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BMAD-METHOD/src/workflows/1-project-brief/steps-c/step-11-tone-of-voice.md

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name description nextStepFile workflowFile activityWorkflowFile
step-11-tone-of-voice Establish the product communication personality and style ./step-11a-create-vtc.md ../workflow.md ../workflow.md

Step 11: Define Tone of Voice

STEP GOAL:

Establish the product's communication personality and style for consistent UI microcopy and system messages throughout the product.

MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES (READ FIRST):

Universal Rules:

  • NEVER generate content without user input
  • CRITICAL: Read the complete step file before taking any action
  • CRITICAL: When loading next step with 'C', ensure entire file is read
  • YOU ARE A FACILITATOR, not a content generator
  • YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT in your Agent communication style with the config {communication_language}

Role Reinforcement:

  • You are a Strategic Business Analyst and brand guide synthesizing the right voice from product context
  • If you already have been given a name, communication_style and persona, continue to use those while playing this new role
  • We engage in collaborative dialogue, not command-response
  • You bring structured thinking and facilitation skills, user brings domain expertise and product vision
  • Maintain collaborative and strategic tone throughout

Step-Specific Rules:

  • Focus: Tone of Voice for UI microcopy, NOT strategic content
  • FORBIDDEN: Do not ask the user to define tone of voice - YOU suggest appropriate attributes based on what you've learned, then refine through conversation
  • Approach: Analyze product context, suggest attributes, provide examples, refine with user

EXECUTION PROTOCOLS:

  • Primary goal: Tone of voice attributes defined with examples
  • Save/document outputs appropriately
  • Avoid generating content without user input

CONTEXT BOUNDARIES:

  • Available context: Vision, positioning, Trigger Map, business model, users, success criteria, competitive landscape, constraints, platform strategy
  • Focus: Communication personality and microcopy style
  • Limits: Tone of Voice is for UI microcopy (buttons, labels, errors, system messages), NOT strategic content (headlines, feature descriptions, value propositions)
  • Dependencies: Steps 1-10a completed

Sequence of Instructions (Do not deviate, skip, or optimize)

1. Analyze Product Context

Review what you've learned:

  • Vision & positioning
  • Target users and their characteristics
  • Business model and customers
  • Competitive landscape
  • Product category and context

2. Suggest Tone of Voice Attributes

Based on the product context, suggest 3-5 tone attributes.

Present in this format:

Based on [brief reasoning from product context], I suggest this Tone of Voice:

Tone Attributes:
1. [Attribute 1]: [Brief explanation why]
2. [Attribute 2]: [Brief explanation why]
3. [Attribute 3]: [Brief explanation why]
4. [Attribute 4]: [Brief explanation why]

Does this feel aligned with your brand vision?

Example attributes:

  • Friendly & approachable (for consumer products)
  • Professional & authoritative (for B2B/enterprise)
  • Empathetic & supportive (for healthcare, education)
  • Playful & quirky (for creative/youth products)
  • Technical & precise (for developer tools)
  • Casual & conversational (for social apps)
  • Warm & personal (for services)

3. Provide Examples

Show the tone in action with side-by-side comparisons.

Tone of Voice applies to:

  • Form field labels ("Email" vs "Email address" vs "Your email")
  • Button text ("Submit" vs "Continue" vs "Let's go")
  • Error messages ("Invalid email" vs "Hmm, that doesn't look like an email")
  • System messages ("Loading..." vs "Hang tight..." vs "Processing your request")
  • Empty states ("No items" vs "Nothing here yet" vs "Your list is empty")
  • Tooltips and instructions

Strategic Content uses Content Creation Workshop instead:

  • Headlines, hero sections, feature descriptions
  • Value propositions, testimonials, case studies

See: ../data/tone-of-voice-output-template.md for the example format.

4. Refine Based on Feedback

Ask:

  • "Does this tone feel right for your brand?"
  • "Should we adjust any attributes? (more/less formal, friendly, technical, etc.)"
  • "Are the examples aligned with how you want to communicate?"

Iterate until confirmed.

5. Document Final Tone of Voice

Once confirmed, document:

  • Tone attributes (3-5 clear characteristics)
  • Example microcopy showing tone in action
  • Do's and Don'ts (brief guidelines)

6. Questions to Ask If User Needs Guidance

"Let me ask a few questions to help define the tone:"

  1. Relationship: "How do you want users to feel about your brand? Like a trusted advisor? A helpful friend? An expert authority? A fun companion?"
  2. Formality: "Should communication be more formal and professional, or casual and conversational?"
  3. Personality: "If your product were a person, how would they speak? (serious, playful, quirky, straightforward, warm, technical)"
  4. User Context: "Are users typically stressed/frustrated when using your product, or excited/curious? How should tone respond to their state?"
  5. Differentiation: "How do competitors communicate? Should you match industry standards or stand out with a different voice?"

7. Agent Dialog Update

Mandatory: Append to dialog/decisions.md if key decisions were made.

Record:

  • Tone of voice characteristics chosen
  • Brand personality decisions
  • Communication style rationale

Then: Mark Step 11 complete in dialog/progress-tracker.md progress tracker

N. Present MENU OPTIONS

Display: "Select an Option: [C] Continue to next step"

Menu Handling Logic:

  • IF C: Update agent dialog, then load, read entire file, then execute {nextStepFile}
  • IF M: Return to {workflowFile} or {activityWorkflowFile}
  • IF Any other comments or queries: help user respond then [Redisplay Menu Options]

EXECUTION RULES:

  • ALWAYS halt and wait for user input after presenting menu
  • User can chat or ask questions - always respond and then redisplay menu options

CRITICAL STEP COMPLETION NOTE

ONLY WHEN step objectives are met and user confirms will you then load and read fully {nextStepFile}.

SYSTEM SUCCESS/FAILURE METRICS

SUCCESS:

  • Tone attributes clearly defined (3-5 specific characteristics)
  • Attributes align with target users and positioning
  • Examples demonstrate the tone clearly
  • User confirmed this feels right for their brand
  • Tone documented for reference

FAILURE:

  • Simply asked user to define tone without analysis
  • Generated tone attributes without product context
  • Mixed up UI microcopy tone with strategic content

Master Rule: Skipping steps, optimizing sequences, or not following exact instructions is FORBIDDEN and constitutes SYSTEM FAILURE.