Capitalization
Use capitalization for names, proper nouns and product names when referring to Mews products as a whole. Be aware of the product context.
Cases
Use sentence case for all in-product texts. Do not use title case, this includes titles and CTA’s.
Spelling
Mews writes content in American English as default. Other standards of English will be considered a localization.
ALL CAPS
Avoid writing text in all caps in any case. It comes across as aggressive, which does not match our voice. Favor visual design to add emphasis.
All caps are used for some tags, and chips in the system.
Truncation
If content is truncated, include an ellipsis indicating the truncation. When a text is truncated, the full text should appear in a tooltip on hover when possible.
Ampersands (&)
Write the full word "and" instead of using an ampersand (&). This is to account for any problem that may be experienced with a screen reader.
Point of view
It is acceptable to use the second person and refer to guests and hotel staff in the product as "you". We should communicate with our users by using common language. We want to serve our users in the same way hotel staff serve their guests.
Contractions
Use contractions to keep content conversational – especially when affirming users. Do not use contractions when writing negatives. This may create confusion and reduce clarity, write the full words instead.
Currency
When entering currency info, use country codes (USD) to make it easier to enter and also find in search. When viewing, currency should be displayed in the corresponding symbol ($), and on the correct side of the number. The placement of currency codes and symbols can change depending on localization standards.
When entering
When viewing
Ellipsis
Use when showing something is in progress or when the user is expected to wait while the system completes an action. An ellipsis should also be used when text is truncated.
Commas
Use oxford or serial commas when writing lists, and in numbers with more than three digits for clarity.
Exclamation points
Only use exclamation points in positive moments of excitement or success, but do not overuse them. Do not use exclamation points for alerts. Never use multiple exclamation points or interrobangs.
Examples
Use the abbreviation “e.g.” (exempli gratia) for examples given in placeholders and in other places throughout the product. The "e" in "e.g." is capitalized if it's placed at the beginning of a sentence. We do not use the simplified abbreviation “ex.” (example) or “i.e.” (Id est – in other words).
Etc.
Always try to avoid "etc." if possible.
For lists, "etc." should only be used when giving an example of what kind of data could go in an open-ended field, often as helper or hint text. It should be avoided when describing a list with a closed number of items. If there are too many options to list them all, try to find an umbrella term that can cover the entire list.
Plurals
Use ICU keys whenever possible in Mews. ICU keys allow the copy to adapt to the number of items being referred to. If you can only use one copy string to cover all cases, use the plural form. Do not use (s) or /s to demonstrate that the referred item could be plural.
If you need to specify there may be one or multiple items, use the phrase “one or more” for clarity.
Numbers
Use numbers in status messages. In all other messaging, write out numbers from one to nine. If the number is greater than nine, use numbers.
Status messaging
Instructional messaging
Phone numbers
Phone numbers should always be entered in one text field. The display format can vary depending on the region, but generally we follow the E. 164 phone number format. The "+" and area code should be entered automatically or selected from a drop-down.
[+][country code][area code][local number]
Entering
Viewing
Time
Use numbers when referring to time in text. Time should correspond with the user’s regional and format preferences (12-hour or 24-hour clock). In a 12-hour clock format, we write AM (Ante Meridiem) and PM (Post Meridiem) in uppercase letters following a space.
12-hour
24-hour
Dates
When dates are entered, they should use a number format for ease of use. The day, month, and year should be displayed corresponding with the user's regional preferences. There are various formats that can be used to display dates in the product.