Designing the organisational style guide
The problem
The organisation’s tone of voice was being refreshed, so the previous style guide needed to be updated. The existing guide was long, under-used and generic. This had led teams to create their own style guides, resulting in an inconsistent approach across the organisation.
I used the tone of voice refresh as an opportunity to redesign the style guide so it would work better for internal users.
Challenges and how I addressed them
The previous style guide was seldom used
I spoke to staff to understand what they would find helpful in a style guide and what format they would use. I then tested the new style guide with staff groups, using their feedback to iterate the content before it was published.
Teams had created their own style guides
I asked teams to share whether they had their own style guide and what it contained, so that relevant guidance could be incorporated into the centralised style guide.
I also worked with communications teams when the new guide was published to make staff aware of the updated version. As part of this, I made it clear that the style guide was a living document that everyone could provide feedback on and request additions to.
The outcome
The style guide was well received at launch and engagement improved over time. Positive feedback from staff showed that it was supporting them in their work and providing a useful source of guidance.
The outcome
The style guide was well received at launch and engagement improved over time. Positive feedback from staff showed that it was supporting them in their work and providing a useful source of guidance.