Emily Claflin
Emily is passionate about breaking down barriers to understanding so that all people can use information to improve their lives. She strives to achieve this goal by combining the power of thoughtful organizational structures with clear language to ensure that people can both find the information they need and apply it in meaningful ways once they’ve discovered it. Her background in adult education and public libraries has provided unique opportunities to learn how people from all walks of life interact with information, allowing her to create information systems that are accessible to a wide audience without compromising the inherent complexity of their content. She is completing her Masters in Library and Information Science through the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Emily is insatiably curious and feeds her desire to learn by reading voraciously and engaging in a multitude of hobbies, which range from playing music to running to knitting. She also loves spending time outdoors and is looking forward to adopting her first dog soon. She is happiest when she is cultivating deep and meaningful relationships with the people around her and has the space in her life to ponder and reflect often.
This article, written by Emily Claflin, emphasizes the importance of plain language in information architecture. Plain language, promoted by the US government's Plain Writing Act in 2010, simplifies communication, making information easily understandable. It's particularly valuable in information architecture, where it aids in understanding complex information. The article outlines the US Government's eight guidelines for plain language, including audience-focused writing, organization, word choice, conciseness, conversational tone, design, web standards, and assumption testing. Ritter provides tips for incorporating plain language into writing and concludes that its use benefits everyone by saving time, reducing errors, and improving communication.