Experience Mantras

Interesting post over at the HBR blog entitled Why Microsoft Had to Destroy Word. About how the Microsoft folks developed six Design Tenents, and the TiVo engineers created seven design "mantras". These rules guided their products' design.

TiVo's mantras:

It's entertainment, stupid.
It's TV, stupid.
It's video, damnit.
Everything is smooth and gentle.
No modality or deep hierarchy.
Respect the viewer's privacy.
It's a robust appliance, like a TV.

It makes me think about the creative and content for our donor engagement strategies. What should comprise *our* design and copy mantras?