Principles in practice

How can our writing best embody our principles? Here’s a deeper dive into how that might look.

Be the expert. Help people learn key concepts in language they understand, but don’t talk down to them. Have a point of view on your subject—don’t be ambivalent.

• Establish our expertise and demonstrate that we know what we’re talking about.
• Help people learn the things we know. We are partners in problem-solving.
• Treat your readers as professionals and empower them without belittling them. Don’t claim we know them better than they know themselves. See your readers as we see ourselves: as innovators.

Show people what’s possible and help them discover solutions to their challenges. Position problems as opportunities in another form. Acknowledge that difficult tasks may be hard, but they aren’t impossible.

• Focus on progress and outcomes, not difficulty.
• Help people learn by doing. Show them actions that they can take or ways to improve their work.
• Be positive, but don’t overpromise or upsell.

Speak like a person. Pay attention to context and communicate with the appropriate tone. Don’t use language just to show off your writing skills.

• Be authentic. Show the world there are real people behind our products.
• Be conversational, but not overly casual. Use plain language.
• Admit mistakes.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions (and answer them) in your copy. Be thought-provoking and encourage your readers to think about the possibilities: for the future, for their own capabilities, or for innovative ways to use technology.

• Use words such as “wonder,” “ask,” “explore,” “experiment,” and “discover.”
• Choose specific ideas (“What will the next CGI breakthrough look like?”) instead of vague cliches (“What will the future hold?”). Don’t pose questions without paying them off, suggesting we don’t have a vision or point of view.
• Embrace uncertainty.

We are empathetic to what our audience is experiencing. We are warm and welcoming. We show that we understand their problems and their challenges. Talk to the audience, not about them.

• Help people understand what they can do, what they can’t, and why.
• Empathize with and understand their challenges, needs, and points of view.
• Share our philosophy, embody an open-minded approach, and embrace a dialogue.