ToneCalibration [principle] v1.0.0

UI copy tone must shift to match the emotional stakes of the interaction while clarity remains constant — calm and neutral for routine actions, honest and supportive (never alarming) for errors and high-stakes flows.

Attributed To

Spencer Goldade, cursor-designer UX writing rules

Applies To

• ux-writing
• microcopy
• error states
• onboarding
• payment and billing flows
• security alerts

ToneCalibration [principle] v1.0.0

UI copy tone must shift to match the emotional stakes of the interaction while clarity remains constant — calm and neutral for routine actions, honest and supportive (never alarming) for errors and high-stakes flows.

Attributed To

Spencer Goldade, cursor-designer UX writing rules

Applies To

• ux-writing
• microcopy
• error states
• onboarding
• payment and billing flows
• security alerts

Examples

• Routine save: 'Saved.' — calm, neutral, three words.
• Error state: 'We couldn't save your changes. Try again or download a copy.' — honest, supportive, gives a path.
• Destructive action: 'This will permanently delete 47 files. This can't be undone.' — honest gravity, no panic.
• Empty state: 'Nothing here yet. Create your first project to get started.' — neutral encouragement, actionable.
• Bad: 'WARNING: Your session may be at risk!' — alarmist; same information can be conveyed as 'Your session expired. Sign in again.'

Rationale

Routine actions don't need emotional weight; adding it feels patronizing. High-stakes flows (errors, account risk, data loss, payment) need acknowledgment and guidance without panic — alarm without resolution amplifies user anxiety.