Make full stops in lede text consistent across service manual

[sarawilcox]

Someone has pointed out that we're inconsistent.

It feels to me as if we should include a full stop if it's a sentence and not if it's not. I

nterestingly GOV.UK writing guidance says to include a full stop as it helps users who use assistive tech. I'll look into this over coming weeks and make it consistent.

[sarawilcox]

We say this in the design system: "A lead paragraph is an introductory paragraph that you can use at the top of a page to summarise the content. Lead paragraphs use 26px type on desktop and should only be used once per page if needed."

That suggests that it should be a sentence or paragraph, not a phrase.

Our GitHub issue on lede (intro) text includes findings from the NHS.UK IA project:

• on hub pages, lede text (alongside headings) was be important in placemaking and orientation
• not needed on all hub pages
• suggests the need for a short piece of information on other content pages (not just routing hubs) that introduces the topic clearly and efficiently

See also NHS.UK guidance on aspect summaries for modularisation (not the same thing but may be helpful).

An aspect summary is a short description of the key information in the aspect. It's designed to be used where space is at a premium - for example, small screens, chatbots and voice assistants.

Aspect summaries should:

• Be concise – aspect summaries are limited to 150 characters (including spaces)
• Mention the topic name – aspect summaries may be shown on their own out of context, so it must be clear what they're referring to.
• Aim to answer a generic hypothetical question – for example, an Overview aspect summary should answer: “What is this condition?” and the Symptoms aspect summary should answer: “What are the main symptoms of this condition?”.
• Be specific – for example, do not say: “There are lots of possible symptoms of chickenpox”, instead say: “The main symptom of chickenpox is red, itchy spots that turn into blisters”.
• Avoid repeating the information in the Main content module – the summary may be shown alongside the main content, so avoid repeating the main content section word-for-word if possible.

Example aspect summaries:

• Overview summary: Chickenpox is a common infection that causes an itchy, spotty rash. It’s common in children but adults can get it too.
• Symptoms summary: Common symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome include stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation.
• Medical treatments summary: An underactive thyroid can usually be treated by taking daily tablets to replace the hormones your thyroid is not making.

[sarawilcox]

I'm thinking of holding this off till the next Style Council so we can research further and discuss.

[sarawilcox]

Some website examples