Crafting UX of :: User Interface Messages

~ vishal mehta :: ux designer ~

What  is  a  User  Interface?    It’s  NOT  JUST…    Bu9ons  Blocks  Forms  Controls  Images  NavigaBon  

What about Text, Language, Words, Messages?

Design for EMOTIONS

Remember!

IT IS NOT COMPUTER TALKING TO A COMPUTER.

USERS ARE HUMAN. MESSAGES SHOULD BE HUMAN TOO!

End-users can be easily embarrassed or frustrated, first with committing an error, and then facing a cold, blunt error message. Let’s “reward” them with “designed” messages that really contribute – at least to their moods.

How do I design User Interface Messages?

1   KNOW  YOUR  AUDIENCE.  

2   WIT,  HUMOR,  PUN,  FLATTERY,  SARCASM,  METAPHORS  –  ALL  THE  SMARTS!  

3   RUN  IT  BY  USERS.  ITERATE,  TEST,  REPEAT.  

In  case  your  Internet  connecBon  is  slow  and  there’s  a  great  amount  of  file  transfer  pending,  Dropbox  asks  you  to  grab  a  Snickers!  

DROPBOX  

While  registering  for  Yahoo  Mail,  if  you  mistakenly  enter  a  birth  date  that’s  in  future…  

YAHOO  

Balsamiq  Mockups  helps  you  prepare  Dinner  if  you  reach  out  their  “Help”  menu.  

BALSAMIQ  

Etsy  calmly  asks  you  a  rhetoric,  if  you  start  a  conversaBon  and  have  only  your  Email  address.  The  “again”  part  is  a  killer!  

ETSY  

GMail  throws  exclamaBon  back  to  you  when  you  try  punctuaBon  in  your  user  name.  

GMAIL  

Fla9ery  is  indeed  beauBful,  proves  Buffer.  

BUFFER  

Snooze  enough?  Now  wake  up!  Hootsuite  knows  of  our  mulB-­‐tab  browsing  habit.  

HOOT  SUITE  

iContact  shows  “crazy”  upside-­‐down  behavior  if  you  try  to  visit  a  page  that’s  not  there!  

iCONTACT  

Craigslist  shouts  about  Craig’s  inability  to  match  your  typing  speed,  when  you  over-­‐enthusiasBcally  enter  items.  

CRAIGSLIST  

Expedia  is  direct  and  prompt  –  nice  example  of  persuasion  technique.  

EXPEDIA  

Even  the  Captcha  is  relevant  to  the  pladorm  –  either  a  celebrity  or  movie  name.  Wonderful  connect.  

IMDB  

This  post  describes  the  humor  angle  Everyday  uses  for  their  registered  users.  

EVERYDAY  

On  changing  password,  Twi9er  shouts  “Woo  hoo”  and  reminds  you  of  the  number  of  applicaBons  that  “spy”  on  you  with  your  approval  of  course.  (Spy  is  the  word  I  would  have  designed  here  actually!)  

TWITTER  

MASSAGE YOUR MESSAGE. TODAY!

Thank You

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