The HRS Style Guide provides detailed guidance on many topics. It may be more information than you need for what you want to do. Here are the most important things, briefly.

Principles

Good content is:

  • Clear
  • Concise
  • Useful

Keep your audience in mind. Use language they will understand.

On this page

Writing and Mechanics

  • Focus your message. Lead with the most important content and create an information hierarchy.
  • Some people will read every word. Others (most) will scan. Help everyone by grouping related ideas together and using descriptive headings and subheadingss.
  • Use active voice and positive language.
  • Use short words and sentences.
  • Avoid unnecessary modifiers.
  • Use specific examples.
  • Be consistent. Adhere to the copy patterns and style points outlined in this guide.
  • Don’t use underline or use all caps.
  • When in doubt, read your writing aloud or ask a colleague to find a specific piece of information on the page. If it takes them too much time or if you have to help, then it needs to be reworked.

Err on the side of minimalism and default settings. It’s easier to make a couple elements stand out on a page when they don’t have to compete for attention with a lot of other flashy elements.

Web Elements

The HRS WordPress block editor provides many different web elements — from paragraphs and lists to buttons, decorative callouts, and embedded media. Select elements with care.

  • Avoid saturating a page in eye-catching elements. Busy pages are more difficult for users to parse and can be a quick turn off.
  • Many block elements allow you to modify their default appearance or layout. Use these tools to help communicate your message, but use them with care. (Refer to the appropriate component guide if you’re unsure whether you can or should use something.)

Design and Layout

If you modify the default styles it is your responsibility to guarantee that the results are accessible and align with the WSU style guide.

  • Organize your page around one topic.
  • Don’t be afraid of scrolling. It’s better to have long, well-organized content than to try to squeeze it all into a too-small space or to fragment it into several very small web pages.
  • Use headings and blank space to your advantage to help users scan the page content for what they’re looking for.