{"id":361453,"date":"2024-05-21T01:14:01","date_gmt":"2024-05-21T01:14:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/?p=361453"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T21:00:00","slug":"","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/?p=361453","title":{"rendered":"<span>A short guide to UX writing and its role in UX design<\/span>"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><!--[--><!--]--><\/div>\n<div id=\"post-content-body\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-formatted-body article-formatted-body article-formatted-body_version-2\">\n<div xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\">\n<p>UX writing is an essential part of UX design, which plays a huge role in providing qualitative user experience. The job of a UX writer is to compose texts for a digital product, which can be of two types: microcopy (labels, buttons, notifications and other small notes) and macrocopy (larger texts like written content on pages, instructions, information sheets). UX writing helps users easily navigate through the product, perform various tasks and get all the necessary information. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w780q1\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/282\/00f\/9f5\/28200f9f5426e6213451c4a0f6f28fae.jpeg\" width=\"1000\" height=\"696\" data-src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/282\/00f\/9f5\/28200f9f5426e6213451c4a0f6f28fae.jpeg\" data-blurred=\"true\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s a complex, but at the same time very interesting job that should not be confused with ordinary copywriting, as it has a lot of specific rules and peculiarities. In this article we would like to take a quick look at some aspects and rules of UX writing, as well as discuss some tips that may be useful for people who\u2019re just starting their career in this sphere.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The main purpose of UX writing<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are three main goals of UX writing:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>to help user perform certain tasks in a product,<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>to provide useful information to a user,<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>to give \u201cvoice\u201d to a product and\/or brand it represents.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Who is a UX writer?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>UX writer is a professional who creates texts for the interface of a digital product. It\u2019s a relatively new profession, as the task of writing such texts was usually performed by copywriters, marketing managers or other members of the development team who were good at writing. A few years ago it transformed into a separate job, as it became clear that the creation of UX texts should be approached in a professional manner. There are no certain requirements to apply for the job of UX writer as they may differ depending on the company or the type of product you\u2019re going to write for, but it\u2019s good if you have a degree in Communications, Arts, Creative Writing or Journalism.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Main rules of a good-quality UX writing<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w780q1\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/c3c\/2d0\/e4a\/c3c2d0e4abc5cf067e6c4797c307315d.jpeg\" width=\"626\" height=\"417\" data-src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/c3c\/2d0\/e4a\/c3c2d0e4abc5cf067e6c4797c307315d.jpeg\" data-blurred=\"true\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Distinguishing a good UX text from a poor-quality one is very easy: a good text is readable, easy to understand and concise. To create such a text, a UX writer needs to follow some simple rules. Here are the most important ones:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>No slang or hard-to-understand technical\/professional terms<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Remember that the target audience of a digital product usually consists mostly of regular users, so use only words that are common and easily understood (only highly specific apps are an exception). Don\u2019t use complex words that need to be Googled, as well as slang.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Concise information\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>UX texts should guide users through the product without any excess information. Do not waste users\u2019 time and clearly state the core of the function\/problem.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>No passive voice<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Passive voice lengthens the sentence and doesn\u2019t give clear instructions. When creating a text that requires the user to do anything in a product, always use active voice and preferably put them in the beginning of a sentence.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Texts should provide solutions<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In case of errors, always provide solutions for the users to complete their task, otherwise they may lose the desire to use the product. For example, instead of just saying \u201cPayment not accepted\u201d, add \u201cTry again\u201d, or \u201cPay with other wallet\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Testing<\/strong> <strong>is a must<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The UX writing in a product requires testing as much as the product itself. It is necessary to measure the effectiveness of different text variants to choose the best one.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Texts should be creative<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The requirement to write short and informative texts doesn\u2019t mean they have to be boring. Try to make UX writing creative without breaking boundaries.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Useful tips for UX writers<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w780q1\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/39e\/f01\/ad6\/39ef01ad6542745ae8e96d1684c06798.jpeg\" width=\"1280\" height=\"817\" data-src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/39e\/f01\/ad6\/39ef01ad6542745ae8e96d1684c06798.jpeg\" data-blurred=\"true\"\/><\/figure>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Research the product thoroughly<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>In order to write a copy for the digital product, you need to understand how it works, what functions it performs and what goals it fulfills. That\u2019s why you should start by thoroughly researching all the info about the product you\u2019re going to write for. It\u2019s also great if you can communicate with the development team to learn all the details and ask questions that arise in the writing process.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Be concise\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Easy-to-grasp, concise text is key for effective UX. The less time it takes to read the text on the screen and perform a task &#8212; the better it is for a user. Of course this doesn\u2019t mean omitting important information, but rather compressing it to a short form. For example, instead of using \u201cYou must enter a password to log in the app\u201d there should just be \u201cEnter password\u201d. The more briefly you can present information without making it lose its meaning, the better.