Write Great Web Content: Plain Language in Action

Session 2: September 15, 2011

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Agenda for Session 2

• Part 1: Review topics and homework from Session 1

• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for intended users

• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a snack, and a meal

• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment • Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing

assignment and reading assignment

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Course Objectives for Session 2

In this session, you will learn:

• How to write content that is appropriate for its intended users: the bite, snack and meal approach

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Agenda for Session 2

• Part 1: Review topics and homework from Session 1

• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for intended users

• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a snack, and a meal

• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment • Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing

assignment and reading assignment

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Part 1: Review topics and homework from Session 1Session 1 topics:• What is plain language?• How to write task-oriented web content

Session 1 reading homework:• Chapter 2, “People! People! People!”

Session 1 writing homework:• Rewrite a task page at your own site or use

HHS’s “How to Request Information” page

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Part 1: Review Session 1 reading homework – Chapter 2, “People! People! People!”

• Find a page or a section in the chapter that was meaningful to you

• What assumptions do you make about your users?

• What facts do you know about them?

• Would you consider developing personas for your users? Have you done this already?

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Part 1: Review participants’ homework from Session 1

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Agenda for Session 2

• Part 1: Review topics and homework from Session 1

• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for intended users

• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a snack, and a meal

• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment • Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing

assignment and reading assignment

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Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for intended users Discuss:

1. Who are your intended users? (Describe by role, group, or title)

2. How do they differ from each other?

3. How is writing content for them challenging?

4. How have you tailored your content to meet your users’ needs?

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Case study in writing content that’s appropriate for intended users

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Five guidelines for writing content that’s appropriate for intended users

1. Match the content’s technical complexity to the users’ level.

2. Help users find the content that’s targeted to them.

3. Link to glossary, illustration, screenshot, demo, list of abbreviations, etc.

4. Be the intended users’ advocate when discussing content with your SMEs.

5. Write a bite, a snack, and a meal.

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Case study: Content for the general public

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Case study: Content for health departments

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Case study: Content for healthcare professionals

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Match the content’s technical complexity to the users’ level

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Help users find the content that’s targeted to them

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Help users find the content that’s targeted to them

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Link to glossary, illustration, screenshot, demo, list of abbreviations, etc.

• Discuss: Find five ways EIA provides content appropriate for a range of users

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Be the intended users’ advocate when discussing content with your SMEs

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Write a bite, a snack, and a meal

How content-hungry is the reader?

How much content does the web writer provide?

• Bite Message-oriented heading

• Snack Brief summary, “executive summary”

• Meal

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Sample bites, snacks, and meals

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Sample bites, snacks, and meals

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Sample bites, snacks, and meals

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Some of these bites and snacks need work

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These bites and snacks need work

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Course topics for Session 2

• Part 1: Review topics and homework from Session 1

• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for intended users

• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a snack, and a meal

• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment • Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing

assignment and reading assignment

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Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, and a snack for this meal

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Course topics for Session 2

• Part 1: Review topics and homework from Session 1

• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for intended users

• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a snack, and a meal

• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment • Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing

assignment and reading assignment

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Course topics for Session 2

• Part 1: Review topics and homework from Session 1

• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for intended users

• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a snack, and a meal

• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment • Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing

assignment and reading assignment

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Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up

• Questions?

• Web pages to look at again?

• Review the five guidelines for writing content that’s appropriate for intended users?

• Review the bite, snack, and meal approach?

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Course topics for Session 2

• Part 1: Review topics and homework from Session 1

• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for intended users

• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a snack, and a meal

• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment • Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing

assignment and reading assignment

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Part 6: Writing and reading homework for Session 2By Tuesday, May 31:• Write a bite and a snack

Read • Chapter 6, “Focusing

on Your Essential Messages”

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Resource

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Evaluation