Exploring the challenges of tone and voice guidelines in writing, from creation to maintenance. Discussing the importance of inclusive language, evolving standards, and collaboration in guideline development. Addressing struggles in implementing guidelines and the significance of clear direction for newcomers in UX writing.
Creating tone and voice guidelines poses challenges in maintaining consistency across teams.
Transitioning to AI-driven tools and interactive guides can enhance writing guidance and team alignment.
Deep dives
Evolution of Tone and Voice
Creating and maintaining tone and voice guidelines presents challenges due to evolving processes in UX writing. The speaker shares experiences in crafting guidelines for various companies, highlighting the difficulties in implementation and consistency across different teams. Additionally, the need to revisit the use of tone and voice guidelines as standalone documents is raised, suggesting alternative methods for ensuring consistent writing styles.
Alignment and Management Challenges
Ensuring alignment between brand/marketing and product teams regarding tone and voice guidelines poses challenges. In larger organizations, issues arise with identifying responsibility for maintaining and utilizing these guidelines, leading to inconsistencies in written content. Questions surface about awareness, education, and clarity on guidelines, especially in environments with multiple sets of guidelines for different teams.
Embracing New Formats for Guidelines
Transitioning from traditional document formats for tone and voice guidelines is essential for improved usability and integration. The speaker advocates for AI-driven tools like plugins that provide real-time writing assistance, enhancing consistency and ease of access. Emphasizing the importance of inclusive, accessible language, the move towards interactive guides within existing writing platforms is proposed for enhanced writing guidance and team alignment.
Episode 42: Get over your tone and voice guidelines
Tone and voice guidelines, as well as any other writing style guidance, are a big topic among writers of all sorts. However, ensuring guidelines make sense in the long run, are inclusive, and are maintained properly is one of the biggest challenges in the field - not just for UX writers. In today's episode, I share my take on creating writing guidance for companies and teams and what has to change (IMO) to make sure It stays relevant.
Learning outcomes:
What is Tone and Voice?
What do writing guidelines cover
Guideline formats
New formats on the rise
Ensuring contribution and maintenance of guidelines for all
Who follows writing guidance and who doesn't
Challenges in creating/maintaining/distributing guidance
Connect with your host, Nicole:
nicoletells.com // Contentrookiepod.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoletells/
hi@nicoletells.com
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