Principles

These principles underpin how we create content across the University of Cambridge.

Focus on our users

We need to understand who our users are, what they need, and how we can help them achieve their goal. Do research to find out what our users need.

Before you write, consider:

• Why is the user visiting this page?
• What is the user's main goal?
• What is the most important information?
• What is the best way to present the information?

Use plain English that is inclusive and accessible

We want everyone to be able to understand our content. They should be able to read it once, understand it, and be able to act on it.

We need to:

• help users to find the right content by using the same language they use
• format our content so that it’s in a logical order, and easy to scan and navigate
• keep language simple, clear and concise
• make sure content is accessible and inclusive
• offer an alternative for anyone who has an impairment or disability

Be consistent

We want our users to have the same great experience no matter which journey they take through our content. To achieve this, our content must be consistent across the whole University.

Use our style guide to create and format your content. This will:

• improve the user experience
• build trust with our users
• help our users navigate seamlessly between different parts of University content