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Anticipate users questions<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The core of UX writing is to guide users through the product and help them to perform tasks. That\u2019s why the text in the app should anticipate users&#8217; questions, telling them what to do next with clear instructions just at the right time. Making users wonder about their next move or roam through the product searching for answers in a huge UX mistake that leads to reduction in user retention.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Be consistent with terminology<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Just like the product itself should be consistent in style and color, its texts should be consistent as well. Be sure to use the same key terms with consistent spelling (for example, don\u2019t use \u201clog in\u201d on one page and \u201csign in\u201d on the other), stick to the one tone of voice and number format. In some cases UX writers are provided with a style guide that should be relied on when creating a copy for a specific product, but if not, you should control the consistency of the copy yourself. Inconsistency leads to confusion and a growing number of errors in user experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Be relevant<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>As a UX writer, your goal is to feel the needs and peculiarities of an audience you\u2019re writing for. The text you\u2019re writing should be relevant to the product\u2019s users: for example, the terminology and style you use should correspond to the TA\u2019s age. Avoid slang and jargon if you\u2019re working with a product for seniors and don\u2019t write in an old-fashioned way for a young audience, make all the copy easy to understand right away without any extra explanation.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"6\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Sound human-like<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>A common mistake of many novice UX writers is that they start writing in a robot-like tone. Using this tone is okay in some cases, but usually users tend to find human-like copy more appealing. Avoid passive voice (ex. \u201center a password\u201d instead of \u201ca password should be entered\u201d), future time (ex. \u201cloading\u201d instead of \u201ca page will be opened\u201d), unnecessary strict and commanding tone (ex. \u201cIncorrect e-mail. Please re-enter\u201d instead of \u201cAn authentication error has occurred. Enter a correct e-mail\u201d).\u00a0<\/p>\n<ol start=\"7\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Make the text easy to translate<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If the product is aimed at a global usage but isn\u2019t localized or just provides a machine translation of its content, it\u2019s your job to write the text that won\u2019t lose any sense when being translated. To do that, avoid any idioms or phrases that are known only within one specific culture and try to make sentences as simply structured as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w780q1\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/b7c\/b67\/e20\/b7cb67e200d21dc4291aaf06f8097f85.jpeg\" width=\"1000\" height=\"699\" data-src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/b7c\/b67\/e20\/b7cb67e200d21dc4291aaf06f8097f85.jpeg\" data-blurred=\"true\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>The demand for UX writing is growing every day, and a lot of IT companies are hiring UX writers right now. You can start your career in UX writing by completing some special online courses that will teach you the basis of crafting texts for digital products and provide you with a mentor that will help you find your first job in UX and guide you through your first projects. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!----><!----><\/div>\n<p><!----><!----><br \/> \u0441\u0441\u044b\u043b\u043a\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u043e\u0440\u0438\u0433\u0438\u043d\u0430\u043b \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0438 <a href=\"https:\/\/habr.com\/ru\/articles\/777008\/\"> https:\/\/habr.com\/ru\/articles\/777008\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div><!--[--><!--]--><\/div>\n<div id=\"post-content-body\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-formatted-body article-formatted-body article-formatted-body_version-2\">\n<div xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\">\n<p>UX writing is an essential part of UX design, which plays a huge role in providing qualitative user experience. The job of a UX writer is to compose texts for a digital product, which can be of two types: microcopy (labels, buttons, notifications and other small notes) and macrocopy (larger texts like written content on pages, instructions, information sheets). UX writing helps users easily navigate through the product, perform various tasks and get all the necessary information. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s a complex, but at the same time very interesting job that should not be confused with ordinary copywriting, as it has a lot of specific rules and peculiarities. In this article we would like to take a quick look at some aspects and rules of UX writing, as well as discuss some tips that may be useful for people who\u2019re just starting their career in this sphere.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The main purpose of UX writing<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are three main goals of UX writing:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>to help user perform certain tasks in a product,<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>to provide useful information to a user,<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>to give \u201cvoice\u201d to a product and\/or brand it represents.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Who is a UX writer?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>UX writer is a professional who creates texts for the interface of a digital product. It\u2019s a relatively new profession, as the task of writing such texts was usually performed by copywriters, marketing managers or other members of the development team who were good at writing. A few years ago it transformed into a separate job, as it became clear that the creation of UX texts should be approached in a professional manner. There are no certain requirements to apply for the job of UX writer as they may differ depending on the company or the type of product you\u2019re going to write for, but it\u2019s good if you have a degree in Communications, Arts, Creative Writing or Journalism.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Main rules of a good-quality UX writing<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><\/figure>\n<p>Distinguishing a good UX text from a poor-quality one is very easy: a good text is readable, easy to understand and concise. To create such a text, a UX writer needs to follow some simple rules. Here are the most important ones:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>No slang or hard-to-understand technical\/professional terms<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Remember that the target audience of a digital product usually consists mostly of regular users, so use only words that are common and easily understood (only highly specific apps are an exception). Don\u2019t use complex words that need to be Googled, as well as slang.