Instead of using the term unilateral use the term one-sided, one-way instead
Smart names
It’s important that the way we talk about Smart as an organisation and the way we talk about our products and services is both correct and consistent.
This page gives you an overview of how we talk about ourselves and our products when we write on Smart’s behalf. The key things to remember are:
- refer to Smart in the first person plural (we, us, our) and not first person singular (I, me)
- refer to the reader in the second person (you)
- make sure you're using the correct name for the product and the user you're writing about
- stay in the active voice
Referring to ourselves and our readers
When writing for Smart, you should usually refer to the organisation, or any team within the organisation, in the first person plural. For example:
- “we offer the fastest, easiest to use workplace pensions platform in the UK”
- “research is a great way to learn and understand our users’ needs”
- "here in the Marketing Team, we've been working closely with the content designers in the UX team"
- “contact us for more information”
Depending on context, you might need to refer to Smart in the third person. For example, in press releases, or anywhere you don't want the content to sound like it's being written by Smart. In this case, you would refer to Smart in the singular, as we are one singular organisation.
- "Smart is launching a new product" – not "Smart are launching a new product"
This also applies when you refer to a team within Smart that you are not a part of.
- "The Marketing Team is sending an email" - not "The Marketing team are sending an email"
You should always refer to the reader in the second person singular. For example:
- “please enter your password”
- “you can use our software to reassess employees”
We use the first person for us and the second person for the reader because:
- it builds trust with our audience – we’re addressing them as an equal
- it’s a friendly and approachable way to write
- it’s easier to read – making it a clearer way to communicate
- it fits in with our overall tone of voice.
How we talk about ourselves and our products
Smart –the name of the organisation as a whole. Not to be used to refer to the Smart Pension product, or used interchangeably with the term Smart Pension.
Smart Pension – The name of our pension product.
Smart Pension account – Users have a Smart Pension account.
We avoid using the term portal or member portal by saying "sign into your account to..." and "please sign into your Smart Pension account."
You can specify employee account, employer account or adviser account if you need to.
Smart Pension Master Trust and the scheme – When referring to the pension scheme, it should be called Smart Pension Master Trust in the first instance. For example, "your employer has enrolled you in the Smart Pension Master Trust."
You can call it the scheme after this. For example: "if you would like to leave the scheme..."
How we talk about our users
More than one term can fit to one person. How we refer to them depends on the scenario.
Scheme members or members – Anyone who has a pension with Smart. They don't need to be opted-in and contributing to be a member of the scheme.
Active member – Members who are currently enrolled, who have been opted in, joined or rejoined a scheme. They don't need to be actively contributing to their pension
Deferred member– Members who have ceased membership or opted out.
Employees – Someone who actively works for a company who uses or who is looking to use Smart Pension, or worked for them when they used Smart Pension.
Employers – Those who use Smart Pension to administer their workplace pension scheme.
Advisers – Financial advisers who work on behalf of multiple employers.
Clients – Corporate customers who buy white labelling, platform as a service (PaaS) or other products from us. Employers and advisers who use Smart Pension.
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unilateral
unoccupied
Instead of using the term unoccupied use the term empty instead
until such time
Instead of using the term until such time use the term until instead
Unusual words
Unusual words and difficult words, including idioms and jargon, need to have definitions, so users know what they mean. An unusual word is one that’s not used in everyday conversation,
The first time an unusual word or phrase is used we should write an inline definition.
If the word or phrase has multiple meanings in the same page, then we should write an inline definition each time there is a new meaning.
This is an accessibility guideline, meeting Success Criterion 3.1.3 Unusual Words, level AAA.
Up-to-date / Up to date
The former is a noun and the latter is an adverb. For example: Your up-to-date statement is kept up to date.
URLs/links
For any online content (on the platforms, in emails, on websites), avoid URLs – link with some descriptive anchor text (Read about the annual allowance on the Pension Wise website, not www.pensionwise.gov.uk). The exception to this is PDFs, where you need to write the URL out.
When you do need to write a URL out, always use www. at the beginning. Don't use title case in URLs (www.smartpension.co.uk, not www.SmartPension.co.uk), as this makes them harder to read.
Whenever we hyperlink text, there must be a description of what the link is or where it goes. The simplest way to do this is to describe the purpose of the link in the hyperlinked text or using the page title. We can also use icons (pdf icon describes the type of document), and alt text.
For example, visit our support site to find out how to sign in on our How do I sign in article.
On the platform, we will use aria tags, due to space limitations.
This is an accessibility guideline, meeting Success Criterion 2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only), level AAA.
Username
All one word, not 'user name'. Some usernames are email addresses, but not all.
utilisation
Instead of using the term utilisation use the term use instead
utilise
Instead of using the term utilise use the term use instead
variation
Instead of using the term variation use the term change instead
Videos, training tutorials, presentations
For video-only content, like silent movies, silent demos and animations, there needs to be a text description that describes what’s happening on screen.
The aim is to create the same experience with your text as you get from the video.
This is an accessibility requirement, meeting Success Criterion 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded), level A.
For videos that have dialogue, there needs to be accurate and complete captions. These can be always on (open captions) or hideable (closed captions).
Using YouTube’s automatic captions isn’t enough as the accuracy can’t be guaranteed.
This is an accessibility requirement, meeting Success Criterion 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded), level A.
If the video is a live webcast or broadcast, we can use real-time text translation in captions, such as on YouTube.
This is an accessibility requirement, meeting Success Criterion 1.2.4 Captions (Live), level AA.
Videos also need to have a specific audio track that includes audio descriptions. Users must be able to select whether to use this audio track or not. You can do this by having a separate video that includes only the audio description soundtrack.
Live videos do not need audio descriptions.
This is an accessibility requirement, meeting Success Criterion 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded), level AA.
virtually
Instead of using the term virtually use the term almost (or edit out) instead
visualise
Instead of using the term visualise use the term see, predict instead
ways and means
Instead of using the term ways and means use the term ways instead
we have pleasure in
Instead of using the term we have pleasure in use the term we are glad to instead
Wellbeing
One word, no hyphen in the UK and Australia. Hyphenated (well-being) in the US and the rest of the world.
whatsoever
Instead of using the term whatsoever use the term whatever, what, any instead
whensoever
Instead of using the term whensoever use the term when instead
whereas
Instead of using the term whereas use the term but instead
whether or not
Instead of using the term whether or not use the term whether instead
White label
Sentence case, no hyphen, two separate words. For example, "we are selling white label partnerships".
Wifi
Sentence case. Not a proper noun. No hyphen. For example, "check your wifi connection"
Will (noun, legal document)
Not capitalised. For example, "If you make a will you can also make sure you don’t pay more Inheritance Tax than you need to".
with a view to
Instead of using the term with a view to use the term to, so that instead
with effect from
Instead of using the term with effect from use the term from instead
with reference to
Instead of using the term with reference to use the term about instead
with regard to
Instead of using the term with regard to use the term about, for instead
with respect to
Instead of using the term with respect to use the term about, for instead
with the minimum of delay
Instead of using the term with the minimum of delay use the term quickly (or say when) instead
you are requested
Instead of using the term you are requested use the term please instead
your attention is drawn
Instead of using the term your attention is drawn use the term please see, please note instead
zone
Don't use zone use the term use area or region.