{"id":1462,"date":"2014-08-27T14:47:44","date_gmt":"2014-08-27T14:47:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.gov.scot\/digital\/?p=1462"},"modified":"2018-08-01T10:50:24","modified_gmt":"2018-08-01T10:50:24","slug":"consistent-content-style-saying-goodbye-jargon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.gov.scot\/digital\/2014\/08\/27\/consistent-content-style-saying-goodbye-jargon\/","title":{"rendered":"Consistent content style, saying goodbye to jargon"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a post by Rachel Caldwell, our Content Designer (NHS 24) and is part of our series on <\/i>Standards & Guidelines<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Have you ever gone to a website looking for answers, started reading what\u2019s there, and quickly felt like you need a translator to make sense of all the jargon?<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a common complaint. And with movements such as the Plain English Campaign attempting to change the way we create content for the better, it\u2019s our responsibility to help.<\/span><\/p>\n

We want to turn complex information into content that\u2019s easily understood by our audience. We believe information should be provided in the clearest and most accessible way possible, which is why we have \u2018content designers<\/span><\/a>\u2019 rather than \u2018content writers\u2019 in our teams.<\/span><\/p>\n

Introducing guidance for content designers, in the form of a content style guide, is a great\u00a0way of promoting best practice, and bringing consistency across Scottish online public services when publishing on mygov.scot<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Building on strong foundations<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

We have used the GOV.UK content style guide<\/span><\/a> as the starting point for our own, making use of it within the alpha<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are a few reasons for this:<\/span><\/p>\n