Tone and Voice
To analyze the interfaces is essential, but ensuring that brand identity surrounds each touchpoint with the user is the main reason for this project.
Recognize the weakness of our user journey and assume the lack of information about who we are and where we'd like to go. To move forward, we need to delve deeper into the feelings and the variety of language. In this case, the language's pattern will comply with the linguistic variety present in our identity, without losing the layer that composes "what defines to be Renner".
Our hypothesis: creating an end-to-end experience, and determining the tone and voice, could solve the lack of information and contribute to consolidating a language's pattern.
What would we like to reach?
According to the quantitative and qualitative data we already had, we defined the particularities of our customers. We found that a combination of proto-persona and "customer profile" could put us in front of the user’s primary emotional nature. Follow some of our customer's profiles:
Disengaged
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Cheap items are more valuable;
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lack of visibility about return and exchange;
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use more filters than the categories
Trusty
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know the website/app dynamic;
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omnichannel client
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likely knowledge about our communications
New User
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explorer profile
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focus on the details, observe the content
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curious person and try to use the filters to find products.
Strategic Concept
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Starting point
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Problem statement
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Roadmap
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Goals, hypothesis, target profile
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Ideation
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clusters, scenarios
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quantitative data
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Usability testing flow
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Recruiting
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guideline
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rainbow sheets
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Final documentation
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Tone spectrum analysis
The research
The heart of this project. The emotional spectrum allowed us to recognize how the purchase profiles' intersection is connected with the variation of the feelings toward the user journey.
Each color represents one feeling's variation.
Whereas the customer profile tends to be more fixed, the purchase intention might circulate the spectrum. It will define the exact feeling in that moment or the user's primary emotional nature.
The spectrum was developed following the completion of usability testing with our users. This approach allowed us to infuse additional emotions and intricacies into the diagram. Furthermore, it aided us in determining the suitable tone to employ based on the specific journey step we will delve into further below.
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Result list
Possibility to engage with microcopy and content that reflects user's preferences.
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Filter
New terms logic and improvement about the ordering of products.
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Coupons
Perception about the findability and wide range of paths toward the last step.
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The usability testing
We could identify which scenarios will be used during the usability testing as long as we gather all the data. Follow below some of them:
Analysis and data
For each step of the user journey, we could realize how the user managed all components and the content in front of the screen. Our awareness was that every single path was integrated and we couldn't leave behind our weaknesses, but switch them to new perspectives.
After we finished the usability testing, we collected all the data and organized this in a tool called Air Table. There we defined our target, outcome expected, feelings, scenarios used, goals, success metrics, dos and don'ts, and beyond.
We split it into different scenarios collected by the data previously defined. The result was the emotional statement proclaimed by the users and their connection with our voices. See below for one example.
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Statement emotional
Irritation and annoyance. The user would love to move faster than another way. Their feelings are filled with expectations.
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highlight voice
We can evaluate which brand voice earns notoriety at this moment. "We're experts in fashion and lifestyle because we introduce what the user needs".
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The right tone defined
"Optimist" shows another way that could be followed.
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Content goals
Suggestions; stock predictable; product recommendations
"The combination of voice and feelings helps us to shape the right tone in the journey."
Summarizing
At the end of the process, we organized our discovery in a summary. At the top of the table are our possibilities of voices connected with a wide range of tones. That's fundamental to identifying the point of the user journey, the user localization, and how fragile is that moment in the funnel. Setting all these elements will help us to determine the pivotal voice and appropriate tone. See below:
closer
democratic
expert
partner
honest
brief
empathic
simple
didactic
understandable
welcoming
helpful
affectionate
optimist
consistent
respectful
relaxed
Now, connecting the tone with the emotional statement. See an example:
Affectionate
Emphatic
Consistent
Didactic
hapiness, serenity
Learnings
The aspects of Renner's personality are very explicit to the users. However, the lack of "identity" throughout the flow has masked these aspects of the branding voice. In this way, our voice needs to describe our authenticity, adopting a unique way to speak with the users.
The tone will fit the voice adopted when we connect this speech with the right emotional user state. Of course, that variation will define whether an error message with a brief tone will have a more helpful character. It'll depend on the emotional state, one side more annoying or the other more happy. Remember that the emotional state will determine how the content is presented.
Incorporate the brand's mission and values throughout the user journey, not just at the beginning or end. This can be done by weaving language that reflects the brand's personality and values into product descriptions, messaging, and other touch points.
Consider using emotional intelligence to tailor the tone and messaging to the user's emotional state. By understanding the user's emotional state, the brand can create more empathetic and effective messaging to address their needs.