Minimalism favors short, task-oriented content over long, narrative material. Often based upon minimalist theory, the 'Plain language' movement seeks to present information in a way that makes it as easy as possible for people to understand, most often by removing unnecessary complexity and specialized terminology from documents.
#28936
Simplicity: The Distribution of Complexity
Achieving simplicity is not that simple when you are dealing with complex modern device design. Rob Tannen mused on lazy shortcuts, artificial constraints and Maeda's crusade on the complex.
Tannen, Rob. Boxes and Arrows (2007). Articles>User Interface>Theory>Minimalism
#13452
Simplified English Roundup: Fait Accompli or Impossible Dream? 
The increase in the number of products with accompanying documentation sold around the world has shown the need to develop some form of controlled English guideline. Simplified English is just one type of controlled English. The apparent benefits of writing in controlled fashion has led some to consider it a panacea. Others, however, have urged caution in accepting controlled English as the solution to all problems in the comprehension of documents. All forms of controlled English have certain essential features that any technical writer can accept.
Calistro, Ralph F. STC Proceedings (1993). Presentations>Writing>Style Guides>Minimalism
#27986
Simplified Technical English: STC Should Take the Lead
Proposes that STC become involved in brainstorming ideas about Simplified Technical English, thus leading the way for clear, correct documentation.
Lester, Larry. Intercom (2006). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Minimalism
#25957
So You Want a Website: Tips for Diving into the Internet Ocean Without Getting Drowned
Practical advice for anyone trying to find a good web designer. A few semi-technical topics, but mostly plain English pointers.
Bennaco (2003). Design>Web Design>Writing>Minimalism
#23756
Last month I stated this is not a place for jargon. I felt that was important enough to call out. I certainly am being called to task for that.
Boxes and Arrows (2002). Articles>Information Design>Writing>Minimalism
#31448
Strunk and White Were Wrong: In Speechwriting, Personality Should Not Remain in the Background
A speech generally needs personal language because it is delivered by a live human being whose words should not sound, as Wabash College Professor William Norwood Brigance put it, "like an essay standing on its hind legs."
Tarver, Jerry. Communication World Bulletin (2005). Articles>Presentations>Rhetoric>Minimalism
#30377
A Study of Instructions for Information Systems: Variations on a Minimalist Theme
To perform complex tasks, workplace computer users have to know how to control their programs and adapt program capabilities to the needs of their job goals and methods. I inquired into the instructional information that will help users learn such adaptive computing for complex data processing tasks by interviewing twelve experienced database users and analyzing twenty-five exchanges between experts and users on a database helpline network. Findings show that instructions may help users emulate expert approaches to adaptive computing for complex tasks by providing enough substantial technical information to help clarify task problems, goals, methods and analogies and presenting it in the form of rules of thumb, general procedures, and task-to-program explanations.
Mirel, Barbara E. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Documentation>Databases>Minimalism
#29888
Style That Economizes Mental Energy
Perhaps the most important feature of good writing style for scientific and technical communication is economy: writing that reduces the mental labor of the reader or user. I describe the principle of "conservation of mental energy" as developed by Herbert Spencer and extended by later studies in readability and psycholinguistics. Stylistic techniques that make reading easier have powerful application to the prose crafting that sci/tech communicators do every day. The idea of conserving mental energy, or being "efficient" in communication, gives us a touchstone for thinking about good style and a rationale for explaining why it's valuable.
Hirst, Russel. STC Proceedings (2004). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Minimalism
#26934
A blog about clearly communicating your message.
Casey, A. Blogspot (2001). Resources>Writing>Technical Writing>Minimalism
#29396
Review: The Nurnberg Funnel by John M. Carroll 
In the Nurnberg Funnel: Designing Minimalist Instruction, John Carroll presents some helpful ideas based on some useful research on how the initial self-instruction (often called 'tutorials') should be developed and written.
Horn, Robert E. DITA Users (1999). Articles>Reviews>Technical Writing>Minimalism
#30600
During this workshop, To Be or Not To Be, the workshop presenters demonstrate how getting rid of the verb 'to be' increases accuracy, clarity and effectiveness in verbal communication. E-Prime originated in the field of general semantics; it consists of the English language, but excludes all forms of the verb 'to be.' Practitioners in the field of general semantics have developed a number of techniques that promote clear understanding of communication in the world around us. The workshop presenters strive to create an environment for participants to learn the philosophical background and practical application of the English language subset known as E-Prime.
Anderson, Jack R. and Jeffry A. Rybak. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Writing>Rhetoric>Minimalism
#30734
To Draw and Hold Readers' Attention, Apply a Hollywood Technique
Find the one thing you want people to remember as you write a posting for a Web page, a subject line for an e-mail or a headline for a newsletter.
Writing that Works (2006). Articles>Writing>Rhetoric>Minimalism
#27398
Usability Professionals’ Association Urges Consideration of Plain Language
The Usability Professionals’ Association (UPA) wishes to express its support for plain language.
