Your content is made up of the text, images, and videos that carry information, and it’s the most important part of your project. It should be clear, well-organized, and easy for your users to understand. This section will focus mostly on text.
To be effective and inclusive, we need to write simply. A quarter of New Yorkers do not speak English proficiently, and most online users skim through content. We make websites and digital products to get information across to New Yorkers. If we use complex language, it’s possible they won’t understand what we’re saying.
Moreover, the words we use become the voice of the government for our readers. We must be deliberate about using language that reflects our values.
Contact
The City has multiple content experts. The Department of Telecommunications and Technology (DoITT) offers workshops on web content management, NYC Digital offers plain language reviews and content editing services, and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities can help set up plain language trainings.
For more guidance or information about these resources, contact the Digital Blueprint team.
For information about translation, contact the City’s Language Access Coordinator.