The Incident Comms Style Guide

Communicators write under pressure. The style guide that produces consistent quality.

Rules

The rules are about voice and cadence. Stated up front so writers don't have to invent under pressure.

• Active voice. Per-update active subject; "We restored the checkout flow" not "checkout flow was restored."
• Concrete impact. Per-update named user impact; "Checkouts returned 503" not "degraded service."
• No jargon. Per-update customer-readable phrasing; internal terms stay internal.
• Cadence. Per-incident first update within 15 min; updates every 30 min until resolved.

Templates

Templates handle the cognitive load of writing during an incident. Slot in the specifics; ship the update.

• Starter templates per scenario. Per-scenario pre-written shell; modified for the specific incident.
• Saves writing under pressure. Per-update time saved; writers fill blanks instead of starting from scratch.
• Per-template named owner. Per-template maintaining team; keeps templates current as the team changes.
• Per-template audience tag. Per-template internal vs status-page vs enterprise variant; matches the audience reality.

Review

Review closes the loop. Postmortem covers comms quality alongside technical resolution.

• Comms in postmortem. Per-incident comms-quality review section; style guide adherence checked.
• Improvements compound. Per-quarter style-guide refinement; the standard tightens with each iteration.
• Per-comms-template the post-incident update. Per-template lessons from the incident; templates stay sharp.
• Per-quarter writer training. Per-quarter comms-writer drill; supports new responders before they need the skill.