UX Writing: What You Can’t See Can Make a Difference.
By Stefanos Zafeiropoulos -Creative/UX Writer
Ok, let’s get this straight from the start. In the next few lines your eyes are not going to meet a thrilling ghost story, your mind will not be submerged in a treasure-guarded-by-undead-pirates myth and you will certainly not gain the pleasure of any fantasy oriented adventure. You’re just going to read a few thoughts on certain aspects of our lives, where some elements can make a big difference, even if they’re not exactly noticeable.
Think of your favorite film for example. Bring forth the best scene in your mind’s eye. The one that, depending on the film, made you want to cry your eyes out, or grab your sword (axe, bow) and join in the quest to where you can’t walk easily into, or even the one that was so scary that you wanted to turn on every light in the house, neighbourhood, city, country. In this particular scene you can certainly remember the story, the plot, the acting, the emotions, the dialogue even, with awe. Because these are the factors that made the impact on your mind and your soul. It is these particular things that turned an already great movie into a masterpiece. Right? Wrong.
Every part of a movie mentioned above plays a huge role in creating emotions, in telling the story, in leading your mind on the desired journey. But what about that certain something that truly enhances the mood? What about that “unnoticeable” entity that can turn any scene into a favourite scene and any movie into a movie to remember?
Yes, of course I’m talking about the soundtrack. The best soundtracks in the world are the ones that you’re going to buy after the movie but during it they act as its counterpart. To really understand the significance of a good soundtrack, try watching your most beloved scene in the world without sound. Every other aspect of the film will be there. Still, the emotion will not be the same. Your feelings will not be overwhelmed. Thus, without the soundtrack, the film would not have the same result, because it would not be able to guide you in your journey as a viewer.
Now, think about the application that you can’t stop talking about. The one that you’re never busy to review or tap on every time you unlock your phone. Which bits come to memory when you need to describe it to your friends? What do you usually say? “Great design”, “the fastest response ever”, “I tapped once and I bought it”, “have you seen the colors?”, and the list goes on! Depending on the app of course, the benefits that someone will immediately understand vary.
In an e-shop app you will definitely need an easy-to-understand build, in a step measuring app you want the best response, in a “what tattoo should be my next” app you want the best design. Because these are the factors that made the impact on your mind and your soul. It is these particular things that turned an already great app into a masterpiece. Right? Wrong.
Every part of an app mentioned above plays a huge role in attracting a user, in telling the story, in leading them to become a customer. But what about that certain something that truly converts the user? What about that “unnoticeable” entity that can turn any page into a favourite page and any app into an app to remember? Yes, of course I’m talking about UX Writing.
The best UX Writing examples in the world are the ones you’re not going to notice because, during your journey as a user, they act as a counterpart to the design. To really understand the significance of good UX Writing, try using your most beloved app in the world without the right words. Every other aspect of the app will be there. Still, the journey will not be the same. Your hands will not be guided. Thus, without UX Writing, the app would not have the same result, because it would not be able to guide you on your journey as a user.
