I spend a lot of time talking about websites.  I’m always talking to clients, potential clients, job seekers, industry pros and my fellow Orbiteers and I’ve noticed a few things about how people talk about websites: people use a lot of fancy words.  Naturally, the web has brought about a lot of new things that needed new words.  But somehow it also led to more technical words for some simple ideas.

“Boy, those French: They have a different word for everything!”
- Steve Martin

Sometimes, you can almost see people’s thoughts as they pause to translate a simple thought into a jargon-filled paragraph from a Powerpoint slide.

Do these words actually help us communicate?  Let’s look at a few very popular examples of phrases and see what they mean…

“Functionality”
I always thought this is a funny word.  Take a simple noun like “function” and add a three-syllable suffix to it and… you still have a noun and it means the same thing.  Is there a difference between “functionality” and “function”?

When you’re talking about websites, and you want a word that describes what a website does, it might be tempting to use this word, but doesn’t “feature” mean the same thing?

English translation: feature

“Methodology”
Again, is there a difference between a “methodology” and a “method”?  When you say this, you’ve added three syllables, but did you add any meaning? If you do methodology, are you a methodologist?

To me, methodology sounds like the area of science that studies methods.  But this isn’t what people mean when they say this.  They’re just using a fancy word that means “approach” or “process.”

English translations: process, approach, method, way

“Information Architecture”
Sounds complicated!  It also sounds difficult, time-consuming and expensive.  But isn’t this just a site map?

So why don’t people use simple words?
I have a few theories:

• We want to impress the listener
• We’re afraid they’ll be judged by the listener for not knowing something
• We spend too much time in conference rooms talking to others who have this web/corporate speech impediment.

Yes, overuse of jargon is a speech impediment. But with a little practice, it can be easily translated. Here’s a page for your Tech-to-English Phrasebook:

1. How do we allocate content development resources?
   Whose going to write this?
2. I’ll take ownership of the metrics analysis role.
   I’ll see if it worked
3. Our methodology utilizes an information architecture phase, prior to development of functionality.
   We make the sitemap before programming features.  That’s how we roll.
4. User-driven mouse event on hyperlink/button
   Click!

If you start showing systems of this web-corporate speech impediment, I recommend avoiding conference rooms and talking to children.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve used a lot of web-centric technical euphemisms geek-speak.  Sometimes interspersing sprinkling in a few techy terms in here and there can build confidence in the listener.  But if I use too much, I look inaccessible aloof.

Although it’s fun to say words like “interoperability” and “mission critical,” the purpose of language is to convey ideas.  Web-related ideas are often complicated enough, even when we don’t substitute long, complicated phrases for plain English.  So why do it?  Does it really help us communicate more clearly?

Got any jargon for our Tech-to-English phrasebook?
Comment below!

I just got done reading through the AIGA “Why” booklet and I feel totally refreshed and inspired. Not a day goes by that I don’t think to myself, “This is a stressful job, but I’m so glad I’m a designer.”  It’s not that hard to articulate in simple terms…

Yes, I get to be creative. (A constant reminder from people on the outside.)
Yes, my mind is constantly stimulated and challenged.
Yes, if I REALLY wanted to, I could wear shiny pink pants, a big fuzzy white coat and straw hat to work and not get sent home for it.  *pause* Hopefully I haven’t offended anyone in the office.  LOL.

…but, the real reason I love being a designer is the fact that every day I progress.

Here at Orbit, our team generates value by constantly evaluating our successes and failures.   We progress by constantly learning, striving, improving, and making better decisions than our last.  We play a big role in connecting the history of design with the functional uses and needs of today. We practice usable/purposeful design as collaborators.  We tackle tough problems and activate pin-pointed solutions by connecting wide-spectrum viewpoints and approaches.   These things as a whole inspire us to honor a commitment to success.

That is why I design.

Get the AIGA PDF >

That’s the average time you get to impress your newsletter readers.  (On a positive note - this is longer than you have to impress them on your homepage.)

So, before you send out that eblast to your lovely and devoted customers, think about the power you are placing on the submit button.  First and foremost, you are adding to your customer’s already jam packed inbox.  Secondly, you are creating and building a very important bond between your customer and your brand.

You really don’t want to mess this up.

For goodness sake, make sure you don’t have any bugs - test it first. Usability is a huge concern for e-newsletters that many companies don’t consider.  In tests done by Nielsen Norman Group “newsletters lost 19% of potential subscribers due to usability difficulties in their subscription processes and designs.”  You cannot afford to lose those users.

On the average web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit; 20% is more likely.  Please limit your text because even though you want people to read your website like it’s the most interesting/engaging piece of writing they’ve ever encountered - it’s just not going to happen.  Positive aspects of this limitation: less work for you!

Here is a perfect example - this blog.   Everyone that came here today (outside of the 2% of people who have loads of time on their hands and happen to be kind of interested) will have skipped all the “fluffy” things that I wrote and probably just clicked on one of those two links above.  Seriously, that is the typical user.

If you want to generate revenue - keep copy relevant, sell your product with key messaging, and cut out the filler.  ;)