Voice & Tone

Our voice is who we are. Our tone adapts to the situation. Together, they ensure every piece of Alterspective communication feels authentic and appropriate.

Brand Voice

Our voice remains consistent across all channels. These four principles define how we sound:

Expert

We know our stuff. We speak with authority on compliance, legal tech, and AML.

Do

Use industry terminology appropriately

Don't

Oversimplify or talk down to readers

Approachable

Complex doesn't mean complicated. We make the difficult accessible.

Do

Explain jargon when first used

Don't

Use unnecessary complexity or buzzwords

Trustworthy

Accuracy matters. We're precise, honest, and reliable.

Do

Back claims with evidence

Don't

Overpromise or use superlatives loosely

Forward-thinking

We're building the future of professional services technology.

Do

Highlight innovation and progress

Don't

Disparage competitors or legacy systems

Tone by Context

While our voice stays constant, our tone adapts to the situation and audience:

Marketing website

Confident and inspiring
Example:

"Transform your compliance workflow with AI-powered insights that keep you ahead of regulatory changes."

Product documentation

Clear and instructive
Example:

"To configure alert thresholds, navigate to Settings > Alerts and enter your preferred values in the threshold fields."

Error messages

Helpful and calm
Example:

"We couldn't save your changes. Check your connection and try again, or contact support if the issue persists."

Success states

Positive but not excessive
Example:

"Report submitted successfully. You'll receive confirmation within 24 hours."

Legal/compliance content

Precise and authoritative
Example:

"This feature supports FATF Recommendation 16 requirements for originator and beneficiary information in wire transfers."

Writing Guidelines

Rule Do this Not this
Use active voice The system detects suspicious activity Suspicious activity is detected by the system
Be concise Review the alert Please take a moment to review the alert that has been generated
Use "you" for users You can customize your dashboard Users can customize their dashboards
Avoid jargon without context SAR (Suspicious Activity Report) File the SAR immediately
Write inclusive copy They submitted their report He submitted his report

Grammar & Style

Capitalization

  • Sentence case for headings: "How to configure alerts"
  • Title case for product names: "Alert Manager"
  • ALL CAPS only for acronyms: "AML", "KYC", "SAR"
  • Don't capitalize common terms: compliance, risk, transaction

Punctuation

  • Use the Oxford comma: "alerts, reports, and dashboards"
  • One space after periods
  • Use em dashes (—) sparingly for emphasis
  • Avoid exclamation points in UI copy

Numbers

  • Spell out one through nine: "three alerts"
  • Use numerals for 10 and above: "15 transactions"
  • Always use numerals for data and metrics: "5% increase"
  • Use commas in thousands: "1,250 records"

Dates & Times

  • Format: 15 January 2025 (no ordinals)
  • Short format: 15 Jan 2025
  • Time: 2:30 PM (12-hour with AM/PM)
  • Include timezone when relevant: "2:30 PM AEST"

Terminology

Use consistent terms across all communications:

Preferred Terms

  • Alert (not "notification" or "warning")
  • Dashboard (not "home screen")
  • User (not "client" in product UI)
  • Configure (not "set up" or "customize")
  • Submit (not "send" for reports)
  • Review (not "check" or "look at")

Terms to Avoid

  • Simple/Easy - subjective, often untrue
  • Just - minimizes complexity
  • Obviously - condescending
  • Best-in-class - cliché, unsubstantiated
  • Synergy - corporate jargon
  • Leverage - use "use" instead

Industry Terms

Always define on first use:

  • AML - Anti-Money Laundering
  • KYC - Know Your Customer
  • SAR - Suspicious Activity Report
  • CTR - Currency Transaction Report
  • PEP - Politically Exposed Person
  • FATF - Financial Action Task Force

Content Types

Headlines & Titles

  • Lead with the benefit or action
  • Keep under 10 words
  • Use sentence case
  • Avoid clickbait or sensationalism
Good

"Streamline your compliance workflow"

Avoid

"This Revolutionary Platform Will Change Everything!"

Button & Link Text

  • Use action verbs: "Submit", "Download", "Configure"
  • Be specific: "Download report" not "Click here"
  • Keep to 1-3 words when possible
  • Use sentence case, not ALL CAPS
Good

"View all alerts" / "Export to PDF"

Avoid

"CLICK HERE" / "Submit your request now"

Error Messages

  • Explain what happened briefly
  • Suggest a solution or next step
  • Never blame the user
  • Avoid technical jargon
Good

"Couldn't load the report. Check your connection and try again."

Avoid

"Error 500: Internal Server Exception"

Empty States

  • Explain what will appear here
  • Provide a clear action to get started
  • Keep tone positive and helpful
  • Include relevant illustration if possible
Good

"No alerts yet. Configure your first alert threshold to get started."

Avoid

"Nothing to display."

Content Checklist

Before publishing any content, verify:

Is the tone appropriate for the context?
Have I used active voice?
Is the copy concise? Can anything be cut?
Have I defined any acronyms on first use?
Is the language inclusive?
Are numbers and dates formatted correctly?
Does the headline lead with a benefit or action?
Have I avoided forbidden terms (simple, just, obviously)?
Style
Theme