Text and Tone

This is preliminary documentation and is subject to change.

Tone in writing is the attitude that the writer conveys to the reader. It’s designed to create a specific response or emotion in the reader. Tone creates a personality that can either engage or repel users.

Design concepts

The Microsoft^® Windows Vista™ tone

Use the Windows Vista tone to inspire confidence by communicating to users on a personal level by being accurate, encouraging, insightful, objective, and user focused. Don’t use a distracting, condescending (example: “Just do this...”), or arrogant tone.

Avoid the extremes of the “machine” voice (where the speaker is removed from the language) and the “sales rep” voice (where the writing tries to sell us something, to cajole us, to cheer us up, to gloss over everything as “simple.”)

Content leveling

Support users with different levels of technical knowledge, especially novice users, to take advantage of all the things Windows can do.

Why a new tone?

Research from Microsoft shows:

Overuse of computer terminology and jargon, which many users don’t understand or misinterpret.
Inconsistent use of terminology.
Impenetrable, often unintentionally patronizing messages, which users struggle to decipher.

These problems make users feel confused, unintelligent, disheartened, and ultimately disengaged from their experience with software.

The software industry has been “focusing too much on the technology that delivers online messages, and spending too little time on the quality of the messages themselves”. The underlying premise is that language is a key lever for customer satisfaction.

If you do only one thing...

Make sure that your text is clear, natural, concise, and not overly formal, and uses terminology that all users understand.

Guidelines

Use Windows Vista tone

Tone in your application should be:

Accurate Users should feel reassured that the information is technically accurate. If the information isn’t accurate, the user’s experience with that specific task is spoiled, and he loses faith in any other assistance he reads from that source.
Encouraging Use language that conveys that the software empowers users to do things, rather than allows them to do things. For example, use “you can” rather than “Windows lets you” or “this feature allows you.” (Exception: it’s okay to use “allow” when referring to features-such as security features-that permit or deny an action.)
Insightful Users should believe that you (and by extension your application) know when a certain task is complicated and that you will guide them through it. At the same time, treat users as intelligent people who happen to need help with a particular problem.
Objective Sometimes users want a richer explanation; oftentimes they want to know just what they need to move on. This requires objectivity—to recognize that the goal (productivity, curiosity, enjoyment) is the user’s goal, not the writer’s. It also requires that you shed any predisposed notions about the user.
User-focused Write from the user’s perspective and preferably from the perspective of what you can do for the user. Users should feel that they will find information that is relevant and accessible to them.

Use real-world language

Use everyday words when you can and avoid words you wouldn’t say to someone else in person. This is especially effective if you are explaining a complex technical concept or action. Imagine yourself looking over the user’s shoulder and explaining how to accomplish the task.
Acceptable:
Use this procedure to change your password.

Better:
Follow these steps to change your password.
Use short, plain words as much as possible. Shorter words are more conversational, save space on screen, and are easier to scan.
Acceptable:
In addition, this section shows you...
Digital cameras employ tiny microchips...
Digital cameras utilize tiny microchips...

Better:
This section also shows you...
Digital cameras use tiny microchips...
Don’t invent words or apply new meanings to standard words. Assume that users are more familiar with a word’s established meaning than with a special meaning given it by the tech industry. When an industry term is required, provide an in-context definition. Avoid jargon, but remember that some expressions specific to computer usage—hacker, burn a CD, etc.—are already part of everyday speech.
Incorrect:
You can use folders to bucketize your favorites.

Correct:
You can use folders to categorize your favorites.

Be precise

Choose words with a clear meaning.
Acceptable:
Since you created the table, you can make changes to it.
Keep your firewall turned on, as turning it off could create a security risk.

Better:
Because you created the table, you can make changes to it.
Keep your firewall turned on, because turning it off could create a security risk.
Omit needless words—don’t use two or three words when one will do.
Acceptable:
Follow these steps in order to change your password.

Better:
Follow these steps to change your password.
Avoid unnecessary adverbs.
Incorrect:
It isn’t terribly hard to change your password.

Correct:
It isn’t hard to change your password.
Choose single-word verbs over multi-word verbs.
Acceptable:
When you lock down your computer, ...

Better:
When you lock your computer, ...
Don’t convert verbs to nouns and nouns to verbs.
Incorrect:
To password-protect your computer...
To establish connectivity...

Correct:
To protect your computer with a password...
To connect...

