Inclusivity
Writing to include is writing without assumption or prejudice. It helps make our users feel welcome and facilitates positive user experiences.
I feel like we need some tables in here to show users what this stuff means to us/them...similar to Atlassian.
Respecting diversity
People come first
- Focus on the individual: Put the person before the condition or identity when discussing disabilities or differences. For example, say "person with a disability" instead of "disabled person".
- Emphasize humanity: Prioritize the person's humanity over their condition or identity.
Cultural sensitivity
Be mindful of cultural differences and avoid using slang and language that is offensive or hurtful. Here are examples of common terms to aviod and those we should consider instead.
| Consider | Avoid |
|---|---|
| "people of color" or "communities of color" | "Minority" |
| "Asian," "person who's black," or "Latino(a)" if preferred. | "Oriental," "Blacks," or "Hispanics" |
| "How are you? or "How are you doing today?" (Global English) | "Sup?" or "What's up?" (English slang) |
Clear, consistent, concise
Plain language
Use clear, concise language that's easily understood, avoiding jargon, idioms, and slang as mentioned previously.
For more on plain language, visit the Center for PLain Language.
Avoid complex sentences
According to multiple accredited sources, "A complex sentence combines an independent clause (a complete thought) with at least one dependent clause (a clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence)."
Check out some examples:
| Complex sentence | Independent clause | Dependent clause |
|---|---|---|
| Although he was tired, he finished the project. | "Although he was tired," | "he finished the project." |
| When the bell rings, we will have to go to our next class. | "When the bell rings," | "we will have to go to our next class." |
| The cat, which was wearing a collar, was very calm. | "The cat, ..., was very calm." | ", which was wearing a collar," |
Accessible font sizes
It's important to use accessible font sizes to ensure as many users as possible have access to your content.
Minimum accessible font size
Generally, 12pt (16px) is recommended for body text by most accessiblity
experts, like Accessibily.
Text any smaller than this may be illegible on many platforms, which can create additional accessibility issues.
Our recommendation
We use and suggest 1.125rem (18px) for body text. We want to ensure we deliver what we believe
to be the most
accessible product we can to our users.
Visit our Typography page for more about our font-sizes and type ramp.