Heads up! To view this whole video, sign in with your Courses account or enroll in your free 7-day trial. Sign In Enroll
Preview
Start a free Courses trial
to watch this video
Over the following videos, we’ll examine examples of voice and tone guidelines, and learn why this is such a key feature of design system documentation. But first, let’s look at the two terms–voice, and tone–and understand what separates them.
[MUSIC]
0:00
When a brand speaks with
an inconsistent voice, users notice.
0:04
If a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
app used the goofy humor of a GEICO ad,
0:10
investors would look to
trust their money elsewhere.
0:16
And Nike shoppers won't settle for
the casual feel of a Keds ad.
0:19
They expect high performance products
that take athletic achievement seriously.
0:24
It's like an actor breaking character,
the audience no longer believes the scene.
0:31
Over the following videos, we'll examine
examples of voice and tone guidelines,
0:38
and learn why this is such a key
feature of design system documentation.
0:43
But first, let's look at the two terms,
voice and tone, and
0:48
understand what separates them.
0:53
One way to look at voice versus tone
0:57
is to think about the difference
between climate and weather.
1:00
Weather describes short-term
changes in the atmosphere.
1:04
A damp, foggy morning might be
followed by a clear sunny afternoon.
1:08
That's weather.
1:13
Climate, on the other hand,
1:14
describes weather tendencies
over long periods of time.
1:16
Where I live in Portland, Oregon,
the summers are warm and dry, and
1:21
the winters are cool, cloudy, and rainy.
1:25
Voice, a term that describes
the long-term character or
1:29
personality of a brand, is like climate
in that it tends to be consistent,
1:33
stable, and relatively predictable.
1:38
Whereas tone is more like weather, subject
to change based on atmospheric conditions.
1:42
Think about your own personality,
which doesn't change much from day to day.
1:49
No matter what the situation,
1:54
the decisions you make are shaped by your
own principles and your own experiences.
1:56
Everywhere you go,
you speak with your own voice.
2:02
However, the words you choose and the way
you say them vary based on the situation.
2:07
Presenting to the boss during a company
meeting requires serious, formal language.
2:14
Grabbing drinks with coworkers
after the meeting doesn't.
2:20
And you make adjustments all
the time based on empathy.
2:24
Imagine comforting a friend
who seems nervous or upset.
2:28
That's a different tone
than one you'd used to chat
2:33
with someone relaxed and smiling.
2:37
Design system voice documentation
exists to help copywriters
2:40
understand the brand's personality.
2:45
GEICO is always GEICO and
should never sound like Morgan Stanley.
2:48
Design system tone
documentation exists to help
2:53
copywriters approach individual
situations with empathy.
2:57
GEICO may have a humorous personality.
3:01
But if I've been in a wreck,
I don't want comedy,
3:05
I want compassionate words and
meaningful assistance.
3:08
You need to sign up for Treehouse in order to download course files.
Sign up