Website writing guidelines

Purpose

To create a consistent tone and voice throughout the design system’s website and related digital properties, including Storybook and the Figma UI kit.

Overview

Collaborate with Dell Digital’s content center of excellence to update guidelines for the Dell Design System team. Also ensure that any product or team-specific guidance aligns to Dell’s corporate writing, inclusive language, and accessibility standards.

Results

We drafted the following guidelines to govern documentation on the Dell Design System website:

Remember to write with accessibility and readability best practices in mind. That means our writing is:

• Positive. Explain what users should do instead of telling people what not to do.

• Consistent. Maintain parallel structure for all copy. Use the same tense, voice, and style throughout your writing.

• Succinct. Simplify text to be as concise as possible without sacrificing clarity. Choose plain language and avoid double negatives.

Impact

• Documentation has as a unified voice regardless of how large the writing team is.

• Improves team onboarding for new writers.

• Creates consistency within the larger design system ecosystem.