Recently, I was chatting with a customer that I was copywriting for and he told me that it would be nice if I learn about UX Writing (User Experience Writing). Before that time, I knew absolutely nothing about it. So, I started learning anything about it. I studied everything I could find on it.
I discovered that UX writing is the process of creating UI Copy that guides users within a product and aids them to interact with it. For instance; error message, privacy policy, terms, and condition, as well as any instructions on product usage.
The main objective of UX Writing is to settle communication between users and a digital product. It is, however, important to note that Professional UX Writers should work together with software developers and designers on creating UI text.
I feel obligated to share the following 5 rules of effective UX Writing with those that want to venture into it too.
- Always be concise
Being concise doesn’t mean being limited, it implies something nearer to effective. You need to make use of as few words as possible without losing the meaning. While following this rule, you need to ensure every word on the screen has a function. For instance; “You can drive forward your company” should be rephrased as “Drive forward your company”.
- Shun lengthy blocks of text
Users of the product are not only interested in the user interface but also in their work. More often than not, users don’t read UI text rather they scan it. It’s your job to help them scan the text by writing it in short block. Create your text in shorter sentences and paragraphs. Finally, keep the most essential text upfront.
- Shun double negatives
By shunning double negatives, it will result in decreasing cognitive load. This will make users spend less time decoding the message. For instance, I do not want to uninstall.
- Always start with the objective
Starting a sentence with the objective is necessary when a sentence describes an objective and the actions needed to achieve it. Instead of writing; “Tap on the item to see its features”, it’s preferable to write “To see item’s features, tap on it”.
- Make the copy consistent
Inconsistency breeds confusion. It is essential to be consistent with your wordings throughout the UI. If you make use of a word in one part, you don’t need to replace it with a synonym in a different part of UI. A typical example is using a word like “Scheduling” in one part and “Booking” in another.
Final Word…
From the aforementioned rules, you may be wondering at the time and effort it takes to write effective UI text. But trust me, it is worth every hype it gets. Its is your aim as a designer to design conversation in apps to be effective.
