Elite Documentation Incorporated

10/09/2023

Have you checked out the new ISO plain language standard?

Contact Information: International Plain Language Federation Gael Spivak [email protected] International Organization For Standardization Approves First Plain Language Standard The standard will help people around the world access and use information June 20, 2023 — Today, the Intern...

08/14/2023

Who has used one of these word processors?

While using the machine is obviously laborious and requires a lot of subject matter expertise, I do miss the days when you could control your setup to a greater extent.

We take you through a demo of our restored Xerox Alto. We go through the Neptune file browser, the Bravo text editor, the Draw and SIL programs, network boot...

08/03/2022

Have you used readability formulas in evaluating the clarity of your writing?

Are readability formulas really useful when it comes to plain language? Read Gael Spivak’s post to learn what the research says!

08/18/2021

Want to see the trends in docs, promotional materials, and more, at OTC 2021?

https://elitedocumentation.com/2021/08/18/report-on-trends-at-otc-2021/

05/20/2020

Check out our new YouTube channel! We'll be posting a new video at least weekly for the next couple of months.

I review how plain language principles apply during the COVID-19 crisis.

04/09/2020

Check out our new article on how to communicate via plain language in the corona virus crisis!

It’s always important to use plain language in communicating with your intended audience. But it’s even more critical when emotions are running high. That’s certainly the case during this COVID-19 …

03/21/2020

What tone of voice do you prefer when you're reading documentation?

https://www.nngroup.com/videos/tone-of-voice-dimensions/?utm_source=Alertbox&utm_campaign=374816ad60-JustRightPersonas_AnimationInUX_20200113&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7f29a2b335-374816ad60-24194709

12/25/2019

What do y'all think? Should we be using the singular "they"?

Singular they is the use in English of the pronoun they or its inflected or derivative forms, them, their, theirs, and themselves (or themself), as an epicene (gender-neutral) singular pronoun. It typically occurs with an unspecified antecedent, as in sentences such as:

04/03/2019

User needs must be defined, both in UX and in all sorts of documentation. In my experience, the element most often left out is the actual goal. This can render the statement useless.

User need statements, also called problem statements or point-of-view statements, are a powerful, fundamental tool for defining and aligning on the problem you are going to solve.