Simplifying the core of the message
Navigating from one web page to another via countless redirects and links, or searching for information in endless paragraphs: for you it might be a piece of cake, but for many people it’s a real challenge.
Imaigne hiavng to raed an etrine wbesite lkie tihs and etxract esetnsial infromatoin form it. Thta’s a lot hrader, sin’t it?
The two previous sentences show how difficult it is to find your way around a text that is complex or even unreadable, or contains multiple ideas and difficult words and sentence structures. This is exactly the problem millions of people face every day when they are online. This is where simple language can help. By simplifying the core message of web content, the internet becomes more accessible to everyone.
How did we write DG HAN’s websites in simplified language? We conveyed the essence of the story in clear and concise sentences. This way, visitors can quickly understand each sentence and immediately find the information they need.
More than just accessible
In an earlier phase of this project, Untranslate already adapted DG HAN’s website to accessibility standards. To ensure that the website is also available in simplified language, we went one step further. We carefully analysed each sentence to rewrite it as clearly as possible. Putting ourselves in the shoes of people with reading difficulties, we asked ourselves: “What makes this sentence difficult to understand?”, “Would a screen reader be able to read this out correctly?”, “Is this text logically structured?”, “Would I be able to process this information while listening without having to make an extra effort?”
We conveyed the key message of each sentence in a way that is understandable for everyone and compatible with screen readers used by visually impaired people. This makes the information more accessible to every visitor, with or without aids such as screen readers.
Linguistic challenges
Reworking an entire website in simple language requires (even more) creativity from our linguists. We had to carefully rephrase ideas and explain certain terms, without leaving out essential information. In short, we had to convey the same information in a simplified form. No problem for our linguists, who have mastered the accessibility techniques below to perfection.
1. Simplified language
We rewrote the texts in simple, plain language. We avoided technical terms, idiomatic expressions and complicated sentences. We kept the sentences short and to the point.
2. Adapted vocabulary
Words that are less common or difficult to understand were replaced by familiar and accessible words that the target group often uses. If a more familiar synonym could not be found, the word was subtly explained in the paragraph. Synonyms were avoided to avoid ambiguity.
3. Sentence structure
We simplified sentence structure to make the texts more comprehensible. We reformulated long, complex sentences into simplified, shorter ones. Each of those sentences expresses one idea.
4. Coherence and clarity
The texts are coherent and logically structured. This also makes them easier to understand. Ideas are presented in a clear and convenient way. This also allows a screen reader to be used more effectively.
A simplified language version should therefore be carefully structured. This makes content accessible to everyone, regardless of reading ability. It is also important to take into account the needs of the target audience and digital accessibility standards.
A multilingual team that works seamlessly together.
The simplified version of the website is available in three languages: German, French and Dutch. Our linguists worked closely together to develop and align these versions. They thoroughly analysed and researched the texts to identify possible obstacles for users. The advantage of close cooperation between our linguists was immediately visible: thanks to their different expertise and perspectives, one noticed obstacles that the other did not identify as such and vice versa. They shared their observations with each other and therefore created consistent texts across the target languages.
They also drew up a terminology list in each language. In it, they collected the terms and their better-known synonyms or provided an explanation for a term. The lists were given to DG HAN so that they could take them into account while publishing the website. The linguists also shared these terminology lists with each other, allowing them to exchange ideas and solve potential obstacles for website users in a proactive way.
What did we learn from this project?
Since 22 December 2016, according to the directive on accessibility, the websites and mobile apps of government bodies must be accessible to all. Eugénie, a French-speaking linguist at Untranslate, explains:
“Under the framework contract with FPS BOSA, we receive many requests like this.Digital accessibility is becoming a priority for more and more companies and public organisations, and I think that’s very important! Not only does this benefit users, but also the companies, as it allows them to broaden their target audience. The goal is to make the digital world more inclusive, making information and technology accessible to everyone, regardless of any physical or mental disability. So it is not only about ease of use, but also about equal rights and opportunities. This is something close to my heart. So it was quite an honour to do my bit for a project like this. And working with other linguists – for any language – always leads to interesting exchanges.“
EUGENIE DE MEEUS I French linguist
Do you also want to make your web content more accessible to everyone?
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