UX writing

18 Best Tips to Improve UX Writing

Last Updated on February 12, 2024 by UX World

The user interface is intended to make everything easy to understand for the user. Whether it is an image, a label, or a text message, a user who comes to use your design should easily understand its meaning and be able to perform the desired action without any confusion.

UX writing includes every kind of text that is displayed on the user interface. This text needs to be defined in a way that helps users to move forward on UI.

Few guidelines are used to define UX writing that provides the desired user experience. A list of such guidelines is mentioned below.

You can take the help of ChatGPT to enhance your UX writing skills. See a list of practical and useful ChatGPT prompts for UX writing.

1. Eliminate Redundancy

Redundant text is of no use except that it creates noise and clutter on the UI. Always try to review the text you write and eliminate any redundant terms.

Eliminate Redundancy
Eliminate redundant words from UI.

2. Be Positive

Use positive language. Try to emphasize what users can achieve instead of what they can’t do.

Be positive
Tell users what they can do instead of what they can’t do.

3. Don’t Invent

Use standard words where they are applicable. If you try to use new terms for existing standards, the user will be confused.

Dont Invent Words
Use standard words to make them understandable for users.

4. Use Numerals

Use numbers instead of writing them in textual form as numeric values are easy to scan for human eyes.

Use numerals
Use numbers instead of text.

5. Omit Needless Words

It is a misconception that using two or three similar words will convey the meaning in a better way. This is not correct. Write instructions and messages in a precise way.

Omit needless words
Extra words can be skipped to increase the simplicity of UI.

6. Be Consistent

Using consistent language will help users better understand the meaning. Using separate terms for similar actions will frustrate the user.

Be consistent
Use consistent terms.

7. Avoid ‘the user’, Use ‘you’

If you mention ‘the user’, it will be a less personal tone. Instead using the first person will give a more personalized way to talk.

Use You
Use ‘you’ instead of ‘the user.

8. Use ‘I’

Use ‘I’ where the user wants to tell the system what to do. This will give the user a feeling of personal interaction with the system.

Use first person
Use ‘I’ instead of ‘you’ to increase personal interaction.

9. Be User-Oriented

Make sure that your communication with users is clear. Use conventions that are easier to scan and understand.

Be user oriented
Use conventions that are easier to understand.

10. Avoid All Caps

All-caps text is difficult to read and scan and it seems like shouting at the user.

Avoid All caps
All-caps text is difficult to read.

11. Don’t Over-Communicate

Use simple language to convey your message.

dont over communicate
Do not over-communicate.

12. Use Short Words

Short and plain words are easy to scan and quick to understand.

Use short words
Use short sentences that convey complete meaning.

13. Be Polite

Be polite and humble. Provide users a way to move out of a difficult situation gracefully.

Be polite
Be polite to users.

14. Avoid Jargon

Use the terminology your users are comfortable with.

Avoid jargon
Don’t use jargon on UI.

15. Avoid Technical Terms

Replace technical terms with appropriate user-friendly terms.

Avoid technical terms
Technical terms are hard to understand for users.

16. Connect Similar Words

Use similar words where applicable so that users can connect them easily.

Connect similar words
Similar words are easier to connect.

17. Avoid ‘lorem ipsum’

Lorem Ipsum is not a good way to write placeholder text. Instead, use actual and simple words as placeholders on the UI.

Avoid lorem ipsum
Lorem ipsum is not a good placeholder text.

18. Do Research

Whenever you start writing for the user interface, always research similar options, terms, and messages. You cannot invent everything from scratch. It is better to use standards instead of thinking about new and unfamiliar ways.

Doing research will make your task much easier. Also, your users will be happy to relate industry standards when they use your design.

Conclusion

UX writing is one of the important and interesting topics of user experience design. This should be given equal importance as UI images since it has a large impact on your users. An interface displaying difficult and weird language never attracts the user and it takes him no time to leave the product and never come back.

“Easy reading is damn hard writing.” — Nathaniel Hawthorne

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