Resumen

BURGER, Annie. Understandable and useful, but also enjoyable? An evaluation of consumers' experience with plain language techniques. Tydskr. geesteswet. [online]. 2024, vol.64, n.2, pp.281-314. ISSN 2224-7912.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2224-7912/2024/v64n2a8.

In the course of the past three decades, the concept of "plain language" has garnered increasing attention. Recent developments have further solidified this field, given the International Federation for Plain Language's definition of plain language, as well as the introduction of an ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) Standard for plain language in 2023. These milestones suggest that plain language is set to play a more significant role in public communication. The International Federation for Plain Language defines plain language as communication in which the wording, structure, and design are so clear that the target audience can effortlessly find, understand, and use the information they need. However, this definition has faced criticism for its vagueness. In an effort to refine the definition, the ISO Plain Language Standard was introduced. It includes four governing principles: 1) Readers get the information they need; 2) Readers can easily find what they need; 3) Readers can easily understand what they find; and 4) Readers can easily use the information. Both the definitions of the ISO Standard and the International Federation for Plain Language concentrate on the understandability and usability of information in creating effective plain language documents. In this article, I argue that alongside understandability and usability, user experience should be considered as a third measurable element of success in plain language documents. Although existing research primarily focuses on usability and understanding, it gives limited attention to user experience, whereas I argue that user experience is a crucial factor in the creation of successful plain language documents. More specifically, I explore in this article the preference of respondents for plain language techniques used in documents in an attempt to establish a connection between the user's experience of these techniques and the document's usability and understandability. I also delve into users' overall experience with plain language documents and assess whether there is a correlation between overall experience and users' perceptions of specific plain language techniques. I further analyse users'experiences with plain language techniques within specific contexts, namely the medical, legal, and financial domains, to determine if the context influences their experience. In addition, I investigate the relationship between users'experiences with plain language techniques and extratextual factors, such as qualification, income, home language, the variety of Afrikaans they speak, and their level of engagement with the document's content. This comprehensive analysis aims to clarify the role of user experience in the success of plain language documents and it potentially prompts a reconsideration of experience, in addition to understandability and usability, when creating successful plain language documents. The study employed a quantitative correlational research design to examine the relationship between respondents' experience of plain language techniques, understandability and usability, extratextual factors, and the contexts in which these documents are encountered. Data collection involved a questionnaire-based survey, with 506 respondents participating through convenience sampling. The survey was conducted on the SUNSurvey platform at Stellenbosch University and was shared across social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to target individuals matching specific population characteristics. Respondents read one of 18 selected plain language documents and answered questions about the documents. Extratextual information, such as respondents' highest qualification level, annual income, home language, the variety of Afrikaans they speak, and the frequency with which they were exposed to the context, were collected. Engagement with the selected document was measured using Likert-scale statements. To assess understanding of the documents, factual questions were included, and usability questions were asked if respondents received one of the six forms that were tested. Experience with the plain language documents was also measured by means of Likert-scale statements. Importantly, respondents'experiences with specific plain language techniques were assessed, allowing them to express their experience with said techniques. The results of the study regarding respondents'experience of the plain language techniques used reveal overwhelmingly positive feedback. The Likert-scale ratings indicated that respondents across various demographic groups had favourable impressions of plain language techniques. This suggests that these techniques not only enhance document usability and understandability but are also well-received by users. The analysis of relationships between different variables yields intriguing findings. While many comparisons did not show statistically significant correlations, the noteworthy results are those that did. When examining respondents 'experiences with plain language techniques in documents across three contexts, no statistically significant relationship could be established, indicating positive experiences with these techniques across all contexts without contextual influence. In terms of understanding, most comparisons revealed a positive relationship between the experience of plain language techniques and understanding. This implies that respondents with more positive experiences better understood the documents, aligning with existing research and suggesting that improved understanding leads to more positive experiences. However, for usability there was no statistically significant relationship between the experience of plain language techniques and document usability, indicating that the study could not establish a clear link between these two factors. When considering extratextual factors, few statistically significant relationships were found. Only the respondents' home language showed a significant relationship with their experience of plain language techniques, suggesting that Afrikaans speakers had more positive experiences. For other extratextual factors, namely qualification, income level, and variety of Afrikaans, there were no significant correlations. In conclusion, this study highlights that positive experiences of plain language techniques are associated with better understandability, emphasising the importance of user experience in creating successful plain language documents. The results are positive for document designers, as diverse groups of people had positive experiences with these techniques, making plain language a tool for improving interactions with public documentation. This study suggests that considering user experience is crucial in defining plain language beyond just usability and understandability.

Palabras clave : plain language; experience; usability; understandability; medical context; financial context; legal context; extratextual factors; contextual factors.

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