Speak Clearly: Balancing Design Jargon with Reader-Friendly Language
Why Jargon Exists—and When It Helps
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Specialized terms offer surgical accuracy, but they can also build walls around the conversation. Balance by defining key terms in plain language, then use precise vocabulary when it truly adds clarity, not just status.
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We once pitched a brilliant interaction model as progressive disclosure and cognitive offloading. Stakeholders nodded politely, then rejected it. The fix came later, with a storyboard and everyday words that turned confusion into alignment and momentum.
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Agree as a team on when to use technical terms, how to define them, and who you are writing for. Document the rules, revisit them quarterly, and invite your readers to suggest improvements or examples.
Translate Terms Without Diluting Meaning
Pair each technical term with a quick, human explanation. For example, affordance matters because it tells people what they can do without reading instructions. Try this pattern in your next email or design note today.
Begin with ten essential terms your team stumbles over, like hierarchy, accessibility, and latency. Put the glossary in your design system, pin it in chat, and link it in every spec or kickoff document.
Build a Living Glossary Everyone Uses
Tell Stories, Not Specs
Show the frustrating before state, the improved after, and the bridge that connects them. This structure makes abstract decisions tangible and shows how microcopy, layout, and hierarchy reduce effort and errors.
Plain-Language Summaries Up Front
Open with a three-sentence overview: the problem, the proposed change, and the expected outcome in human terms. This primes readers to explore details with context, confidence, and meaningful questions.
Layered Detail for Curious Readers
Use expandable sections or links that progressively reveal rationale, alternatives considered, and trade-offs. Readers can choose their depth without wading through jargon they do not need for decision-making.
Measure Comprehension, Not Just Clicks
Ask a colleague outside your team to explain your summary back to you. Note where they stumble, then refine terms, examples, and headings. Share results and invite others to run their own quick checks.
Measure Comprehension, Not Just Clicks
Run readability metrics as a nudge, not a rule. Combine them with tone passes focused on empathy and usefulness. Aim for concise sentences, active verbs, and definitions near the first mention of each term.