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This updated page replaces duplicate brand and content guidance across the site.
We use the Atlassian voice and tone in all of our properties, and product content, from product user interfaces to email, social media, and other channels.
Any Atlassian who works with customer-facing communications should follow the voice and tone guidelines: content designers, engineers, product designers, blog contributors, product managers, marketers... pretty much everyone.
To help teams do the best work of their lives, we:
offer solutions that help people at the moment they need it
simplify complex problems into easy-to-understand pieces
inspire people to try new things
With a familiar tone, clear language, and a solid knowledge of our audience, we craft messages that get teams moving in the right direction, then we get out of their way.
The Atlassian voice is based on the Atlassian brand personality traits of:
bold
optimistic
practical, with a wink
To provide consistent, friendly, and helpful content for people, use this guidance with our other guidelines:
Atlassian’s personality traits
When writing with Atlassian's voice, we're part of the team. We're that friend or colleague who is always up on new trends and wants to be helpful and share new wisdom with everyone in a relatable way.
We know when it's time to be serious and direct, and when it's time to be more casual.
Personality comes across best in the details. The emphasis of each trait should be contextual to the audience and situation.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself during your process to assess whether or not you’re leveraging our personality traits well.
What is the emotional state of the person when encountering your solution during their journey?
How might our personality traits help enhance a moment of celebration?
How might our personality traits help diffuse a moment of frustration or pain?
Bold
Motivate teams to do their best work. Offer best practices to get people going in the right direction.
Be bold and offer just enough help to get the work started, and then get out of the way.
Give accurate information so people can make educated decisions. Understand the person's struggles and desired outcomes and give enough information to let them get where they need to go.
Optimistic
Go on the journey with people and highlight the key points that will help them the most, right now.
Be in the moment by focusing attention on the important bits first. This gives people confidence in our products.
Weave a consistent story across our fabric and be diligent about vocabulary across all messaging by being brand-conscious across products.
Create a seamless flow across all the things. Let people know that they can jump in and start working, and can expect a familiar experience across all of the things. Keep teams in the loop about what is happening by informing them of relevant features, products and opportunities for success.
Practical, with a wink
Get to the point and be direct. Be concise.
Be on the lookout for opportunities and be quick to offer a helping hand. Give the user just enough to know that something awesome is around the corner and then get out of the way.
Write clear, accurate, and concise text that makes interfaces more usable and consistent — and builds trust.
Write text that is understandable by anyone, anywhere, regardless of their culture or language so that everyone feels they are part of the team.
Voice and tone principles
A consistent voice creates greater quality products and better relationships with our customers.
But, there is one caveat.
There are times when you need to speak to different subsets of people, for instance among different products, and your tone might not be quite the same. That's okay! We've provided enough guidance to help adjust our tone to accommodate for:
where people are at in their journey
their emotional state
product or property you are writing for
The voice and tone principles:
Inform to build trust
Inform by being open and clear on what people are experiencing with our products.
It's about telling them what they need to know at that moment and nothing more. Be aware of when a user may be new or confused, and tone down the boldness by being more prescriptive. Let people know where they are in their journey and what they are looking at in the product.
Write as a knowledgable member of the team. Show up at the right time and be open, humble, and warm — offer direction for the most appropriate next steps and get out of the way.
When we need to be less bold
Person is feeling: apprehension, confusion, annoyance, fear, loathing, anger.
Examples: new users, evaluators, and when introducing a new concept, feature, or product
Places we use this principle
In product: flags, error messages, and onboarding (spotlight)
Being informative and to build trust
Design principles (Atlassians only):
Drive momentum from end-to-end
Build trust in every interaction
Empower to inspire action
Educate where we people need it most. Offer opportunities to learn at pivotal times to empower people to move in the right direction. Offer best practices and recommendations for next steps while suggesting ways to improve and make decisions.
Let people know Atlassian and fellow community members are available to help people make decisions.
Write as if you are educating. You are a teacher with empathy and an understanding of what it’s like to be in the weeds. You expect your audience to have a basic understanding.
When we want to be more bold
Person is feeling: confident, interested, trust, anticipation.
Examples: power users, admins, everyday users
Design principle (Atlassians only): Guide mastery for greater value
Places we use this principle
In product: onboarding (spotlight), benefits modal, and modal dialogs
Something requires an action from the person
Educational opportunities
Social opportunities — let them know best practices
Encourage people along the path
Inspire initial optimism by providing support in the right place. Be consistent and dependable.
Offer waypoints, help, and support if people are feeling confused or frustrated at a point in their journey. This principle is about being human, giving guidance, support, and encouragement along the way.
Guide people by revealing information gracefully. Let them know they are on the right path, they aren’t alone, and that delivering projects and building teams can be challenging.
Write in an upbeat, friendly way. Acknowledge the opportunities in the here-and-now and walk through it with them.
When we need to be less optimistic
Person is feeling: anticipation, unsupported, confused, uncertain
Examples: new to Atlassian, evaluators, or when introducing a new concept, feature, or product
Design principles (Atlassians only): Guide mastery for greater value
Places we use this principle
In product: information messages, error messages, and section messages
Something requires an action from the person
Motivate by showing possibilities
Provide incentive and excitement for continued growth.
Consider why someone would want to do this.
Show the possibilities of what can be accomplished by giving examples of how other people accomplish the same task, or by presenting the ideal state. Describe the end result, giving expert testimony, or offer opportunities for advanced knowledge.
Write like an expert. Focus more on the solution than on the problem. Show people the possible benefits.
When we want to be more optimistic
Person is feeling: ambitious, inspired, curious, admiration.
Examples: power users, admins, everyday users
Places we use this principle
In product: onboarding (spotlight) and modal dialogs
Educational opportunities — it's a chance to tell them how other industry leaders do it, give best practices, and tips and tricks
Design principle (Atlassians only): Guide mastery for greater value
Satisfy by meeting expectations
Give people what they need.
Provide quick and thorough answers, guidance, actions, and instructions. We aren’t trying to lead, inspire, motivate, delight, or encourage. Simply tell people what they need to know and get out of the way.
All of our content should be practical at a minimum. Write as if you are explaining to your friend how to travel somewhere you’ve visited regularly.
When we need to be practical
Person is feeling: overwhelmed and stressed.
Examples: people under pressure with deadlines — everyone feels this way sometimes
Places we use this principle
Whenever we can
In product: warning messages, information messages, and error messages
Design principles (Atlassians only):
Build trust in every interaction
Connect people to collaborate better
Match purpose and feel familiar
Delight with unexpectedly pleasing experiences
“Wink” where appropriate. We deliver appropriate delight — celebrate success or progress once we’ve built trust.
But don’t overdo it. These are little flourishes: we give flowers, not puppies.
Pay particular attention to people’s state of mind. Think about the timing, and how frequently they will see this.
When we can share a little delight
Person is feeling: successful, joy, pride, relief.
Examples: evaluators, power users, during social interactions
Places we use this principle
In product: success messages and modal dialogs
Social interactions and while introducing new experiences
Design principles (Atlassians only): Drive momentum from end-to-end