Times are changing, UX writing is now a thing
Imagine a time when there was no UX writer. And how things have changed after there was.
This is the transcript of my presentation for Tech in Asia Product Development Conference. There are 3 parts to this article. This is part 1.
I have a personal story that I’d like to share.
On Lebaran last month, I met with my uncles and aunties. Like any typical conversations with them, they wanted to know what I had been up to. So I told them about my job. Then suddenly, everything paused.
They had no idea about UX writing. My uncle took out his phone, turned on his screen, and showed it to me.
“Uhm, Edwin, so you’re telling us, these words in my phone, we have somebody working on that full time?”
They were surprised about my job, because all this time, they thought writing was only a hobby. Anyone can do it – which I totally agree. We all know how to write. We do it every time we use social media or when texting a friend.
But with that said, if everyone knows how to write, then there’s probably no need to create a full-time job for this after all?
My answer is no. Absolutely not true.
UX writing is an important set of skills, because words matter to product development. They matter equally as much as UX design, UX research, or UX engineering. We just have different specialized skills. That’s all, really.
No matter if you’re an expert with visuals, research, codes, or text, we’re all headed towards the same direction: making users’ lives a little less effortful.
Speaking of how important this job is, UX writers can either make or break the user experience – depending on how detailed and empathetic they are. A single letter, incorrect punctuation, or mistyping may lead to misinterpretation, as well as how an ignorant writer only cares about getting the job done than making sure whether or not the words are clear and friendly.
By contrast, if there are no words in the app we normally use, I’m quite sure nobody knows how to use them or what they’re for.
“OK, UX writing is important. We get it. But why haven’t we heard about it before? Is it a new thing? Is it even a thing?”
The early days of computer
Yes, UX writing is fairly new (by title), especially in Indonesia. But by the activity that we do, it’s been there ages ago.
And, clearly, it’s a thing.
Before there was a UX writer, or before anyone knew about UX for that matter, most of the words we often see around the web were written by managers and programmers. They were “the UX writers”.
It wasn’t supposed to be their job, but they did it anyway. They went above and beyond to ensure a computer at the time had something to say. When no page was found, when the server was busy, or when something failed.
If they didn’t have the hearts to do the extra work for adding text into a computer, I’m quite positive computers would be at least a little harder to use by now.
So let’s take a moment to appreciate all their hard work.
Here are some examples of computer language, specifically for error messages, which may appear on our screens back then:
As time moved on and the closer they paid attention to feedback from their users as well as the more they learned about how most people speak, they discovered there was a huge gap between (a) computer language and (b) human language. By human language, I mean words that exist in our dictionary.
By then, the logic was pretty simple, as long as they used dictionary-driven words for a computer, most people would understand.
Not quite so.
I’ll admit it. Yes, this is far better than before. It reaches out to a wider audience. But I must say, it’s missing some things. It doesn’t quite reflect how we naturally speak. And given the scenario, it doesn’t quite sound comforting too. Lastly, I’m not sure I would know what to do next to solve these problems.
I mean, I could guess. Then again, that takes time. And I, of all people like you, would always have more important things to do than guessing. But just for the fun, let’s take our guesses and dissect what those words could possibly mean.
Let’s take this one for example.
All right. It says the system failed to upload my document. Hm, suppose I uploaded a few of them, which one did it fail?
So what, if there’s an unknown error, that’s not my problem, right? Or should I worry? Nah, I probably shouldn’t. But what if the error occurred because of my mistake? I could call customer service, but what if the staff puts all the blame on me? Ugh.
Those words may drive confusion and possibly frustration instead of making me feel calm. What if I was already in a bad mood? Imagine just how those words may strike me.
So, how do we make sure the words are clear, comforting, problem-solving, and most of all, naturally human?
You know, like a close friend who’s always there to help you, turn 😫 into 😍, or a personal assistant, or a favorite doctor, or a friendly therapist.
Anyone, really, who’s non-stop willing to solve all your problems.
Does that person even exist? Well, he or she should, in your product.
This is the reason it’s extremely important to get a UX writer into your organization. To ensure all the words support a friendly user experience.
Times are changin’. Say hi to UX writers.
First of all, UX writers do more than humanizing error messages. Our work covers the entire user journey. From the morning you need to buy groceries, to the part you would have to pay for those groceries.
We’re there all along. Through good and bad times.
Our ultimate role is to guide you how to use an app seamlessly, from the start to finish (be it for shopping groceries, booking flights, or sending logistics).
Second of all, UX writing requires a lot of crafting. The reason that words may not feel human and comforting is often driven by the lack of crafting. The writing process goes directly to writing – while I truly believe crafting plays a big part and should come first, in order to shape a personality in between your words.
There’s a big difference between crafting and writing.
Want to know more? Read on to part 2: writing vs. crafting.
If you’re interested in applying for a full-time position or intern in UX, Blibli.com is currently hiring! Send your resume to recruitment@blibli.com and get the chance to work with our UX team with their own unique stories.