Usability Professionals Association (2006). Articles>Usability>Legal>Minimalism
#27056
Usable Regulations: Legislation Pending in U.S. Congress
On March 1, 2006, witnesses testified before the House Government Reform Committee’s Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs. Their testimony supported what plain language and usability experts have long known: Clear, concise, easy to understand regulations will save the government (and taxpayers) time and money.
Haller, Thom. Usability Professionals Association (2006). Articles>Usability>Legal>Minimalism
#10637
An IBM Ease of Use poster with the message Users Love Simplicity.
IBM (1999). Design>Presentations>Posters>Minimalism
#24276
Using a Plain Language Assessment Tool to Improve Business Communication
Our company has been involved in a joint public/private sector initiative to bring the benefits of plain language campaigns to business communication. For the project we developed a plain language assessment tool that identifies problem documents, estimates costs associated with poor documents, analyzes their usability, profiles their authors and readers, and helps create action plans for improvement. Two organizations have run pilot projects with the assessment tool, and we did follow up research on them and on some organizations that were exposed to the tool in a workshop setting. The tool is an effective vehicle for improving business documents and performance.
Mierau, Maurice. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Business Communication>Assessment>Minimalism
#25997
This article outlines the benefits you can realize by articulating your science clearly and succinctly; next time, we'll look at how and why several academic and government institutions as well as some publications are encouraging this trend.
Whiteman, Lily. Science (2000). Articles>Writing>Scientific Communication>Minimalism
#27739
Over the last two decades, a ‘culture of clarity’ has been gaining ground in many large organisations around the English-speaking world. In the United Kingdom, government departments, banks, insurance companies, local councils and others have come to realise that clear communication is actually a good idea. Instead of writing to impress or confuse, they are now writing to inform and explain. They are using plain English to do this.
#27754
Write English the Way You Write Code
For a profession full of sharp people, software engineering produces some hideous prose. How many times have you tried to read a technical document and failed because it was, in a very real sense, unreadable? It doesn't have to be this way. We technical types can improve our writing simply by applying some of those hard won coding skills to to those other, human, languages. I may be grammar challenged and spelling incapable, but writing code has taught me a few things about writing for people.
Olsen, Russ. JRoller (2006). Articles>Writing>Programming>Minimalism
#26003
Always start by putting your main message up front. Some people feel that bad news should be buried. But research shows that readers will always look for the bottom line.
PlainLanguage.gov (1995). Articles>Business Communication>Correspondence>Minimalism
#31612
Writing for Dollars, Writing to Please
Call it the benefits of plain language. The literature contains studies about these benefits, but no one has ever collected and summarized the studies in a way that makes their full force apparent. As you read the summaries in this article, try to imagine the costs of poor writing — typified by officialese and legalese — in business, government, and law. The costs are almost beyond imagining, and certainly beyond calculating. If this evidence doesn't convince organizations and individual writers that plain language can change their fortunes, probably nothing will.
Kimble, Joseph. Impact Information (2006). Articles>Writing>Minimalism
#30853
Writing Government Policies and Procedures in Plain Language 
Ask ordinary citizens for an example of unreadable prose, and half of them will show you a government document; the other half will point to something written by a lawyer. As a government lawyer for more than 30 years, I wrote and reviewed safety regulations and technical policies and procedures for a major federal agency and eventually supervised other lawyers who did the same. Although I never met a technical document I didn't have the urge to rewrite, I always thought that what my fellow lawyers wrote was pretty clear. Then the plain-language movement came along, and I found I had a lot of room for improvement.
Byrne, Don. Business Communication Quarterly (2008). Articles>Business Communication>Policies and Procedures>Minimalism
#26002
Writing Reader-Friendly Documents 
The traditional way of writing government documents has not worked well. Too often, complicated and jargon filled documents have resulted in frustration, lawsuits, and a lack of trust between citizens and their government. To overcome this legacy, we have a great responsibility to communicate clearly.
PlainLanguage.gov (1995). Articles>Writing>Rhetoric>Minimalism
#21517
When creating online and hardcopy information for software, technical writers tend to be prolific. Every piece of information is important, isn't it? And more information means happier users, right? Not every piece of information is necessary, however, and users don't want more information. Instead, they want the right information with easy access to it. This panel discussion describes why you, as a technical writer, need to reduce information and how you can reduce it by incorporating the following techniques and activities into the writing process.
Jensen Miles, Terri. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Writing>Information Design>Minimalism
#24120
The Zen of Minimalism: Designing a Top-of-Class Manual for Beginners and Advanced Users
Can using minimalist documentation improve accuracy and learning speed for beginners as well as for advanced users? I tested this question using Microsoft Access for Windows 95 ® and three different third-party manuals explaining this product. Then I set up three main tasks for the user in a usability test. For each task, I provided the task description in blue type, and then copied the appropriate documentation in black. Documentation for each of the three tasks was reprinted from a different book.
Stieren, Carl. Simware (1998). Articles>Documentation>Technical Writing>Minimalism
