Plain language is writing content on a subject matter (for this wiki, WARFRAME) in a way that uses simple and clear vocabulary or is structured in a way to communicate information easier. The wiki should aim to use plain language when describing most content on the wiki to ensure audiences from all backgrounds can quickly, easily, and completely understand what they read. This ensures information equity and accessibility, especially for an international audience who may or many not understand the English language natively (ESL).
- Last updated: Mon, 21 Aug 2023 00:20:55 +0000 (UTC) by User:Cephalon Scientia
Goals[]
- Content should be clear, concise, and correct (good writing)
- "What is the point of writing content that people cannot understand?"
- Content should be easily parseable and navigable (good visual design)
- "What is the point of writing content if people cannot find the information they need?"
- There is alignment with accessibility (A11y) efforts in web development or computer system design
- Technical infrastructure should support the above goals (good technical design and software engineering)
- Done on a platform level (Fandom or MediaWiki) and/or user level (via Lua scripts in Module namespace or JS scripts in MediaWiki namespace)
Target Audience[]
- Warframe players from all stages of their player journey (e.g. beginners, veterans, returning players)
- High school or equivalent graduate
- Basic English, math, and digital literacy
- Players who have played MMO or RPG-like games before
- We borrow a lot of jargon and terminology from these communities (at least in English-speaking ones)
- Casual players (people who play Warframe a few hours a week)
- Players from any platform that Warframe is available on (PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- Players from an international audience, across different time zones, countries, and standards
- Developers are based in Ontario, Canada so they use Eastern Time in their official press releases
Benefits[]
- Less time spent for readers looking for information on a particular article
- Less chance for confusion or spreading misinformation
- Especially true with time zone, localization, and platform differences
- Less readers commenting for more clarity on a particular subject (i.e. less need to follow up to someone to understand content)
- Localization efforts in translating wiki content is easier with simple language
- Better information portability; information can be shared without direct referencing the wiki and without losing important details (e.g. word-of-mouth)
Technical Topics[]
The complexity of certain topics may use of vocabulary not commonly understood by everyday readers. Try to write content with this in mind and limit the use of technical jargon or acronyms and give practical examples or visuals to compliment content. If there is a need to use jargon or acronyms, define them beforehand in plain language.