This article discusses ‘controlled language’ in the SaaS industry, highlighting its relevance in a world of increased complexity and attention deficit.

What’s Controlled Language

Controlled language is a purposefully simplified version of a natural language, such as English, designed to be concise and easy to understand.

The design process of controlled language limits vocabulary, grammar, and style. It also reduces complexity and improves clarity for humans and machines.

Here’s an example of a non-controlled language:

“After opening the calendar application, browse the available dates until you find one that suits your schedule. Once you’ve settled on a date, click on it to open a new event window, where you’ll need to input the start and end times of your meeting.”

Here’s what the same paragraph looks like after applying the controlled language:

“Open calendar. Select a date. Click for a new event. Enter start and end times.”

Multiple SaaS companies use controlled language. Some of them are:

• Sentinel One
• Writer
• Webflow
• Paligo
• Guru
• Intuit
• Asana
• Notion
• Typeform
  

When do SaaS companies adopt controlled language?

Specific situations may condition SaaS companies to develop and adopt a controlled language. Here are some of them:

1. During product design and development, make sure all team members have a clear, consistent understanding.
2. When expanding their content teams, growth may result in challenges in terms of consistency and quality.
3. When entering global markets, to provide clarity and avoid possible cultural misunderstandings.
4. To standardize documentation and communication to comply with industry regulations and legal requirements.
5. When user feedback indicates confusion or misinterpretation of terminology.
6. To foster inclusivity by using language that is accessible to people with different tech backgrounds.
   

Key attributes of controlled language

Although SaaS companies may have different styles and guidelines for the controlled language they use, usually, a clear set of characteristics makes it so efficient. Here are some of them:  

1. Simplicity

The controlled language uses simple grammatical structures and avoids complex sentences. This makes it easier to read, understand, and process.

2. Consistency

It employs consistent terminology and style. It also reduces the ambiguity that often goes with natural language.

3. Clarity

It conveys information unambiguously and clearly. It removes misunderstandings that may occur in idiomatic expressions.

4. Efficiency

It provides information and instructions that are easy to follow or act upon. It cuts down learning time and reduces user frustration.

5. Accessibility

It is accessible to non-native speakers and people with varying technical expertise. It reduces the need for additional explanations.

Content Areas Where You Can Apply Controlled Language

You can improve SaaS messaging by using a controlled language when creating the following assets:

1. User manuals and help documentation:

Instructions should be clear and easy to understand for users of all backgrounds.

2. UI text and microcopy

It includes buttons, menu items, error messages, and other interface text that makes the software intuitive.

3. FAQ and support articles

Help users find answers to their questions easily. Reduce support requests and improve customer satisfaction.

4. Product and feature descriptions

Whether onboarding new users or training existing ones, make your educational content easy to follow and act upon.

5. Training materials

Explain clearly what your software provides. Help potential customers and help them make informed decisions.

6. Marketing materials

Clarity can increase engagement & conversion rates in email campaigns, landing pages, ads, or other marketing assets.

7. Sales materials and collaterals

Make it easy for prospects to understand the value of your software.

8. Customer service scripts

Improve the efficiency of customer support interactions. Facilitate consistency and clarity in communication.

9. Release notes and change logs

Explain updates, bug fixes, and new features clearly. Help users understand their impact on the software.

10. API documentation and developer guides

Facilitate easier use of the software and its API services. Make technical details clearer for developers.

11. Legal and compliance documents

Simplify complex legal info, terms of service, and privacy policies. Make them more understandable for non-experts.

How to Apply Controlled Language to Your SaaS Messaging

Here’s what you can do if you want to get started with controlled language:

• Limit vocabulary: Use a restricted set of commonly understood words.
• Simplify grammar: Use simple sentence structures. Avoid complex grammatical constructions.
• Standardize terminology: Consistently use commonly validated terms. Avoid industry-specific jargon.
• Use short sentences: Keep sentences and paragraphs concise to improve readability.
• Avoid ambiguity: Clarify ambiguous terms to prevent misunderstanding.
• Use consistent style and tone: Maintain a uniform writing style and tone throughout the document.
• Avoid redundancy: Remove unnecessary repetition.
• Use clear (sub)headings: Employ descriptive (sub)headings to organize content and facilitate navigation.
• Avoid complex syntax: Simplify sentence structures by avoiding nested clauses and complicated syntax.
• Clarify abbreviations: Spell out abbreviations and acronyms on first use to facilitate fast understanding.
  

Final note

Controlled language should be the standard for the SaaS industry, as it simplifies messaging and communication. However, its implementation requires careful planning and consistency. Teams must align on terminology and style guidelines. Training is essential for writers and content creators.

Monitoring and feedback loops improve content over time. Despite these challenges, the benefits outweigh the efforts. Customer understanding improves. Support demands decrease. User engagement and satisfaction rise. Ultimately, controlled language improves the user experience and contributes to business growth.