MnDOT Voice Attributes

To capture our voice in a nutshell: write like you’re explaining a subject you know very well to a neighbor that you’re cordial with and want to help.

Confident, but humble

We are experts and we speak with confident—but not overbearing—authority. We know what we’re doing and we’re decisive, not wishy-washy. And we should be humble about what we know and don’t know. If we make a mistake, we own it and learn from it. And we must back this confidence up with accuracy and (responsible) transparency.

Empathetic

We work for the people of Minnesota. Our work, language and attitudes should reflect that. Our actions are guided by our best judgment of what the best interests of the people of Minnesota are. We should never act—or write—as though we unerringly know best and are unwilling to listen or try new approaches. As an absolute, we must avoid language that causes injury.

Clear and accurate

We say what we mean with as much clarity as possible. We use language that’s plain and understandable and not overly formal or technical (unless we are conveying very technical information that requires great precision in presentation). Our communication is focused on external users, not internal administrators. We value brevity and simplicity—not just in the content of a given page, but also in bigger questions of what information to provide to begin with.

Helpful

We communicate to give our audience information that will help them, whether by informing them or by making MnDOT function better on their behalf. We provide information that is timely and relevant. We act and speak as advocates for the people. When it is useful, we inform people about things that they should know about that might not be obvious.