We maintain a descriptive naming policy for Cisco applications and tools. The name of any Cisco product, program, service, or marketing concept should describe the technology, function, or customer benefit in standard English terms that global audiences would also understand.
Use the following guidelines when creating tools and application names. You must submit names to the Content Strategy team for approval.
- The name should be two to four words.
- Create descriptive names so the name helps communicate what the application is about or does.
- Consider ways to include the application's purpose and output, or the category or application type, in the name. For example, "Error Message Decoder" tells you what the tool does.
- Do not use or plan to use an acronym for the tool's name. Avoid creating names that spell an acronym. When an acronym is used to identify an application, we no longer benefit from the power of descriptive names.
- Do not use the word "Tool" in the name.
- Do not include the word "Cisco" in the name.
- If possible, to further help users, write a description to accompany the tool name. See http://www.cisco.com/public/support/tac/tools.shtml.
- Do not name the tool based on the organization within which it's being developed. For example, Cisco Voice Technology Group Subscription Tool tells us what Cisco organization it belongs but it does not tell us what the tool does. Cisco IOS is an exception.
Refer to the tools in two different ways on the site, depending on whether it's a listing of tools (by name) or in the context of completing tasks (by task).
The following table demonstrates the appropriate form of name in specific use cases:
