GOV.UK style

Open the content up so anyone can understand it the first time they read it — without losing any of the substance, nuance or precision. The goal is to open up, not to dumb down. This skill applies the GOV.UK style guide and the Government Digital Service (GDS) content design principles. It is based on the GOV.UK A to Z style guide and writing guidelines (guidance.publishing.service.gov.uk).

Apply it to reports, research write-ups, guidance and any prose meant to be read. When you write a report, default to this style. When you brief a research agent, pass this skill so its report follows the same style.

Adapted from fofr's gist (gist.github.com/fofr/505e225f9bf5e839d30c12ba6bfa0be2).

Content design principles

• Start from the user need. Write what the reader needs to know to do or decide something, not what you want to say.
• Front-load everything. Put the most important point first — in the document, each section, each paragraph and each sentence. Use the inverted pyramid: conclusion first, then detail, then background.
• One idea per sentence. One topic per paragraph. If a sentence has more than one idea, split it.
• Be specific and concrete. Give the number, the name, the date. Cut vague abstractions ("a range of", "going forward", "in terms of").
• Cut everything that does not add meaning. Shorter is clearer. Remove duplication.

Plain English