# Voice and Tone

**Voice** is your brand's personality — consistent everywhere.
**Tone** adapts to the moment.

## Tone shifts by moment

| Moment | Tone | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Success | Celebratory, brief | "Done! Your changes are live." |
| Error | Empathetic, helpful | "That didn't work. Here's what to try..." |
| Loading | Reassuring, specific | "Saving your work..." |
| Destructive confirm | Serious, clear | "Delete this project? This can't be undone." |
| Empty state | Welcoming, instructive | "No projects yet. Create your first one to get started." |
| Onboarding | Encouraging, minimal | "Two more steps." |

## Never use humor for errors

Users are already frustrated. Cute error copy reads as dismissive — be helpful, not funny.

| Bad | Good |
|---|---|
| "Oops! Something went wonky 🙃" | "We couldn't save that. Check your connection and try again." |
| "404! You're lost in space 🚀" | "Page not found. Try the homepage or search." |

## Voice consistency check

When auditing copy across surfaces, ask:
- Does the brand sound like the same entity throughout?
- Where does the voice drift toward corporate? Toward casual? Make a deliberate choice.
- Are technical terms used consistently or randomly?

A brand voice is not a vocabulary list — it's the *shape* of how the brand speaks. Document examples, not rules. "We say X like this" beats "Use friendly language."

## Calibrating per project

`establish` should capture brand voice in DESIGN.md (or pull from PM's PRODUCT.md). Voice notes belong in *examples*, not adjective lists:

```markdown
## Voice
**Persona**: A senior engineer explaining over coffee. Knows the depth, skips the fluff.
**Examples**:
- "This breaks if X. Here's why."
- "We tried Y first. It didn't work because Z."
- Avoid: marketing superlatives, exclamation points, "supercharge / unlock / transform"
```