voice.*Voice & Tone
How Design Better speaks — across every channel, format, and context.
Mission
Design Better helps designers and creative leaders think more clearly, lead more confidently, and build better practices — through honest conversation and rigorous craft.
Core voice attributes
Warm but direct
We care about the person we're writing for, but we don't pad sentences to seem kinder. Directness is a form of respect.
Substantive over stylish
Good ideas don't need rhetorical flourish. Say the thing clearly, then stop.
Earned authority
We cite 250+ conversations over nine years — not credentials or titles. The work earns the right to opine.
Generous with insight
We share the useful part, not a teaser for it. Never gate knowledge behind jargon.
Never prescriptive
We describe what works in context. We don't issue mandates. Design is situational.
Style rules
✓
Sentence-case everywhere
Headlines, nav items, buttons — all sentence-case. Only proper nouns and acronyms are capitalized.
✓
Active voice
Rewrite passive sentences. 'Design was discussed' → 'We discussed design.'
✓
Present tense
Default to present tense. Describe what things do, not what they will do.
✓
Contractions welcome
Use contractions naturally. We're not a policy document.
✓
Oxford comma
Always. 'Design, research, and strategy' — the final comma is non-negotiable.
✓
Numbers: spell out 1–9
Spell out one through nine. Use numerals for 10 and above. Exception: always use numerals in data contexts.
✓
Em dashes without spaces
Use em dashes (—) without surrounding spaces. Never double-hyphens (--) or spaced hyphens ( - ).
✓
Punctuation outside quotes
Place periods and commas inside quotation marks in US English: 'like this.' Not 'like this'.
Do / don't examples
Do
Nine years of conversations about what design really means.
Don't
Leverage our holistic, innovative ecosystem to disrupt the design landscape.
Do
Frank Chimero on how constraints become creative fuel.
Don't
Thought leader Frank Chimero shares his unique journey of unlocking creative potential.
Do
We don't cover tools. We cover the thinking behind the work.
Don't
Our robust, scalable platform delivers seamless, delightful design experiences.
Do
Read the guide — it's 8 minutes.
Don't
Click here to learn more about how to leverage this resource!
Channel guide
Podcast episodes
Warm, curious, conversationalShow notes in third person. Guest bio first, then episode summary. 150 words max per section.
Newsletter (Substack)
Direct, editorial, first-person singularOne subject per issue. Max 3 sections. No listicles. Signature at end.
Social (LinkedIn, X)
Confident, terse, no fillerQuote first, context second. No 'thread' mechanics. Drop emojis unless truly earned.
Video & course content
Instructive but not prescriptiveUse 'you might consider' not 'you should'. Acknowledge complexity. End with an action.
Product & UI copy
Functional, honest, minimalLabel the action, not the outcome. 'Save draft' not 'Keep your progress safe.'
Format patterns
Headlines
Sentence-case. Active verbs. No trailing period.
Subheads
Sentence-case. Short noun phrase preferred.
Body paragraphs
Max 4 sentences. One idea per paragraph.
Pull-quotes
Source Serif 4 italic. Guest name + title below the quote.
Lists
Lead with the noun. No trailing periods on fragments.
Captions
Inter Tight 12px. Opacity 62%. No trailing period.
CTAs
Verb + object. 'Read the guide' — not 'Click here'.
Strike on sight — forbidden words
These words have been rendered meaningless by overuse. If you find them in a draft, delete them and say the thing plainly. No exceptions.
disruptiondisruptecosystemleveragesynergyunlockunleashgame-changerinnovativeseamlessdelightful10xlearningsideatejourneyholisticrobustscalableempowerreimagine
Writing antipatterns
- ✕Opening with 'In today's fast-paced world...'
- ✕Ending with '...and that's just the beginning.'
- ✕Using 'I believe...' as a hedge — either say it or don't
- ✕Lists of 5+ items where prose would be clearer
- ✕Hyperbolic episode descriptions ('This one will change everything')
- ✕Asking readers to 'smash that subscribe button'