UX Writing Principles

A co-worker recently shared this Medium article, “How to build better digital experiences with UX writing principles.” I had never heard the term “UX writing” before and was immediately intrigued. I have always felt that copywriting skills are important for designers. This article reinforced that opinion and provided clear examples of how writing impacts the usability of products, especially those involving digital experiences.

Here’s a list of the key principles outlined:

• Keep it conversational. Maintain the human element in design. Speak to users naturally, as you would if you were in-person.

• Use plain English. Simple language that everyone understands makes a product more accessible to all.

• Keep language consistent throughout interactions. Stick to the same terms/word choice throughout every touchpoint to avoid confusion.

• Be concise. No need to add extra words if they aren’t needed. This also goes back to using “plain English” to make a product easy to understand.

• Make every header descriptive. Users love to skim, so they need to understand the content without having to read all the supporting text.

• Address your users clearly. Referring to the user in a consistent way will lead to ease of understanding.

• Write in present tense and with active voice. Using active voice adds clarity to statements.

• Lead with the most important words. Again, this lends to the ability of users to scan a page for the exact information they need.

• Reveal detail in stages. Offer users the right information at the right time. Providing a button for “More Info” is a great way to give further detail without overwhelming the user.

For me, the main takeaway is that the content deserves just as much attention as the visuals and flows. Taking time to develop well written text with a distinct tone of voice leads to better user experiences.