improve the silence: creating effective interface language

Improve the SilenceCreating Effective Interface Language

Our Agenda

Part 1Intro to Interface LanguageDon’t Call it MicrocopyRole and VoiceWords and Pictures

Break

Part 2RecapitulationThe Functions of WordsWorking Across DevicesTrainwrecksConclusion

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Introduction

Orality knits persons together into community.

Walter Ong, 1982

Oral Culture LiteracySecondary

Orality

“Tell me, O muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy.”

“MY DEAR AND HONORED FRIEND: I have often been desirous of writing to thee, but could not be reconciled to the thought that the letter might fall into the hands of the British, lest some printer or busy-body should publish some part of the contents, and give our friend pain, and myself censure.

Secondary orality is post-literate.

Secondary orality allows allows for the preservation of information as texts.

Secondary orality allows for instantaneous feedback.

Secondary orality facilitates the development of community.

“Tell me, O muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wideafter he had sacked the famous town of Troy.”

“MY DEAR AND HONORED FRIEND: I have often been desirous of writing to thee, but could not be reconciled to the thought that the letter might fall into the hands of the British, lest some printer or busy-body should publish some part of the contents, and give our friend pain, and myself censure.

“Darth Badger Don’t Care.”

“Tell me, O muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wideafter he had sacked the famous town of Troy.”

“MY DEAR AND HONORED FRIEND: I have often been desirous of writing to thee, but could not be reconciled to the thought that the letter might fall into the hands of the British, lest some printer or busy-body should publish some part of the contents, and give our friend pain, and myself censure.

“Sign up now.”

We aren’t writing, we are speaking in text

An interface is a conversation.

An interface is a conversation that

takes place between a person and a

machine.

You are the soul of that machine.

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Don’t Call it Microcopy

Let’s get small: App.net post: 256 charsTwitter card summary text: 200 charsFacebook og:description text: 160 charsGoogle page description: 155 charsTweet: 140 charsTweet with link: 116 charsSubject line in iOS Mail.app: 45 chars

Jeff Eaton | LullaBot

Role and Voice

What role?

Everything follows from the role

Your vs My

Authentic

Engaging

Specific

Appropriate

Polite

How Would You Fix It?

Words and Pictures

When to use a word?When to use a

picture?

Type a WordTouch a Word

Touch a Picture

Words Images BothSpecific

Translatable

Accessible

Sharable

Compact

Decorative

Precise

Understandable

Ambiguous

Illustrative

Monotonous

Chunky

Brandable

Editable

Short words are best and the old words when short are best of all.”

— Winston Churchill

Take a Break

Improve the SilenceCreating Effective Interface Language

(Continued)

So far...Language is an interface

Interfaces are conversationsUnderstand the role

Use verbal and visual cues

Part 2The Functions of LanguageWorking Across DevicesTrainwrecksConclusion

The Function of Language

SalutationOrientation

ActionInstruction

Service

Salutation

Orientation & Navigation

Action

Instruction

Service

Nouns are information architectureVerbs are interaction design

Devices and Contexts

Trainwrecks

8 Kinds of Bad Oblivious

InconsistentPresumptuous

UnnaturalVague

Passive(Too) Clever

Rude

Oblivious

Inconsistent

Don’t be presumptuous.

Unnatural

Vague/Passive

Don’t be too clever.

Rude

Conclusion

Interface is a ConversationSometimes Words, Sometimes PicturesThink Big System, Not Tiny CopyKnow Your RoleBe Polite Above All

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Thanks!