Article Structure

Front Matter

All articles must include proper front matter with the following fields:

---
layout: post
title: "Article Title"
date: YYYY-MM-DD
author: "Author Name"
tags: [tag1, tag2, tag3]
excerpt: "Brief description of the article for metadata and previews"
---

Required Fields

• layout: Must be "post"
• title: Descriptive title in sentence case
• date: Publication date in YYYY-MM-DD format
• author: Full name of the author (must match contributor name on About page)
• tags: Array of relevant tags for categorization
• excerpt: Brief summary for article previews

Content Guidelines

Typography Hierarchy

• H1: Reserved for article title (automatically generated)
• H2: Major section headings
• H3: Subsection headings
• H4-H6: Use sparingly for deep hierarchies

Paragraph Structure

Keep paragraphs focused and readable. Each paragraph should contain one main idea. Use line breaks between paragraphs in the markdown source for clarity.

Links and References

Use descriptive link text. External links should open in the same window unless specifically noted. Internal links should use relative URLs when possible.

Lists

Use unordered lists for non-sequential items and ordered lists for step-by-step processes or prioritized content.

Style Conventions

Voice and Tone

• Write in active voice when possible
• Maintain a scholarly but accessible tone
• Avoid jargon without explanation
• Be precise and deliberate with word choice

Design Terminology

Use consistent terminology throughout articles. When introducing technical terms, provide context or brief definitions.

Tagging Guidelines

Available Tags

• design: Form, function, and aesthetic philosophy
• technology: Tools, interfaces, and digital culture
• philosophy: Critical thinking on ideas and meaning
• psychology: Behavior and mental processes
• aesthetics: Beauty, taste, and sensory experience
• culture: Society, values, and shared experience
• civilization: Human organization and development
• japanese: Japanese design philosophy and perspectives
• editorial: Perspectives from the editorial team

Tagging Best Practices

• Use 2-4 tags per article
• Choose the most relevant and specific tags
• Avoid over-tagging
• Consider how tags help readers discover related content

Author Guidelines

Author Attribution

The author field must exactly match a contributor name listed on the About page. This enables proper linking to author profiles.

Contributor Profiles

New contributors must have their profile added to the About page before their articles can be published.

File Naming

Article Files

Article files should be placed in the _posts directory and named using the format:

YYYY-MM-DD-article-title-slug.md

Slug Guidelines

• Use lowercase letters only
• Replace spaces with hyphens
• Remove special characters and punctuation
• Keep slugs concise but descriptive

Quality Standards

Editorial Review

All articles undergo editorial review for:

• Adherence to style guidelines
• Clarity and coherence of argument
• Proper formatting and structure
• Accuracy of technical content

Functionality Requirements

Before publication, verify that:

• Author links properly to About page profile
• All tags correspond to existing tag pages
• Internal and external links function correctly
• Article displays properly across devices