Readability

The Readability Guidelines wiki I authored for Content Design London in 2019 along with the print handbook, is no longer live. I continued authoring the wiki for the first months of 2020, since then it had not been developed further.

As far as I’m aware, it will not be made live again. The reason given, as some of you have asked me, was simply that it’s a business decision.

Collaboratively researched, this diversity award-winning project helped many people across the globe to create more readable, inclusive and accessible content. But, it was never fully completed, and the intention to regularly iterate it was not carried through.

You can currently access an Internet Archive copy of the Readability Guidelines wiki.

Alternatives

I’ll be developing something similar around readability in the near future. Watch this space: readabilityguidance.com.

Learning through CAKE

Meanwhile, you’re welcome to check out my self-paced, modular online courses. You’d be joining 100s who’ve studied and upskilled through CAKE since 2021.

They’re available from this website. Apply the code ‘Readability10’ for a 10% discount:

• content design pathway course
• content accessibility short course
• writing for web short course
• user-centred design pathway course

Achieve a test score of over 70% for a certificate of completion.

You may also be interested in my book ‘Task-based intranet content: a step by step guide to user-centred design’.

GOV UK resources

The comprehensive GOV UK guidance and tools for digital accessibility directory is simply brilliant, bringing together a range of accessibility guidance from across the website, including deep links to their design system and writing standards.

It includes guidance for accessible communications based on source material I wrote up for web for the Office for Disability Issues in 2009.

Within the writing standards is the GDS team-produced GOV UK content style guide, which I alongside several others contributed to during GOV UK transition in 2013. It’s an excellent, user research evidence-based resource for clear, accessible and inclusive content.

Related links

• Creating a collaborative and evidenced style guide
• Further Readability Guidelines project context