Designing Through UX Writing
by Eliana Volante
User research data has been reviewed, wireframes have been developed, and the code is up and running — but there is still something missing! You still need the necessary microcopy to accompany the digital product you’ve curated and designed. We can’t afford to have a blank digital interface design, can we? How else can the user navigate the web page and understand what to do next?
It may seem something trivial, but the words we see on buttons, landing pages, and notifications play a crucial role in building the user experience. Words are powerful and often overlooked, and the emerging discipline of UX Writing seeks to shed light on its underrated importance in the growing field of UX design.
The emergence of UX Writing
Opportunities are seemingly endless in the field of UX Design as it continues to branch out and intertwine with a variety of fields ranging from tech to business (e.g. web development, product management, UX research, etc). Along with the growing number of digital products is the need for writers that curate product-oriented and user-centric copy in order to bridge the gap between the user and the machine. And lo and behold, UX Writing is born.
UX Writing may also be mistaken for copywriting. Is there really a stark difference between the two? Pauline Wee, a Product Design Intern at Swarm, says: “For me, UX writing is different because of its focus on digital product design. While traditional copywriting covers writing for more mediums (email, social media, blog posts, etc), UX writing focuses more on product microcopy like onboarding sequences, error messages, notifications, etc.” Simply put, what sets UX Writing apart from copywriting is its focus on digital products in order to curate microcopy (tidbits of text on websites, applications, and other digital products) that guide the user with each tap, scroll, and swipe.
But in the end, there’s really no need to debate the difference between UX Writing and copywriting. “In real life, for smaller companies and start-ups, you’ll probably be doing both traditional copywriting and UX writing in one role. This is because they complement each other, inform each other (to avoid redundancy), and follow a similar tone and voice,” Pauline Wee adds.
How words shape the user experience
The structure and language that UX writers use are targeted toward the user’s needs, emotions, and behavior. UX Writing communicates with the user to help them navigate the digital space and overall create a delightful experience. It all boils down to a balance between empathy and meaningful content. Below are some examples of UX Writing in action:
Usage of witty language by Tumblr (Source)
Words of sympathy from an Error 404 page (Source)
Effective UX Writing
We’ve learned what UX Writing is about and how it works. But how can we ensure that UX Writing effectively contributes to a delightful user experience? Pauline Wee shares her insights on the notable characteristics of effective UX Writing:
- Brief. Less is more. Always look back at what you’ve written and see what you can remove. (Especially the niceties like: How have you been these days? and the extra fat like “We were wondering if you could…” With UX writing, you should cut to the chase).
- Conversational. UX writing is no thesis paper. Everything you write should sound like something a real person would say.
- Clear and concise. The words you use should be simple enough for anyone to understand, but clear enough that you don’t sacrifice any meaning in the process. Take special care with titles, headlines, email subjects, and how you explain instructions and commands.
- Goal-oriented. In the end, your copy should serve a clear goal. What is that goal? Does the copy help achieve it? Is the purpose or call to action clear?
- Aware of tone and voice. Once you’ve got 1, 2, and 3 nailed down, you can learn to channel your company’s tone and voice into how you write your copy.
In short — words make or break the user experience. A beautifully designed digital product is nothing without meaningful content and communication through UX Writing. UX Writing is an essential part of the design process, too, and it’s time we shed light on its silent yet powerful impact on the products we create.
