Design Atlas
한국어
❝ UX writing

Plain Language

쉬운 말

Writing that's understood on the first read — no jargon, no passive voice, no nested clauses trying to sound smart.

Also known as: Plain writing
···
html
<div class="stage">
  <div class="pane bad"><span class="mark">✕</span><span class="label">Before</span>
    <p class="copy" id="bt"></p>
    <p class="why" id="bw"></p></div>
  <div class="pane good"><span class="mark">✓</span><span class="label">After</span>
    <p class="copy" id="gt"></p>
    <p class="why" id="gw"></p></div>
</div>
css
.stage{width:94%;height:88%;display:flex;gap:4%}
.pane{position:relative;flex:1;border-radius:14px;border:1px solid var(--line);background:var(--surface);padding:16px 14px 12px;display:flex;flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;gap:10px}
.mark{position:absolute;top:10px;right:12px;font:800 16px/1 system-ui;color:var(--accent-2)}
.good .mark{color:var(--accent-3)}
.label{position:absolute;top:10px;left:12px;font:700 10px/1 monospace;color:var(--muted);text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.06em}
.copy{margin:0;font:600 clamp(11px,2.9vmin,14px)/1.5 -apple-system,sans-serif;color:var(--fg)}
.why{margin:0;font:500 11px/1.3 -apple-system,sans-serif;color:var(--muted)}
js
const bt = document.getElementById('bt'), bw = document.getElementById('bw');
const gt = document.getElementById('gt'), gw = document.getElementById('gw');
const L = {
  ko: { bt: '본 서비스는 사용자 인증 프로토콜을 통해 접근 권한을 검증합니다.', bw: '정확하지만 한 번에 안 읽힘', gt: '로그인하면 이용할 수 있어요.', gw: '같은 뜻, 절반의 길이' },
  en: { bt: 'This service verifies access authorization via the user authentication protocol.', bw: 'accurate, but takes two reads', gt: 'Log in to continue.', gw: 'same meaning, half the words' },
};
let lang = 'ko';
function paint() {
  const t = L[lang];
  bt.textContent = t.bt; bw.textContent = t.bw; gt.textContent = t.gt; gw.textContent = t.gw;
}
paint();
setInterval(() => { lang = lang === 'ko' ? 'en' : 'ko'; paint(); }, 2800);

Complex language doesn't read as expert — it just reads as hard. "This service verifies access authorization via the user authentication protocol" might be accurate, but it never answers "so what do I do?"

The rules of plain language are concrete: use active voice, keep sentences short, and name the action the user actually takes. The U.S. government's plainlanguage.gov guidelines are the reference case for applying this to public documents.

The demo's ✕ is grammatical but takes two reads; ✓ says the same thing in half the words.

When to use

Start with the copy users skim under pressure — terms summaries, error messages, settings descriptions.