3 things you should know about the ISO standard for Plain Language
An ISO standard is an international standard that has been agreed on by international experts. In 2023, the Plain Language standard was published: Part 1: Governing principles and guidelines. During the UCC Café on May 13, we had a chat with Christopher Balmford. As a former board member of the International Plain Language Federation, he was one of the initiators of this standard. Christopher was also the Convenor of the ISO working group that developed Part 1 of the standard.
1 standard, 4 principles
What is Plain Language? The Read Sample defines plain language as follows:
“A communication is in plain language if its wording, structure, and design are so clear that the intended readers can easily find what they need, understand what they find, and use that information.”
These principles are applicable to any language.
After publication of the standard, many countries have worked on translating the standard into their own language(s). Local organisations all over the world made the standard accessible and applicable in their own countries and regions. The International Plain Language Federation has created a guide on how to adopt the ISO standard. There is also an overview of the progress by country.
The standard itself is licenced meaning you’ll only get full access to the standard if you purchase it. Prices of the license are tailored to specific countries.
More than words
Accessible communication and using plain language revolve around more than just using words that are easy to understand. There are many things you can (and should) do to make sure readers can easily find what they need, understand what they find, and use that information. For example:
- Text structure: using titles and bullet points
- Visuals: it can be useful to add an image, icon or infographic
- Testing: to make sure your intended reader understands your communication
New parts on their way
The second part of the standard is being developed. Part 2 will cover ‘Legal writing’. Part 3 will be about ‘Science writing’. Both are expected to be launched in 2025.
Part 4 is focused on certification of organizations showing that they’re demonstrably working on plain language in their communication Certification gives an incentive for organizations to check how well they have adopted the standard and make plain language a priority.
Community UCC
A short recap, including the presentation from Christopher Balmford, can be found on our community’s Miro Board. If you aren’t a member yet, join our community to continue discussing with your peers, join presentations, and to exchange knowledge and experience with other members. Read about Community ICC and sign up.