4 UX writing principles to live by

Every product tells a story

At Preply, we’re shaping the future of effective learning. We connect students and tutors for 1-on-1 online language lessons.

Here are some stories our product tells:

• You can learn to speak more confidently
• You can find the perfect tutor
• You can achieve your goals
• You can find students to teach
• You can impact the world with your communication skills

As UX writers, we shape the product’s stories to make them clear and powerful. Here are some principles we can consider to make our work stronger.

Principle #1: Understand the full context

When working on a piece of microcopy, we should consider points of view of all interested parties.

Business points of view: What are the business goals?

• What is the intended use of the feature?
• How is success defined? What are the primary, secondary and health metrics we’re trying to improve?
• What does the business hope to learn about its users by creating or changing this feature?

User points of view: What is the user’s exact situation at the moment they encounter this piece of microcopy?

• What is their mindset?
• What is their goal?
• What do they know?
• Where are they in the user journey/relationship with your product?
• Where are they coming from (another page of website/app, an email, search results)?
• What have they just seen?
• What mental and emotional states are they likely to have?
• How will different users experience this moment?

Principle #2: Start with the end in mind

When we receive new projects, the instructions often include assumptions about the best ways for the users to reach their goals. As UX writers, it’s our job to question the assumptions and find the best ways.

First, we need to see and question as many biases as we can. What do the instructions assume? Are there placeholder texts or design decisions that pre-determine how the issue is framed? What biases are carried over from previous work?

For any instructions we have and any biases we identify, we should ask whether the assumptions are correct, considering the best information available about relevant users and business goals.

To get around our biases, we can seek inspiration outside of our immediate environment, then brainstorm widely.

• Check references from competitors and industry leaders
• Conduct or review customer research
• Brainstorm at many levels: consider many ways of presenting and framing the issue, organizing information, communicating through metaphors, choosing and structuring words

Principle #3: Write for the user

People are busy. When we’re on our computers or mobile devices, we tend to be overwhelmed with information and things to do.

It’s hard to process new information. It’s even harder to remember the multiple steps needed to accomplish a goal. We’re used to turning on autopilot when browsing the web or using apps. Remember asking about the user’s context? We need to write for the user on their phone between meetings at work and the user with yelling children clamoring for their attention.

Let’s be nice to these users.

• Catch them where they are, with the knowledge they know
• Prioritize the single most important action and piece of information. If a user only remembers one thing from what we write, what do we want it to be?

Guide users to take the next step. In most cases, they don’t need to think about later steps until they get to them.

• Provide immediately actionable information
• Give the smallest possible number of steps for the user to accomplish their goal

Principle #4: Be positive

Cultivate a positive approach. We should frame issues using positive language whenever possible. Assume that they have the best intentions. Make it easy for them to make the right choices. Help them use the product in a comfortable, convenient way that brings them closer to their goals.

If you’re a UX writer, be happy and proud of the impact you’re making on the world! The joy you bring to your work ripples out to affect your users and your business.

Happy writing!