lowverbosity

Lowverbosity is a term describing a communication style or interface design characterized by minimal use of words and concise presentation of information. It stands in contrast to verbosity, which emphasizes rich detail. In writing, lowverbosity favors precise wording, elimination of redundancy, and direct statements; readers are often expected to infer meaning from context. In technical domains, lowverbosity aims at high-signal, concise messages and reduced cognitive load.

In software and command-line tools, low-verbosity modes (often called quiet or terse) suppress nonessential messages and report only what is necessary to understand results or diagnose failures. Logging systems implement verbosity levels, with low verbosity selecting a small subset of events. In data visualization and dashboards, lowverbosity focuses on essential metrics and concise labels rather than long narratives.

Benefits of lowverbosity include faster scanning, reduced bandwidth and storage needs, and clearer communication when the audience is technically proficient. Drawbacks include potential loss of context, more challenging troubleshooting, and reduced accessibility for beginners or non-native speakers.

Best practices for applying lowverbosity include matching the level of detail to the audience, providing a compact summary with an option to request more detail, using consistent terminology, and avoiding ambiguity in terse messages. When used appropriately, lowverbosity can improve clarity and efficiency in information transfer without overwhelming readers or users.