monday.com UX Writing Playbook

I was tasked with creating a comprehensive and accessible UX Writing Playbook to be integrated into monday.com's VIBE Design System.

The goal was to ensure consistency, clarity, and a unified voice across all user-facing content. This playbook was designed to empower designers, developers, and content creators by providing a central resource to create cohesive, effective interfaces aligned with monday.com’s values.

Prior to this project, UX writing resources at monday.com, such as the UX Writing Handbook and Voice & Tone Guidelines, were either inaccessible or too complex for widespread use. These gaps created inconsistencies in how content was designed and written, impacting user experience and brand alignment.
Meanwhile, competitors like Zendesk had successfully implemented similar resources, which elevated their design systems and streamlined team collaboration. monday.com required a simplified, scalable, and accessible guide that would not only standardize UX writing practices but also align with its distinct brand voice.

• Conducted a competitive analysis of design systems from leading organizations, including Zendesk, Shopify, and NASA.

• Identified best practices for structuring UX writing resources, focusing on:

  • Reading Legibility: Content designed for users with reading levels between grades 9 and 13.

  • Voice vs. Tone Distinction: Ensuring "voice" reflects brand personality while "tone" adapts contextually.

• Synthesized findings to guide the playbook’s architecture, ensuring it met accessibility standards and supported scalability.

• Drafted clear, concise guidelines for the playbook in collaboration with mentors, leveraging:

  • The existing UX Writing Handbook.

  • monday.com's brand style guide.

  • Insights from competitor research.

• Structured the playbook to include:

  • Brand Narrative: Principles and values reflecting monday.com's mission.

  • Voice: Empathetic, conversational, and professional personality traits.

  • Tone: Context-driven, fluid, yet consistent.

  • Values: Core principles like “Don’t make users work for the system” and “Cut the fluff.”

• Designed the playbook using monday.com’s Storybook framework to ensure alignment with the VIBE Design System.

• Focused on creating a visually accessible, user-friendly layout, incorporating consistent typography, spacing, and navigation for ease of use.

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams in an agile environment, iterating on the design and content based on team feedback and usability testing.

• Delivered the UX Writing Playbook, a key addition to the VIBE Design System, ready for integration.

• Key Impacts:

  • Streamlined Collaboration: Empowered designers, developers, and content creators with a unified resource for UX writing.

  • Improved Brand Image: Enhanced monday.com's design system to compete with industry leaders like Zendesk.

  • Increased Efficiency: Simplified workflows and reduced inconsistencies in user-facing content, improving the overall user experience.

• Strengthened skills in UX research, content strategy, and design systems development.

• Gained experience collaborating with cross-functional teams in an iterative design process.

• Developed a deeper understanding of creating accessible and scalable resources that align with user needs and business goals.