Be consistent

Consistent terminology promotes learning and a better understanding of technical concepts. Inconsistency forces users to figure out whether different words and actions mean the same thing. Examples:
switch, toggle
start, run, launch, boot, execute
enable, activate, turn on
burn, copy
Consistent syntax helps set users' expectations. Once these expectations are set, users can more quickly parse text that uses consistent syntax. For example, if instructions are always written in the imperative form, users will learn to pay closer attention to imperative sentences.

Contractions

Contractions lend a shorter, snappier, more conversational rhythm to writing. Use them as appropriate and in context. Don’t use contractions with product names or other proper nouns.

Capitalization

Sentence-style capitalization is somewhat less formal in appearance than title-style capitalization. Prefer this friendlier look for your UI text. Use sentence-style capitalization for everything other than titles. For titles, continue to use title-style capitalization.
Note: Sentence-style capitalization is also more flexible for UI such as long labels.

Person

Address the user as “you,” directly or indirectly.
Use the second person (you, your) to tell users what to do. Often the second person is implied.
Examples:
Choose the pictures you want to print.
Choose an account (second person is implied).
Use the first person (I, me, my) to let users tell the program what to do.
Examples:
Print the photos on my camera.
Use “we” judiciously. The first-person plural can suggest a daunting corporate presence. However, it can be preferable to using the name of your application. Use “we recommend” rather than “it is recommended.”
Avoid third-person references (the user) because they create a more formal, less personal tone.

Voice

Use the active voice, which emphasizes the person or thing doing the action. It is more direct and personal than the passive voice, which can be confusing or sound formal.
Acceptable:
Icons can be arranged by name in alphabetical order.
When a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or laptop is plugged in...

Better:
You can arrange icons in alphabetical order by the icon name.
When you plug in any Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or laptop...
Use the passive voice only to avoid a wordy or awkward construction; when the action rather than the doer is the focus of the sentence; when the subject is unknown; or in error messages, when the user is the subject and might feel blamed for the error if the active voice were used.
Correct:
The new icon should appear in the upper left corner.
Updates must be downloaded and installed before they can work.
Phrase statements in the positive form, and emphasize what users can accomplish, rather than what they can’t.

Attitude toward the user

Be polite, supportive, and encouraging. The user should never feel condescended to, blamed, or intimidated.
Acceptable:
Cannot delete New Text Document: Access is denied.

Better:
This file is protected and cannot be deleted without specific permission.
Strike the right balance: be warm toward the user without being too intimate or too business-like. Imagine that you are helping a friend use the product for the first time. This person is not your best friend or significant other, but instead, a neighbor or family friend. Users should feel comfortable and at home when using Windows, but the language should not feel presumptuous or too familiar.
Avoid slang. Slang terms can seem forced and unnatural, are difficult to localize, and may not make sense to a broader audience.
Use please judiciously. Avoid please except in situations where the user is asked to do something inconvenient or the software is to blame for the situation.
Correct:
Please wait while Windows copies the files to your computer.
Please refer to the documentation for your device.
Use sorry only in error messages that result in serious problems for the user (for example, data loss, the user can’t continue to use the computer, or the user must get help from a technical representative). Don’t use sorry if the issue occurred during the normal functioning of the application (for example, if the user needs to wait for a network connection to be found).
Correct:
We’re sorry, but Windows detected an unrecoverable problem and was shut down to protect files and other data on your computer.

Sentence structure and length

Because users often scan text, make every word count. Simple, concise sentences (and paragraphs) not only save space on the screen but are the most effective means of conveying that an idea or action is important. Use your best judgment—make sentences tight, but not so tight that the tone seems abrupt and unfriendly.
Avoid repetition! Review each window and eliminate duplicate words and statements. Don’t avoid important text—be explicit whenever necessary—but don’t be redundant and don’t explain things that go without saying.
Use sentence fragments if appropriate. Sentence fragments are short and punchy—and, as they typically take the interrogative form, they are a good way of directly engaging the user.
Correct:
Save changes to “My Photos”?
Ever saved a file and then not remembered where you saved it?
Start sentences with conjunctions (and, but, or) if you need to.
Substitute lists and tables for complex sentences. Lists (whether numbered or bulleted) and tables are clearer and easier to scan.
Use parallel grammatical constructions. Parallelism requires that words and phrases that have the same function have the same form. Use parallel language whenever you express ideas of equal weight, and for UI elements that are parallel in function (such as headings, labels, lists, or page titles).
Correct:
Listen
Watch
Share
Collect

These items are parallel because they are all single-word, imperative verbs.

Incorrect:
Music
Video
Share
Listen

These items are not parallel because "Music" and "Video" are nouns, but "Share" and "Listen" are verbs.