UX writer’s glossary from A to Z: starting with A and B
Explaining key terms from the UX and IT world that a UX writer should know
Hi there! When I first started as a UX writer, it was my first job in IT, and many IT and UX-related words caused confusion and misunderstanding. Googling some of them helped, but for most, I had to talk to colleagues and dig deeper to get a clearer understanding of them.
That’s why I thought it’d be a good idea to collect some key terms that a UX writer should know and give them a brief and (hopefully) clear explanation. Those who are new to the field can check out this glossary when they are not sure what a term means and — more importantly — what‘s in it for a UX writer.
So, welcome the first chapter of the UX writer’s glossary featuring letters A and B!
A/B testing
It’s one of the popular methods of testing content or design solutions. To conduct this testing, we basically build 2 versions of the UI or copy and divide our user traffic between those two so that half of them sees version 1 and the other half — version 2. Then, we just wait and check which version performs better =gets more of our desired actions, be that clicking a button, signing up, purchasing, or something else.
A/B testing is a great way to get valuable and reliable data from real users, but it takes precious development resources, so it’s not used to test every single update.
Accessibility
Accessibility, or a11y — a design principle that advocates for creating interfaces and products that can be conveniently used by as many people as possible. Accessibility is usually associated with constant physical disabilities like visual and hearing impairments, but mental and temporary disabilities should also be taken into account.
To find more, check Web Conent Accessibility Guidelines — this is a huge resource with plenty of info about ways to make content truly accessible. UX writers can contribute to accessibility by adding alt text to images, writing transcripts and captions for audio and video materials, and creating readable copy and clear links.
Analytics
Web analytics, along with testing, is what helps us identify if our copy or design is actually effective. Analysts track different measurements and user actions like clicking the button, leaving the page, spending some time on it, etc. Then, they make assumptions based on their results, and writers can take them as a starting point to work on a piece of copy.
For instance, analysts come to us with data that 70% of users who read the FAQ on our website still click “contact support” and come to our agents with questions. As writers, we can use these insights and dive deeper, identify what information is lacking or unclear, and eventually improve the content.
Audit
Copy auditing is one activity frightening to many UX writers. Generally, an audit refers to evaluating and analyzing the content or written material, such as websites, user interfaces, marketing materials, documentation, and more. It involves reviewing the written content for accuracy, consistency, clarity, tone, grammar, and adherence to brand guidelines or style guides.
The goal of a copy audit is to ensure that the written copy effectively communicates the intended message, aligns with the company’s brand voice, and meets the desired standards of quality and usability.
The process of organizing a copy audit can be intimidating, but auditing even some parts of the product is important as it helps identify areas for improvement, enhances user experience, and ensures that the copy is engaging and impactful.
Auto layout
Auto layout in Figma is a property you can add to frames and components. It lets you create designs that adapt to the content, grow to fill, or shrink to fit.
For UX writing purposes, auto layouts mostly help create buttons, descriptions, and other text elements that grow or shrink as you edit the text label. Another use case is building lists that adapt as you add, delete, or hide items.
This is quite an advanced feature that’s mostly used by designers. But if at some point you notice that components in your Figma don’t adapt to the content, it might be a good idea to talk to your designer about adding auto layouts.
Backend
Backend and its brother frontend are concepts that can be hard to grasp, especially if you’re new to the IT world and have little experience in software development. So, let me explain it to you in a metaphoric way.
Imagine a restaurant where you enjoy delicious food and have a great dining experience. The backend of a website or application is like the kitchen of that restaurant. It’s where all the magic happens behind the scenes.
In the kitchen, the chefs work hard to prepare the meals, coordinate with suppliers, manage inventory, and ensure everything runs smoothly. They handle the ingredients, cooking techniques, and make sure the food is served to you just the way you like it.
Similarly, the backend of a website or application is the part that you don’t see as a user. It’s the behind-the-scenes technology that powers everything. It includes servers, databases, and code that handles data, processes requests, and delivers the information you need. It’s responsible for managing user accounts, storing and retrieving data, handling security, and making sure everything works seamlessly.
So, the backend is the engine that makes your user experience possible. It’s the technological powerhouse that handles the complex tasks to provide you with a smooth, enjoyable experience without you even realizing the intricate workings happening in the background.
Banner
A banner is a graphical element typically placed prominently on a webpage or within an application. Banners are designed to capture attention and convey important information or promotions. They can be found at the top, bottom, or sides of a webpage, and sometimes even within the content itself.
Banners vary in size, design, and content. They may feature text, images, buttons, or interactive elements. They are often used for advertising products or services, announcing special offers, highlighting important announcements, or simply enhancing the visual appeal of a webpage.
There’s on curious phenomenon related to banners — banner blindness. It’s used to describe a case when visitors to a website consciously or unconsciously ignore banner-like information. According to Nielsen Norman Group’s research, users have learned to ignore content that resembles ads, is close to ads, or appears in locations traditionally dedicated to ads. It’s great when a UX writer is also familiar with this behavior pattern and applies these findings to creating efficient content.
Bulleted list
In a user interface, a bulleted list is a strong formatting tool that presents a series of related items or points in a clear and easy-to-read format. Each item is typically preceded by a small bullet symbol, like a dot or a square, to visually separate them.
Bulleted lists are useful in user interfaces for several reasons:
1. Scannability: Bulleted lists help users quickly scan and locate important information.
2. Organization: They provide a structured and organized way to present multiple items or options.
3. Visual separation: By visually separating each item with a bullet symbol, bulleted lists create a clear distinction between different pieces of information.
Bulleted lists are commonly used in user interfaces for various purposes, such as presenting features, options, instructions, steps, or lists of benefits. They are especially handy when conveying information that needs to be easily scannable and understood at a glance.
Button
Our favorite UI element and the one with so many UX cases written about it!
You’re definitely already familiar with buttons, and it’s not much of a techincal term. But what UXers need to know about them is the nuances. So, a button can be primary, secondary, and even tertiary depending on how much of a visual weight it holds.
And the state od the button can also differ: active buttons can be clicked, while disabled can’t.
The bare minimum that a UX writer needs to know about a button is that in most cases, its label should clearly state what will happen when a user clicks it. Will it trigger a payment? A redirection to settings? A beginning of the setup process? A user should have clear expectations of the next step.
In some cases, we can play with button copy and write a label that’s fun, but we’ll talk more about it in Conversational design under the letter C, so stay tuned 😉
Let me know in the comments if I missed any of the important concepts starting with A and B. And also feel free to share worlds that I should add to the future parts of the glossary!
