Voice & Writing

The Ontopix voice system defines our brand personality and how it adapts across different contexts and channels. From marketing to documentation to AI voice agents, this system ensures consistent, authentic communication.

Brand Archetype

Ontopix combines The Sage (wisdom, knowledge) with The Creator (innovation, imagination).

Ontopix combines the Sage's wisdom and knowledge-seeking with the Creator's innovation and imagination. We share expertise methodically while continuously innovating.

Human Equivalent

A very knowledgeable colleague who explains complex things clearly and fun, is always helpful but respects your time, and genuinely cares about helping you succeed by means of methodical approach and responsible hints.

Core Traits

Knowledgeable

Deep expertise in AI and technology, shared confidently

Spectrum: Expert ←→ Novice (Position: 85%)

Do:

• Share expertise with confidence
• Back claims with evidence and methodology
• Acknowledge the limits of what we know

Don't:

• Use jargon to sound impressive
• Overclaim or make unfounded promises
• Dismiss others' knowledge or questions

Methodical

Scientific and rigorous approach to everything we do

Spectrum: Rigorous ←→ Casual (Position: 80%)

Do:

• Explain reasoning and methodology
• Provide structured, logical guidance
• Measure before claiming results

Don't:

• Rush to conclusions without evidence
• Skip important steps for speed
• Present opinions as facts

Approachable

Friendly and helpful without being unprofessional

Spectrum: Friendly ←→ Distant (Position: 70%)

Do:

• Use conversational language
• Be warm and welcoming
• Make complex topics accessible

Don't:

• Use slang or overly casual language
• Be stiff or robotic
• Condescend or talk down

Direct

Clear and to the point, respecting everyone's time

Spectrum: Blunt ←→ Evasive (Position: 65%)

Do:

• Get to the point quickly
• Use simple, clear language
• State conclusions upfront

Don't:

• Bury important information
• Use excessive hedging
• Be vague when specificity is needed

Confident

Assured without being arrogant

Spectrum: Assertive ←→ Uncertain (Position: 70%)

Do:

• State recommendations clearly
• Stand behind our methodology
• Acknowledge uncertainty when it exists

Don't:

• Oversell or make unfounded promises
• Undermine ourselves with excessive hedging
• Dismiss valid concerns or alternatives

Fun

Enjoy what we do and make others enjoy the journey

Spectrum: Playful ←→ Serious (Position: 55%)

Do:

• Show genuine enthusiasm
• Celebrate achievements
• Make work enjoyable

Don't:

• Force humor inappropriately
• Be so serious it's off-putting
• Undermine professionalism with excessive playfulness

Emotions We Evoke

1. Trust

We don't hype. We provide rationale to complex challenges.

Signals:

• Evidence-based claims
• Transparent methodology
• Acknowledging limitations

2. Fun

We're young, enjoy what we do, and make others enjoy the journey.

Signals:

• Genuine enthusiasm
• Celebrating progress
• Making complex topics engaging

3. Respect

We know what we do, and we do it exceptionally well.

Signals:

• Deep expertise evident
• Quality in all outputs
• Professional delivery

Anti-Patterns

What we never are:

• Unconscious, rushed, premature: Never appear to act without thinking or rush decisions. Always demonstrate methodical consideration.
• Inexpert, informal, unrigorous: Never appear to lack expertise or take a casual approach to serious matters. Maintain professional standards.
• Insecure, weak, unreliable: Never appear uncertain about our capabilities or fail to deliver on commitments. Project confidence backed by competence.

Voice Examples

Do:

• "Here's how to get started in three steps." — Direct, helpful, sets clear expectations
• "Based on our analysis of 10,000 interactions, we recommend..." — Evidence-based, confident, methodical
• "This approach has trade-offs. Let me explain the considerations." — Honest, educational, respects intelligence
• "We're excited to share what we've learned from this project." — Enthusiastic but professional

Don't:

• "You might want to maybe consider possibly..." — Too much hedging, lacks confidence
• "Obviously, you should..." — Condescending, assumes knowledge
• "This is the best solution ever!!!" — Overhyped, unprofessional
• "We're not sure but we think..." — Undermines expertise, sounds uncertain

Writing Style

The Ontopix writing system provides rules and patterns for clear, consistent writing across all contexts. From UI microcopy to technical documentation to legal text.

Core Principles

1. Clarity: Simple words, active voice, direct statements
2. Consistency: Same terms, same style, same patterns
3. Accessibility: 8th grade reading level, inclusive language
4. Usefulness: Help the reader achieve their goal

General Rules

Use active voice

Priority: high

Active voice is clearer and more direct

Be concise

Priority: high

Respect the reader's time

Use simple words

Priority: high

Simple words are more accessible

Word Substitutions:

Avoid jargon unless necessary

Priority: medium

Technical terms should be defined on first use

Use contractions naturally

Priority: low

Address the reader as 'you'

Priority: medium

Direct address is clearer and more engaging

Formatting Rules

Headings

• Case: sentence case
• Only capitalize first word and proper nouns

Numbers

Spell out one through nine; use numerals for 10 and above

Punctuation

• Oxford comma: Yes
• Em dash: —
• Quotes: double

Technical Writing

Accessibility

• Reading level target: 8th grade (age 13-14)
• Alt text: Provide meaningful alt text for all images
• Link text: Use descriptive link text

Subsections

• Tone by Context — How our voice adapts to different contexts
• Speech Guidelines — Verbal and TTS guidelines
• Terminology — Official terms and forbidden words
• Context Patterns — Context-specific writing patterns