Skill of the Month: Plain Language

Before you write, find alternative language to use - the process can even be fun!

Welcome to the August edition of Skill of the Month.

Each month I'm taking one skill that culturally inclusive engagement depends on, and show you what it looks like in practice. Happily many of the skills can be transferred to other areas of inclusion, e.g. accessibility and gender equality.

Plus, you can also transfer these skills to employee engagement, international relationships and organisational communications.

Whether you work in HE, innovation, planning, design, EDI, culture or in any other field where inclusive engagement is required, these skills are for you.

The skill that quietly changes everything

August is a good month for something simple. Not a big overhaul!

Just one habit you can start today and carry into every email, invitation, workshop slide and web page you touch.

This month's skill is plain language.

Saying things plainly is one of the most powerful - and most overlooked - inclusion skills there is. Jargon or technical language can render engagement activities unappealing, creating a barrier to full and comfortable participation.

What plain language actually is

Plain language is writing and speaking so people have a better chance of understanding you the first time.

Jargon and technical language sends a quiet signal: this space isn't really for you. And the people most likely to feel shut out are often the very people you're trying to collaborate with.

Simplifying language doesn’t need to dumb down your work, or strip out the nuance. You do the hard work of creating clarity, so community participants and partners don't have to. However, you'll need to include this additional piece of work into your project plan and budget.

Why it's an inclusion skill, not just a style choice

This speaks to the power-sharing skill newsletter I sent last month.

Complicated language asks people to work harder at feeling that they belong. Plain language says: you already belong - come on in.

And communities are never one audience. They're many.

• Some people you're engaging with will probably speak English as an additional language. Idioms and cultural references don't always travel - "Let's touch base", "low-hanging fruit", "it's not rocket science" can land as confusion, not connection.

• Some people are neurodivergent and process language differently. Ambiguity, figurative phrasing and dense blocks of text can be a genuine barrier. Clear structure and literal, concrete wording open the door.

• People with visual or hearing loss may struggle with complicated language - it's not they don't understand, but it's good practice to boost everyone's chances.

• Some people are simply busy - tired, skimming on a phone, or rushing by well-intentioned noticeboards.

• You also need to consider intersectionalities of the above characteristics.

Plain language allows one piece of content reach a diversity of people.

Change the format too

The words are half of it. An accessible format is the other half.

If you're inviting diverse community members into your work, they need content they can genuinely use. In practice, that might mean:

• Offering key information in more than one format - text, audio, visual, easy-to-read.

• Breaking things into short chunks with clear, descriptive headings.

• Checking early whether translation or interpretation is needed - and planning for it, rather than bolting it on at the end.

You don't need a big budget for most of this. But you do need to plan ahead.

You could ask experienced community facilitators and community group leaders for advice. But remember to offer a donation or payment in return for their guidance.

Try this next

Pick one thing you send out regularly - a short newsletter, a meeting invite. Then:

1. Read it aloud. If you stumble or run out of breath, shorten the sentence.

2. Circle every bit of jargon and swap it for a simpler word/s (Ai can speed this up, but make sure the language retains its meaning).

3. Ask one person outside your area of work or study to read it and tell you what it's asking them to do. If they hesitate, it may be a sign you need to do a re-write.

The takeaway

Plain language isn't a compromise. It's a welcome! 

And it's an inclusion skill you can apply in minutes, for free, and make a difference straight away. What are you waiting for?!

If you're taking some well-deserved down time this August, enjoy!

The next Skill of the Month newsletter will drop into your inbox in September (September! How did that happen?!).

Any questions? Get in touch for a chat: hello@elmaglasgowconsulting.com.

Warmly,

Elma

P.S Don't forget to download my free guide here, or here's my webinar.