What UX Writer do? UX Writer just give the button name?
Ok, maybe the title a little bit controversial for some UX writer out there, hehe I’m sorry. So, I would explain it to people out there that still don’t know about UX Writer, because I was one of them. So, giving name to buttons, it’s not “just” because it’s have an extremely explorative process that requires a deep understanding of the user’s needs and goals.
Recently, I had the opportunity to meet Fara Ruby, a UX writer at Tokopedia, one of the largest e-commerce platforms in Indonesia. She shared with me valuable insights into the role of a UX writer and the process that goes into creating effective user experiences.
First thing that should be understand is
Who is UX Writer?
As a user experience (UX) writer, you play a crucial role in shaping the way users interact with a product or service. From button names to labels and instructions, your job is to create and choose the right words that guide users through the user experience.
According to Torrey Podmajersky, author of “Strategic Writing for UX,” a UX writer is someone who creates and chooses the right words in the user experience. This includes titles, buttons, labels, instructions, descriptions, controls, warnings, and notifications, all with the goal of guiding users to take the next step.
But how does a UX writer go about creating these effective user experiences? Scott Kubie, author of “Writing for Designers,” outlines a four-step framework for UX writers:
Prepare
This stage is when collaboration happen between product team and UX writer. Understanding company’s goal, objective and hypothesis are the important part to get the best output from UX writers. Actually product team and UX writer standing on the same ground that bring to the same goals such as increasing engagement, spreading awareness, and others.
Compose
When a UX Writer already know the goals, they could decide how to approach the users for better understanding of who the target audience are and connect with them. UX writer’s focus is user’s condition, so need to consider a lot of part what they write so it could suitable for users. Strengthen the reason and then finalize and actually apply it to design.
Edit
UX writer have job to design an experience through words, create the voice and tone of the product, and maintain consistency in communication. For instance, Dove.
Dove takes a different approach from others brand, their brand voice is based around authenticity and inclusion. Their mission statement, which is reflected in their brand voice, is “Beauty is for everyone”. The brand tone is uplifting and empowering.
After all already created, define a clear information hierarchy use some questions bellow:
- What benefit does it have for the users?
- How can we make the message plainly understandable to the users?
- Are there any tech limitations?
After that, starts by collecting people opinions and ideas. Not all of the ideas UX writer use, it have to be sortir, refine, and know which result is the best. To avoid bias and get insights UX writer do a peer-to-peer feedback loop with other UX writers, after that with designers, product manager, and researchers too.
Finish
Validate the result to know whether right for the users or not. To validate the result externally it could be before the product release and or after product release. UX writers can use usability testing, focus group discussion or A/B Testing. The possibility of hypothesis can be wrong or half right is common, so why there is a iterate stage. For editable template UX Scoring for usability click here
So now, we could see that the tasks that UX writer have is not “just” as we thought before. Here’s I give you some example of the result of UX writer did
The picture above is example of tone spectrum, tone is the way we treat users, it is depend of many things such as
Which step of user in user journey map?
How their experience when using the product?
What their goal and what they want?
How user’s mood?
Key Insight:
- UX Writer is someone who creating and choosing the right word in user experience.
- Framework of UX writer: Prepare, compose, edit, and finish
- Tone is the way how product treat their users
This note is the part of my learning process, so if any feedback or advice I really welcome.
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Thanks… Have a nice day everyone!
