DesignByNumbers

This week, we presented a workshop “How to Make the Web Work for Your Business” for a group of 45 entrepreneurs. When we asked the group to rate their own knowledge of and comfort with the web on a scale of one to ten, they rated themselves from zero to eight. Crafting a message that appeals to a diverse audience is a challenge in any form of communication, but sharing a common vocabulary is critical.

We chose to use a number of commoncraft’s “Plain English” videos. They are know as fantastic tools for simplifying content, but I am even more impressed with how much they cover.  The shorts, which range from 90 seconds to three minutes, serve as fantastic checklists of “what should I remember if I’m ever trying to explain this to someone.

The “Plain English” videos are not only a good resource for the uninitiated, they are a fantastic resource for anyone who finds themselves in a position of  explaining web concepts to clients or colleagues. They are thorough, simple to understand, and amazingly succinct. If you’ve never seen one, go take a look. If you have seen them and dismissed them as “too basic”, take another look. If put on the spot, could you explain one of these concepts as clearly and quickly as Lee LeFever?

Chris

As Client Relations Manager, Chris McInnis is rtraction's go-to-guy for "what are you actually trying to say?" He loves finding the perfect way to get the message across. Chris and his wife Jen like finding excuses to learn about the music, food and language of other cultures.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 25th, 2009 at 8:48 am and is filed under DesignbyNumbers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.