A new project is examining linguistic accessibility in digital services – an issue of growing importance in Finnish society, which has repeatedly been ranked among the most digitalised in the world.
Easy Language matters to many
The most recent Finnish estimate suggests that 11–14% of the population, or over 800,000 people, need Easy Language. This includes individuals with limited reading experience, Finnish language learners and those with memory disorders, aphasia or developmental disabilities.
“Easy Language is needed in digital services aimed at a wide audience, in other words, almost everyone,” says
“People often use digital services on their own, so they can’t ask someone if they’ve understood things correctly. That’s why clarity and accessibility matter. Easy Language can help anyone who is busy, unfamiliar with the subject or dealing with something they find difficult.”
Working together for a digitally inclusive Finland
The Finnish mobile network operator DNA was selected as the project partner. DNA’s customer base covers a broad share of Finns, and the company emphasises accessibility as a strategic goal, striving for a digitally inclusive Finland.
“DNA’s Service Design and Customer Centricity unit has been very receptive to collaborating with the University. They’d already established their own understanding of the significance of linguistic issues in communications. Building on this shared foundation, it’s been easy to develop a mutual understanding of how the easy language project could benefit the company,” says Onikki-Rantajääskö.
The texts to be adapted into Easy Language will be selected during the project.
“At DNA, we’re committed to offering the best possible customer experience for everyone. We’re continuously working to make our services more accessible, so we can better meet the needs of our diverse customer groups. In the mobile operator sector, it’s all too easy to slip into overly technical or complex language, which is why working with Easy Language experts is essential. This project is a fantastic opportunity for us to improve the accessibility of our services in terms of language as well. Our collaboration with the University has got off to a great start, with productive planning and preparation already underway,” says Markus Nurminen, DNA’s lead contact in the project.
Spotlight on benefits of linguistic accessibility
Onikki-Rantajääskö describes the project goal as generating knowledge and experience applicable to wider business communications.
“As far as we know, this is the first project to harness Easy Language within the business sector. In public services, Easy Language has long played an increasingly important role. We hope the project will raise awareness of the significance and benefits of linguistic accessibility, especially in digital services.”
Onikki-Rantajääskö aspires for the project to demonstrate the opportunities afforded by humanities studies for research, development and business collaboration.
“I’d like to thank Liaison Managers