bring out your inner ux writer

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Bring out your inner UX Writer Rachael Mullins @rachaelamullins

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Page 1: Bring out your inner UX Writer

Bring out your inner UX Writer

Rachael Mullins

@rachaelamullins

Page 2: Bring out your inner UX Writer

The words in the interface

Page 3: Bring out your inner UX Writer

ButtonsLabelsNavigationTitlesHelp textLinksNotificationsCalls to actionPlaceholdersErrorsEmails

… and more

Page 4: Bring out your inner UX Writer

“Design in the absence of contentis not design, it's decoration.”

Jeffrey Zeldman

Page 5: Bring out your inner UX Writer

Product

How it worksInteraction design

How it looksVisual design

What it saysContent design

Page 6: Bring out your inner UX Writer

Skyscanner

Page 7: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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

Page 8: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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

Page 9: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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

Page 10: Bring out your inner UX Writer
Page 11: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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

Page 12: Bring out your inner UX Writer

We apologise for any inconvenience caused

We’re sorry

Page 13: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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

Page 14: Bring out your inner UX Writer
Page 15: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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

Page 16: Bring out your inner UX Writer

Make it scannable

● Put the most important words first

● Use headings, lists, bold text, content chunks

● Be consistent

Page 18: Bring out your inner UX Writer

We just applied your theme Theme applied

Page 19: Bring out your inner UX Writer

Make it scannable

● Put the most important words first

● Use headings, lists, bold text, content chunks

● Be consistent

Page 20: Bring out your inner UX Writer

Slack

Page 21: Bring out your inner UX Writer

Make it scannable

● Put the most important words first

● Use headings, lists, bold text, content chunks

● Be consistent

Page 22: Bring out your inner UX Writer

Be specific

● Avoid ambiguity

● Use meaningful verbs

● Explain why, not just what

● Tell users what’s coming

Page 23: Bring out your inner UX Writer

Twitter

Page 24: Bring out your inner UX Writer

Be specific

● Avoid ambiguity

● Use meaningful verbs

● Explain why, not just what

● Tell users what’s coming

Page 25: Bring out your inner UX Writer

StartSomeGood

Page 26: Bring out your inner UX Writer

Be specific

● Avoid ambiguity

● Use meaningful verbs

● Explain why, not just what

● Tell users what’s coming

Page 27: Bring out your inner UX Writer

ASOS

Page 28: Bring out your inner UX Writer

“You’ll never spend more time writing fewer words”

Cheryl Lowry

Page 29: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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

Page 30: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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

Page 31: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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

Page 32: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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

Page 33: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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!

Page 34: Bring out your inner UX Writer
Page 35: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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!

Page 36: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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!

Page 37: Bring out your inner UX Writer

The problem is being investigated

We’re investigating the problem

Page 38: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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!

Page 39: Bring out your inner UX Writer

We’ve started an investigation of the problem

We’re investigating the problem

Page 40: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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!

Page 42: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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!

Page 43: Bring out your inner UX Writer

We’re just humans talking to other humans

Page 44: Bring out your inner UX Writer

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

Page 45: Bring out your inner UX Writer

Thanks!

Rachael Mullins

@rachaelamullins