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Concise information\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>UX texts should guide users through the product without any excess information. Do not waste users\u2019 time and clearly state the core of the function\/problem.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>No passive voice<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Passive voice lengthens the sentence and doesn\u2019t give clear instructions. When creating a text that requires the user to do anything in a product, always use active voice and preferably put them in the beginning of a sentence.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Texts should provide solutions<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In case of errors, always provide solutions for the users to complete their task, otherwise they may lose the desire to use the product. For example, instead of just saying \u201cPayment not accepted\u201d, add \u201cTry again\u201d, or \u201cPay with other wallet\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Testing<\/strong> <strong>is a must<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The UX writing in a product requires testing as much as the product itself. It is necessary to measure the effectiveness of different text variants to choose the best one.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Texts should be creative<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The requirement to write short and informative texts doesn\u2019t mean they have to be boring. Try to make UX writing creative without breaking boundaries.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Useful tips for UX writers<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><\/figure>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Research the product thoroughly<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>In order to write a copy for the digital product, you need to understand how it works, what functions it performs and what goals it fulfills. That\u2019s why you should start by thoroughly researching all the info about the product you\u2019re going to write for. It\u2019s also great if you can communicate with the development team to learn all the details and ask questions that arise in the writing process.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Be concise\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Easy-to-grasp, concise text is key for effective UX. The less time it takes to read the text on the screen and perform a task &#8212; the better it is for a user. Of course this doesn\u2019t mean omitting important information, but rather compressing it to a short form. For example, instead of using \u201cYou must enter a password to log in the app\u201d there should just be \u201cEnter password\u201d. The more briefly you can present information without making it lose its meaning, the better.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Anticipate users questions<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The core of UX writing is to guide users through the product and help them to perform tasks. That\u2019s why the text in the app should anticipate users&#8217; questions, telling them what to do next with clear instructions just at the right time. Making users wonder about their next move or roam through the product searching for answers in a huge UX mistake that leads to reduction in user retention.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Be consistent with terminology<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Just like the product itself should be consistent in style and color, its texts should be consistent as well. Be sure to use the same key terms with consistent spelling (for example, don\u2019t use \u201clog in\u201d on one page and \u201csign in\u201d on the other), stick to the one tone of voice and number format. In some cases UX writers are provided with a style guide that should be relied on when creating a copy for a specific product, but if not, you should control the consistency of the copy yourself. Inconsistency leads to confusion and a growing number of errors in user experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Be relevant<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>As a UX writer, your goal is to feel the needs and peculiarities of an audience you\u2019re writing for. The text you\u2019re writing should be relevant to the product\u2019s users: for example, the terminology and style you use should correspond to the TA\u2019s age. Avoid slang and jargon if you\u2019re working with a product for seniors and don\u2019t write in an old-fashioned way for a young audience, make all the copy easy to understand right away without any extra explanation.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"6\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Sound human-like<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>A common mistake of many novice UX writers is that they start writing in a robot-like tone. Using this tone is okay in some cases, but usually users tend to find human-like copy more appealing. Avoid passive voice (ex. \u201center a password\u201d instead of \u201ca password should be entered\u201d), future time (ex. \u201cloading\u201d instead of \u201ca page will be opened\u201d), unnecessary strict and commanding tone (ex. \u201cIncorrect e-mail. Please re-enter\u201d instead of \u201cAn authentication error has occurred. Enter a correct e-mail\u201d).\u00a0<\/p>\n<ol start=\"7\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Make the text easy to translate<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If the product is aimed at a global usage but isn\u2019t localized or just provides a machine translation of its content, it\u2019s your job to write the text that won\u2019t lose any sense when being translated. To do that, avoid any idioms or phrases that are known only within one specific culture and try to make sentences as simply structured as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><\/figure>\n<p>The demand for UX writing is growing every day, and a lot of IT companies are hiring UX writers right now. You can start your career in UX writing by completing some special online courses that will teach you the basis of crafting texts for digital products and provide you with a mentor that will help you find your first job in UX and guide you through your first projects. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!----><!----><\/div>\n<p><!----><!----><br \/> \u0441\u0441\u044b\u043b\u043a\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u043e\u0440\u0438\u0433\u0438\u043d\u0430\u043b \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0438 <a href=\"https:\/\/habr.com\/ru\/articles\/777008\/\"> https:\/\/habr.com\/ru\/articles\/777008\/<\/a><br \/><\/br><\/br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-361453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=361453"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361453\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=361453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=361453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=361453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}