Testimonials

We’ve collected testimonials from people who are using the standard in real-world situations.

If you have a testimonial you’d like us to publish, please contact us.

Lorenzo Carpanè, Italy, Palestra della scrittura

ISO guidelines are a boost for convincing companies to work on plain language. Recently, due to the guidelines, a major power supply company (our client) decided to establish a Plain Language Office. As far as I know, it’s the first time this has happened in Italy. 

At the same time, we suggest all our clients to buy the guidelines, even if all topics were already part of our books and teaching syllabus. I also refer to the guidelines while teaching at university and in an MBA program.

Laura Edlund, Canada

Using a standard like ISO 24495-1 is as valuable to me as a writer and editor as using a dictionary. The ISO plain language standard helps me effectively and efficiently draw on my own experience and that of other communication experts from around the world, apply best practices, and reach clear goals in work for clients and their audiences.

Greg Ioannou, Canada, Colborne Communications and former president of Editors Canada

The ISO plain language standard has changed how I teach writers and editors to do plain language. Looked at superficially, this standard simply reinforces plain language as it’s been done since the 1980s. But the standard has shifted the focus, from words to design, from reading level to accessibility. It’s totally focused on readers’ needs instead of writers’ wishes. And the standard adds new aspects to the mix, from ethics to cultural context.

For editors, applying the four principles of the ISO standard to your work will have you rethinking how you edit. In 2023, Editors Canada adopted new Professional Editorial Standards, and for the first time, plain language is baked into our association’s standards. Both standards use the same approach to plain language.

Daniel Maddux, United States, ASM

While completing a major communication project for a manufacturing company, I was challenged by a couple of senior engineers. The document we were producing didn’t seem to sound technical enough for them: the language was just too plain and clear. They wanted the document rewritten to sound smarter.

While I took time to understand and respect their viewpoint, in the end I emphasized that we needed to write as clearly as possible. As ISO is an important organization for my company, I was able to refer to the standard as backup for my choices.

Amber Riaz, Canada, Consultant for World Bank Group and Editor (owner) of A4 editing

I used the ISO Plain Language standard to finalize guidance on plain language use for technical reports and evaluations published by the Independent Evaluation Group at the World Bank. The standard is accessible and very easy to read. The guidance is organized into easy-to-read sections with the help of headings and subheadings. The standard also uses short paragraphs, avoids jargon, and presents information with the help of bulleted lists and figures (all of these are also recommendations made by the ISO standard), making it easy to find guidance on specific aspects of plain language use. I wish I had had access to this standard when I first started working with technical reports 5 years ago! I would’ve been able to add this as a source of authority on recommendations I regularly make to authors of technical reports.

Gael Spivak, Canada, former president of Editors Canada

Working on the ISO plain language standard has enlarged my network, increased my credibility and expanded my knowledge of plain language information. It’s also given me so many new friends. And, of course, the standard is really easy to use. I can apply it to my writing and editing every day.

Carolyn Wilby, Canada, Clear Language @ Work Inc.

The ISO plain language standard provides tremendous credibility for plain language best practices that I try to instill in all client projects. Now clients know that my recommendations are not just because “I say so” but that they are backed by the standard, which is based on empirical evidence and expertise from around the globe. In addition, clients today are increasingly focused on inclusivity and accessibility, which the standard provides guidance on.