CDPS have been working closely with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s office to support organisations with trying trio writing as way to create user-centred bilingual content.
We have led trio writing sessions with:
- Natural Resources Wales to help them improve the content for their new register for a flood warning service
- Cadw to help them refine existing content across their website
- Swansea University to rewrite a short sequence of emails for prospective students
Trio writing can be used for any type of content. It is an especially useful tool for task-based content and processes. But it can still be useful for marketing and communications content too.
In our latest sessions we did trio writing on a registration process that was mapped out as a prototype in Figma, on a series of 5 short emails and on a few short website pages.
The people who took part in the sessions were:
- a content designer from CDPS
- a content expert from the partner organisation
- a translator either from CDPS or the in-house translator at the partner organisation
Trio writing brings together the expertise of different disciplines, with a shared goal of making both versions of the content clear, usable and useful.
Insights from the trio writing sessions
Each trio writing session is different because they’ll be influenced by the content being written, the people participating and the audience they are writing for. There are still some common insights and outcomes, including:
- both versions of the content (English and Welsh) are improved even if the conversation if focused more on one language
- being able to discuss the content with different experts is an effective way of collaborating with a positive outcome for the content and user
- the translated version doesn’t need to be like-for-like – rather, content should be nuanced and specific to the language it is written in so both versions are the best they can be
- sometimes in a trio writing session only a little writing is done as the expert participants discuss the purpose, users and content in detail before getting to the writing part of the process
- translators are subject experts that can meaningfully improve content when brought into the creation process
Trio writing doesn’t replace the role of the translator. Instead, it elevates that role and their expertise. Recent sessions have been so successful our partners have asked for more. We’ll be carrying out research with the participants and sharing those insights at the end of the project too.
By doing trio writing with partners, we are showing the process in practice. We’re also learning through doing as we explore this relatively new approach to creating true user-centred bilingual content.
