Windows voice
CHALLENGE Apply new One Microsoft Voice guidelines across the Windows operating system
SOLUTION Educate Content Designers about the new voice attributes, and co-run craftsmanship reviews for all major Windows features and flows, present on voice at company-wide events, and product a series of Voice 101 videos
ROLE Content Designer, Content PM, Presenter, Writer, Director, Producer
RESULTS Voice was successfully applied across Windows and other content (support, developer, websites)
Prior to Windows 8, not much guidance existed on the voice of Microsoft and Windows. As a result, language in the operating system felt disjointed, as if different people wrote different sections. Much of the language was overly formal, technical, confusing, and sounded robotic.
In an effort to better connect and build trust with Microsoft customers, voice attributes were developed to provide guidance for writers. This guidance needed to be applied to all forms of content, from marketing to products and services, to support articles.
Starting with Windows 8, I took a key role in the implementation of One Microsoft Voice. To support these efforts for the Windows 8 release and beyond, I…
Wrote and produced an award-winning series of Voice 101 videos, selecting and directing voice talent, animators, and audio engineers.
Co-created a SharePoint site with useful resources, including a gallery of before and after examples.
Led weekly drop-in workshops where I reviewed Windows and other UX flows to provide feedback, which included voice feedback.
Co-led and extensive craftsmanship review of all main customer flows in Windows 8. The writer and PM for each feature or flow were required participants, and during the review meetings we logged hundreds of voice bugs which were fixed by the feature engineering teams, bringing consistency across Windows.
Presented on the importance of voice to the Xbox team of writers, Windows developer writers, and PM partners.
Led a large-scale content refresh of the Windows 8 site, acting as Content PM and coordinating updates, delivery dates, providing feedback and guidance to writers, and incorporating marketing as needed. In addition, I did a large volume of writing on this project.
Windows 8, while not a commercial success due to various design decisions, effectively expressed the new voice of Windows. Writers for all audiences felt empowered to change their writing style away from “robot speak” to a more conversational voice, and consistency across multiple Windows surfaces, including the UI, the support site, marketing site was improved. The impact of this focus on voice created a shift in how Content Designers think about their writing, driving home the importance of words in building customer loyalty and trust.