# Design principles and guidelines The main priority of a Zoom meeting is communication between all the participants. A happy user experience requires recognizing and respecting that a participant's time is valuable and their attention span is limited. We highly recommend establishing clarity and consistency in wording, visual components, and user flows. ## Design principles ### Foster collaboration Zoom created a platform that inspires connection, empathy, and togetherness. Zoom Apps are meant to further the together experience. ### Versatilility - Zoom Apps can be used both in meetings and outside of meetings within the Zoom desktop clients. Review [prototypes]() of in-meeting and outside meeting experiences. - Your app must follow a responsive design so that it can be used on devices with a wide range of screen sizes. - Ensure that your app provides a good interaction experience for both touch-screen and non-touch screen devices. Review this prototype to familiarize yourself with in-meeting and outside meeting experiences. ### Enrich the Meeting experience Use innovation and creativity to create apps that reduce friction and make the user's experience easier and more enjoyable. ### Bring value Create apps that provide value beyond screen sharing. ### It just works Empathize with users to create intuitive interfaces and apps that require minimal setup steps. ### Simplicity Focus designs on what's most important to most users. Make things easy. Don't add more than you need to get users where they need to go. ### Transparency Clearly communicate and request the users' permissions throughout the user experience. --- ## Content guidelines ### Write for everyone Zoom users come from a variety of backgrounds, located all around the world, and may not speak English as their native language. Choose words that are easily understood by everyone, even by someone who isn't fluent in the language. ### Be concise Make sure the language used is as straightforward and efficient as possible. #### Tips: - Aim for short sentences. - Avoid jargon and slang. - Choose shorter and commonly used words over longer and complicated ones. - Read what you write out loud and make sure it sounds human and conversational. - Use the Hemingway App to determine what readability level your copy is at (aim for grade 9 or lower). ### Encourage action Write and structure content to help users quickly understand what's the most important action to take. #### Tips: - Start call-to-action on buttons and links with a verb. - Prioritize based on importance. - Use active voice in the content to clarify the subject and the action. ### Be consistent To help users get familiarized with Zoom, make sure you stick to consistent wording and ordering. Having consistent content and a copy will help Zoom maintain a professional and reliable image. Identify synonyms (a word or phrase that means the same or nearly the same as another word or phrase) and avoid them. You should be repeating the same word or phrase if possible. ### Be positive Deliver happiness in your writing. Without adding emojis or exclamation points after every sentence, you're still able to communicate a positive and helpful tone by using positive words. ### But don't overdo it It is good to be polite, but overusing words like "please" and "thank you" will lose their meaning in the product. If the user has to perform an extremely inconvenient task, you may say "please" or "thank you," but be picky in usage. Don't apologize for the product in the error message unless it's an extreme inconvenience for the users, such as data loss. Using "sorry" repeatedly may lead to a loss of credibility in the product for users. --- ## Dynamic indicators guidelines Dynamic indicators must enhance the meeting experience for all participants, such as showing timers or relevant status cues. Promotional content, app install prompts, or distracting visuals (e.g., bright colors or persistent banners) are not allowed. Any misuse of dynamic indicators and the dynamic indicator APIs, as determined by Zoom, may lead to app rejection or removal from the Zoom App Marketplace.