Business and Plain Language Writing

(1 or 2 days)

This course teaches participants how to translate complex, technical information into clear, concise, reader-friendly writing without losing accuracy. Participants learn practical techniques, rewrite real examples, and develop repeatable processes for producing plain-language documents. They also learn practical editing and proofreading tips.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Knowledge Objectives

1. Explain the key principles of plain-language writing (clarity, brevity, structure, audience focus).
2. Understand how cognitive load affects reader comprehension and how to reduce it through wording and design.
3. Recognize common barriers to clarity in technical and research writing.

Skill Objectives

4. Translate complex concepts, jargon, and data into accessible, plain-language explanations.
5. Apply techniques for simplifying sentence structure, reducing complexity, and improving flow.
6. Organize technical information using logical sequencing, headings, and reader-centric structure.
7. Edit draft documents for clarity, coherence, and readability using checklists and tools.
8. Create plain-language summaries, executive summaries, and key-message briefs from dense research material.

Application Objectives

9. Rewrite technical and/or research-based samples into plain language while retaining accuracy.
10. Adapt tone, structure, and content for different audiences (executives, general public, internal teams).