What do COVID-19 and Reg BI have in common? The current COVID-19 pandemic and the SEC’s new Reg BI ruling present major challenges for many organizations. But other than that, what do they have in common? Answer: plain language and clear communications. It’s critical for both. Let’s explore how. The importance of clear communications in …
VT Readability Version 2.4 Released to Cloud Customers VT Readability version 2.4 is now available to all cloud customers. We are delighted to bring you updates as well as some brand new core VT Readability features. Major Highlights in this release include: The introduction of Improvement Over Time A redesign of the Scan Results page …
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Employees eager for clear communication during COVID-19 What a difference a month makes. Back in early March, the concept of the modern workplace was still in its infancy. A number of trailblazers had adopted it, but the trend hadn’t quite reached the mainstream. Now, as a result of COVID-19, remote working is our new reality. …
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Is your content making the grade? Let’s talk about the grade level readability test. It’s a test with almost half a century of history. Developed by J. Peter Kincaid, the US Navy originally commissioned it back in 1975. Three years later, the Army used it to make sure their instruction manuals were easily readable. Soon …
Supporting each other during the COVID-19 pandemic The world we live in has truly changed. How we interact with others, care for the most vulnerable in society and lead our teams has shifted. All our focus is on what matters most; the health and wellbeing of our communities. I’m sure, you’ve seen changes in your …
Why Complexity is Killing Your Customer Experience (CX) Picture the scene. You manage the call center for an Asset Management firm. Your colleagues sent a letter to customers, describing changes to their terms and conditions. Except the letter is full of complex words, jargon, and legalese. Readability was not a concern. The call queue is …
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We Need to Talk About Complex Words How much time do we spend thinking about the words we use? Or the impact they have on readability? When we speak to our partner versus a colleague, we naturally change our language. But we often fail to adapt when we communicate with our customers. Let’s take an …
Why it’s time to lose our passive voice What’s your view on passive voice? Perhaps you’ve never given it a second thought. But I bet your company takes a stance. Look at your Content Style Guide. Or whatever your writers use as guidance when writing for your business. I’d expect to see the following three words …
VT Docs 3.2: What’s New Our latest version of VT Docs is now available to all on-premise users. NOTE: This release does not apply to Cloud customers. Before we dive in, we’d like to say a big thank you to all VT Docs Customers and Users. It’s your feedback that has shaped 3.2 and will …
Why all long sentences must come to an end “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter”. This quote by Blaise Pascal (often misattributed to Mark Twain) says all you need to know about long sentences. It sounds unlikely, but short sentences are much harder to write than long ones. Writing …
