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Updates to Inclusitivity section #4

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29 changes: 12 additions & 17 deletions website/docs/03_content/inclusivity.mdx
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Expand Up @@ -4,18 +4,17 @@ title: Inclusivity
---

These guidelines are intended for all content authors, whether you are a developer, a designer or a writer.
This page is not exhaustive but provides some guidelines to write inclusive content for product content and technical documentation.
This page is not exhaustive but provides some guidelines to write inclusive UI copy for product content.

## What is inclusive content and why does it matter

**Inclusivity** for content means making sure that the content we serve reflects the diversity of our community, respects it, and promotes positive change.


## Guidelines

### Write for an international audience

Our products and documentation use American English (en_US) as a standard for written content.
Our products use American English (en_US) as a standard for written content.
Yet they are used, read by persons all around the globe, for whom English is not always their primary language.
Our content must take that into account.

Expand All @@ -29,20 +28,17 @@ Our content must take that into account.
Some of these guidelines might already look familiar. Several countries have
[plain language initiatives](https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/) to
promote clearer communication. Do your
best to embrace these guidelines and focus on the message, we’re not going for
Scrabble high scores and no one is carrying a thesaurus to read our docs.
Well, maybe the writers...
best to embrace these guidelines and focus on the message.

* **Negation** - It is generally easier on everyone to say what something IS
versus what it is NOT. When you add a negative construction, it takes the
reader longer to parse the meaning of the phrase. Instead of saying "You
versus what it is NOT. When you add a negative construction, it takes users longer to parse the meaning of the phrase. Instead of saying "You
cannot access the content without signing up" versus how much easier it is to
read "Sign up to access the content."

* **Words with multiple meanings** -
Don't skip helper words if they make the sentence clearer, easier to read.
We try to be as literal and unambiguous as possible in our docs to ensure that
they can be easily consumed by our readers from around the globe. One way to
We try to be as literal and unambiguous as possible in UI copy to ensure that
it can be easily consumed by our users from around the globe. One way to
achieve that is to choose words that have fewer meanings, especially when a
word's intended meaning is not its primary meaning.

Expand All @@ -53,10 +49,9 @@ Different people are used to different names, currencies, date and time formats,

✔️ **Avoid idioms or expressions that are not commonly known, a.k.a regionalisms.**

In our Elastic documentation we aim for a fun, friendly, and sometimes quirky
tone. To achieve that, it can help to use informal, playful language. However,
Elastic's brand voice and tone is fun, friendly, and sometimes quirky. To achieve that, it can help to use informal, playful language. However,
we also have to be careful that our text is as inclusive as possible, so we try
to avoid expressions that might be unknown or opaque for some readers. Here are
to avoid expressions that might be unknown or opaque for some users. Here are
a few examples of what to avoid:

* Idioms (for example, _It's a piece of cake_ or _So far so good_)
Expand All @@ -65,7 +60,7 @@ a few examples of what to avoid:
* Pop culture references (for example, _Elvis has left the building_ or _Same bat-time, same bat-channel_)

We're all pretty good at avoiding these, but there's one problematic type of
expression that shows up frequently in docs reviews. Latin terms and
expression that sometimes shows up in UI copy. Latin terms and
abbreviations are a common source of confusion, particularly for people whose
first language does not have Latin roots.

Expand All @@ -80,11 +75,11 @@ Here are some terms to avoid and suggested alternatives:

✔️ **Aim for readability.** Tools like the Hemingway App can help you make content simpler. Be conversational, but prioritize clarity.

### Prefer gender-neutral language
### Use gender-neutral language

Writing gender-neutral mainly consists in avoiding gender bias and word choices implying that one gender is the norm.

✔️ **Pronouns.** In technical documentation and product UI, this is avoided most of the time by addressing users directly.
✔️ **Pronouns.** In the UI, this is avoided most of the time by addressing users directly.
When it's not possible, use *they*/*their*, even for singular. There's more than one gender, and it's not binary either.

✔️ **Biased words and expressions.** Guys, mankind, policeman... Words that we're all used to hear and use. But the default is not male.
Expand All @@ -101,7 +96,7 @@ not its primary meaning. Other types of words and phrases best avoided are:
* non-specific superlatives (_unrivaled_, _unparalleled_, _world class_)

Some words have nuances that fall into the above categories, which may cause
them to be misinterpreted. Here are some suggested alternatives:
them to be misinterpreted. Here are some alternatives:

| Avoid | | Use instead |
--- | --- | ---
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