If careful design prevents problems before they happen, then careful content does too. But we don’t all have a UX Writer on our team to come up with the words in the interface. Rachael will share some tips for non-writers to help make their interfaces clear, concise and helpful.
7. Hire a pro
A dedicated UX Writer will:
● Be your resident language expert
● Know how to tell your story
● Define the voice of the product
● Make sure voice is consistent across touchpoints
● Set language standards
● Be a natural user advocate
8. Use the resources you’ve got
Is one of these writerly types already right under your nose?
● Technical writers excel at clear, concise and helpful content
● Support writers have a direct line to users and speak their language
● Marketing copywriters know how to write to persuade
9. Make every word earn its place
● Edit ruthlessly
● Go for short words over long ones
● Pack in the info
● Include only what’s relevant right now
10.
11. Make every word earn its place
● Edit ruthlessly
● Go for short words over long ones
● Pack in the info
● Include only what’s relevant right now
29. Give it the time it deserves
● Consider content early
● Use real content in prototypes
● Revise, revise, revise
● Test!
○ Readability tests
○ A/B tests
○ Card sorts
○ Tree tests
30. Give it the time it deserves
● Consider content early
● Use real content in prototypes
● Revise, revise, revise
● Test!
○ Readability tests
○ A/B tests
○ Card sorts
○ Tree tests
31. Give it the time it deserves
● Consider content early
● Use real content in prototypes
● Revise, revise, revise
● Test!
○ Readability tests
○ A/B tests
○ Card sorts
○ Tree tests
32. Give it the time it deserves
● Consider content early
● Use real content in prototypes
● Revise, revise, revise
● Test!
○ Readability tests
○ A/B tests
○ Card sorts
○ Tree tests
33. Be human
● Use plain language (no jargon!)
● Speak like your users do
● Use active over passive
● Verb your nouns
● Consider emotional state and context
● Personality is OK!
34.
35. Be human
● Use plain language (no jargon!)
● Speak like your users do
● Use active over passive
● Verb your nouns
● Consider emotional state and context
● Personality is OK!
36. Be human
● Use plain language (no jargon!)
● Speak like your users do
● Use active over passive
● Verb your nouns
● Consider emotional state and context
● Personality is OK!
38. Be human
● Use plain language (no jargon!)
● Speak like your users do
● Use active over passive
● Verb your nouns
● Consider emotional state and context
● Personality is OK!
40. Be human
● Use plain language (no jargon!)
● Speak like your users do
● Use active over passive
● Verb your nouns
● Consider emotional state and context
● Personality is OK!
42. Be human
● Use plain language (no jargon!)
● Speak like your users do
● Use active over passive
● Verb your nouns
● Consider emotional state and context
● Personality is OK!
44. More on UX Writing
● Content + UX Slack group mjmetts.com/content-ux-slack
● Talking microcopy: Writing UX Facebook group facebook.com/groups/microcopy
● Writing for user interfaces blog uiwriting.tumblr.com
● Microcopy patterns Twitter account @tinywordsmatter
● UI content resources list meganwhalin.com/ui-content-resources
● Writing for the web articles, Nielsen Norman Group nngroup.com/topic/writing-web
● Interface writing guide, Material Design material.io/guidelines/style/writing.html
● Hemingway app readability checker hemingwayapp.com
