design approach. The toolkit offers resources to enhance service delivery, processes, and systems, following a “Ready, Set, Grow” framework for planning and implementation. It aims to serve as a reference for organizations bringing CX practices to their own agencies. — via Department of Homeland Security
At USA.gov and USAGov en Español, the goal is to make content more useful to the public, and meta descriptions are one way to help people quickly find the government information they’re looking for. These brief summaries of webpage content appear in search engine results to entice users to click through, attracting visitors to agency websites. Regularly updating these descriptions based on user data can enhance their effectiveness. Read in more detail about their three tips to create effective meta descriptions: identify commonly searched keywords, write engaging and actionable descriptions, and ensure each one is unique. — via USA.gov
The Federal Emergency Management Agency Office of External Affairs is convening risk and crisis communicators and community leaders who are on the front-line of the climate and emerging hazard crises. Attend the free, June 10, 2024, summit virtually, or in Washington, DC. The agenda includes: the sharing invaluable tools and insights, how to implement culturally competent and accessible communications, how to integrate behavior change strategies, and more. An ASL interpreter will be provided. — via Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Open Data, Design, and Development (ODDD) team has replaced signed consent forms with a more accessible user research agreement process, offering multiple opt-in points. This ensures informed consent and participant autonomy. Explore why and how the ODDD team implemented this comprehensive participant consent process in their user research. — via Office of Natural Resources Revenue
Each month, USAGov’s content designers spend many hours ensuring that the content on USA.gov and USAGov en Español is up-to-date, accurate, and meets user needs. Learn how their team does holistic reviews of each topic section based on a rolling calendar with the goal of updating all content at least every 6 months. — via USA.gov
A GSA SmartPay product owner shares her experience designing user-centered, accessible content for multiple audiences.
OMB released new policy guidance for government that includes a variety of actions and standards to help federal agencies design, develop, and deliver modern websites and digital services. Memo M-23-22, Delivering a Digital-First Public Experience, will make it seamless for the public to obtain government information and services online, and help agencies fully implement the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (21st Century IDEA). — via The White House
Content audits can be tedious. Two content designers discuss why we do them anyway, and how to get started.
As plain language writers and editors, we need to demonstrate the value we bring to projects. This writeup explains how to calculate the costs of our work and articulate its value.
Combined with technology and audience awareness, our increasingly digital, hybrid world can still leverage that in-person charm through the art of storytelling.
Strategies, examples, and lessons learned from coordinating with content owners to enhance plain language on onrr.gov. — via Office of Natural Resources Revenue
Find out how the National Institute of Corrections is using people-first plain language in its communications. See what words and phrases they’re changing.
Managing government websites is a targeted exercise. Here are 5 steps to help you build and maintain a successful one.
Trust is earned through consistency and commitment. Build sites that build trust by considering user needs, respecting people’s time, and avoiding customer experience pitfalls.
Using plain language to describe your work is not only important, it’s also part of the NIH mission and federal law. Here are some tips for telling the public about your research and why it matters.
Digital.gov
An official website of the U.S. General Services Administration
