Content guidelines

The Bitcoin Design Guide is the work of many authors from many different backgrounds, each with their own unique voice and perspective. To help us ensure a consistent written voice throughout the guide, follow these content guidelines.

Know your reader

This guide was created specifically for designers who work on open-source, non-custodial bitcoin projects. It isn’t the biggest audience in design, but it is among the most specialized.

Use simple language

Bitcoin is a global currency, so not everyone using this guide will be a native English speaker. Make sure you are are writing plain, easy to follow English. If you’re still not sure, try using a readability tool to analyze your text and make recommendations. We like Hemingway.

Be precise

Focus on what’s most useful to your reader. If you suspect that something isn’t working, it probably isn’t. If a page or a paragraph gets too long, split it up. If you want users to dive deeper into a topic that is not essential to the guide, consider linking to a third-party resource.

Speak to the reader

Address the reader directly and make them a part of the conversation by using second-person pronouns like “you,” “your,” and “yours.”

Give tips, not commands

When giving instruction, stick to broad strokes. They can be adjusted over time to grow with a project and its designer. Overly detailed instructions are usually outdated by the next software patch.

Get the reader involved

Consider asking questions before giving answers. This encourages self-sufficient thinking that will benefit readers more than cutting straight to the chase. You can also add work-sheets, to-do lists, do’s and don’ts, and other instructive examples.

Use the right medium

A picture is worth a thousand words, but so are videos, interactive prototypes, diagrams, and more. Don’t be afraid to try a different medium if you think it will inform better than text or a picture. If you’d like to help us create this kind of content, visit https://bitcoin.design/ and join our Slack.

Show examples

Feel free to reference other software using screenshots. Remember to indicate the product and version. Focus on what you like about them instead of what you don’t like.

Be humble

The guide is a work in progress and needs to evolve to stay relevant. What we write today may not be applicable tomorrow. Have fun. Don’t overthink things. Bitcoin, and therefore this guide, is the ultimate work-in-progress.

Write in the open

It’s a good idea to ask for directions by seeking feedback early. This may stop you from wandering too far in the wrong direction. There is a whole community around you that’s ready to jump in and help.