Daily UX Writing Challenge: Day 5
Oh no! The phone is dead while the user is writing!
Scenario: The user works in graphic design. While critiquing a design in a mobile app, their phone abruptly turns off. When they restart the phone, they reopen the app.
Challenge: Write a message that the user will read immediately upon opening the app. What do they need to know? What steps (if any) do they need to take to recover their content? What if they can’t recover the content?
Headline: 40 characters max
Body: 140 characters max
Button(s): 20 characters max
When I read the challenge, I think it’s a fun one and I tried to write two copies. I also differentiate the emoji too to set the tone (first one is hopeful, second one is not quite, though apologetic so the user won’t be disheartened). And I decided not to specify the error on the second one so it won’t be too long to read.
Maybe I got too ambitious with this one (or two XD), but I’m kinda proud to be able to finish it on time.
Feedback from Daily UX Writing group members (bulleted for convenience):
1. 2nd one is redundant, body could be shortened and put the instruction to CTA
2. “May have been lost” implied that the work may still be saved somewhere. It doesn’t add up with the title.
3. Report button might be useless as apps these days have auto-report. And if they don’t, there’s a chance a user want to do both. Consider the flow when making the copy.
4. Same goes for the first 1, just put the instruction to CTA for succint-ness
I made a revision according to the feedback.
1st design:
- Changed the last sentence
- Drop the yes and no for succint-ness.
2nd design:
- Changed the headline, going straight to the cause
- Clearer, stern-er body copy so the user know there are no auto-save feature. Last sentence is for reassurance that the problem is being worked on.
- Drop the ‘report the issue’ button.
From the latest revision, I got another feedback:
Copy:
- The headline should stay the same, be it have auto-save feature or not. It still needs to quickly tell you what happened.
- Body copy: consider this, if you have an autosave feature, does the work need to be restored or can you simply continue what you were doing?
- Might be better to specify to the ‘comment’ rather than ‘work’ to not confuse the user.
Visuals:
- Pick one alignment and stick to it to avoid rivers of white.
- CTA button size in this make it hard to tap. Increase the text weight too for better readability.
I was feeling more determined after receiving the feedback, so I tried to make another revision.
1st design:
- Shortening the word and make the tone friendlier
- Change the ‘work’ copy for ‘comment’ to specify the previous activity.
- Aligned the paragraph to the center
2nd design:
- Aligned the paragraph to the center
- Change the ‘work’ copy for ‘comment’ to specify the previous activity.
This time I got pretty good reaction, so I don’t do any revision anymore.
But if anyone who read this has more feedback, feel free to drop it in the comment section, I would love to hear your insight!
Thank you very much in advance!
