Voice Chart
What's a Voice Chart#
"The voice chart holds a set of decision-making rules and creative guidance to make the UX content align to the needs of the organization and of the person using the experience. " - Torrey Podmajersky, Strategic Writing for UX, published by O'Reilly Media, Inc. in June 2019.
A UX Writing Voice Chart is a tool designed by Torrey Podmajersky and described in her book Strategic Writing for UX, published by O'Reilly Media, Inc. in June 2019. It is an effective resource that serves as the primary guide for everyone writing microcopy in our platform. It reminds us how the words we see on screen are actually part of a larger structure, connected to VTEX's goals and personality. Every word should be chosen carefully and strategically. The Voice Chart provides us the means to write precise and effective microcopy, aligned with what we wish to transmit to our users.
When should I use the Voice Chart?#
This chart is your ally when writing microcopy. It can help you brainstorm, draft, edit and choose the right words. Have it with you whenever you are:
- Drafting UX copy, and seeking to align it to our brand's voice.
- Not sure which option is the best, amongst the options you brainstormed.
- Editing your UX copy, adjusting grammar, punctuation and capitalization.
- Polishing your copy to make it aligned to VTEX and user's goals.
Check out our Process page for more details and suggestions.
Our Voice Chart#
| Product Principles | Serious | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Concepts | - Reliability. - Trust. - Respect and responsibility towards clients and partners. | - We are sales oriented. - We are ecommerce experts. - We master our customer's diverse contexts. |
| Vocabulary | - We avoid ambiguity and puns/jokes. - We never alarm users, we soothe their anxieties. - We build trust. | - We always use ecommerce jargons. - We are specific. |
| Verbosity | - Less is more. Unless it's for cordiality. - Prefer direct sentences. - We say "please" and "thank you". | - Prefer complete sentences, even where small phrases are more common. - We know exactly what to say. |
| Grammar | - Complete sentences with subject, verb and predicate. - Gender neutral. | - Active voice. - Imperative verbs for actions. |
| Punctuation | - Avoid exclamation marks. | - Always end sentences with a period. |
| Capitalization | Title: title case Buttons: all caps Text Button: title case (less than 4 words) Sidebar items: title case Breadcrumb: title case Tabs: All caps Filter bar: title case Tags: sentence case Action items: sentence case Modal titles: title case Input label: sentence case Input placeholder: sentence case |
Main Pillars#
🧭 Product Principles#
"These principles define what the experience is trying to be to the people who use it. Then, the voice can do its job of conveying those product principles with every word." - Torrey Podmajersky, Strategic Writing for UX, published by O'Reilly Media, Inc. in June 2019.
🎯 Concepts#
"The concepts are the ideas or topics that the organization wants to emphasize at any open opportunity, even when they aren’t a part of the task at hand. They are the ideas that reflect the role that the organization wants the experience to have in the person’s life." -Torrey Podmajersky, Strategic Writing for UX, published by O'Reilly Media, Inc. in June 2019.
📖 Vocabulary#
"Where specific words can support or undermine a voice principle, use the Vocabulary row to specify them." - Torrey Podmajersky, Strategic Writing for UX, published by O'Reilly Media, Inc. in June 2019.
💬 Verbosity#
"For strict usability, the words inside an experience should get out of people’s way. The UX text isn’t there to be savored or read for pleasure. But using few words where many are expected can block a person from moving forward as thoroughly as using too many words where few are expected. Screen size and reading format makes a difference, too" - Torrey Podmajersky, Strategic Writing for UX, published by O'Reilly Media, Inc. in June 2019.
📝 Grammar#
"Natural language gives us a rich variety of ways to construct and convey our ideas, but all of those ways don’t work in all experiences." - Torrey Podmajersky, Strategic Writing for UX, published by O'Reilly Media, Inc. in June 2019.
🅰️ Punctuation and Capitalization#
"This is where most style guides do their heavy lifting: when to use commas, how to use en dashes, and more." - Torrey Podmajersky, Strategic Writing for UX, published by O'Reilly Media, Inc. in June 2019.