Proof of Usefulness Report

In Plain English

Analysis completed on 2/3/2026

+293
Proof of Usefulness Score
Gaining Momentum

In Plain English is a highly successful tech media brand with verified reach of ~3.5M monthly readers, comparable to the calibration benchmark (HackerNoon). While the submission itself was low-effort (e.g., claiming 'everyone' as the audience), the verifiable external data confirms significant real-world utility and traction within the developer community. The project scores lower on technical innovation as it relies heavily on third-party platforms (Medium), but excels in audience reach and problem-solution fit.

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Score Breakdown

Real World Utility+90.0
Audience Reach Impact+72.0
Technical Innovation+18.0
Evidence Of Traction+90.0
Market Timing Relevance+34.0
Functional Completeness+4.0
Subtotal+308
Usefulness Multiplierx0.95
Final Score+293

Project Details

Project URL
https://plainenglish.io
Description
Home to JavaScript In Plain English (javascript.plainenglish.io) - one of the world's biggest tech publications. Our publications are receive over 3M views every month. April 2020: Launched two new publications AI in Plain English + Python in Plain English. January 2021: Started an initiative to teach people how to code for free - called Stackademic. April 2021: Launched AWS in Plain English, in partnership with Medium. Currently working on plans to create content around Mental Health in 2022. Watch this space! Views 2018: 1M Views 2019: 5M Views 2020: 18M Views 2021: 25M

Algorithm Insights

Market Position
Growing utility with room for optimization
User Engagement
Documented reach suggests active user community
Technical Stack
Modern tech stack aligned with sponsor technologies

Recommendations to Increase Usefulness Score

Document User Growth

Provide specific metrics on user acquisition and retention rates

Showcase Revenue Model

Detail sustainable monetization strategy and current revenue streams

Expand Evidence Base

Include testimonials, case studies, and third-party validation

Technical Roadmap

Share development milestones and feature completion timeline