{"id":2142,"date":"2024-02-26T16:52:44","date_gmt":"2024-02-26T16:52:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crea.space\/blog\/"},"modified":"2024-07-10T13:01:06","modified_gmt":"2024-07-10T13:01:06","slug":"what-is-good-ux-writing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crea.space\/blog\/what-is-good-ux-writing","title":{"rendered":"What is good UX writing?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
UX writing, short for user experience writing, refers to the practice of crafting the text that users encounter when interacting with digital products or services. It encompasses the creation of clear, concise, intuitive, informative, supportive, and engaging language that guides users through interfaces. It also helps them understand how to interact with features and assists them in completing tasks efficiently. UX writing focuses on enhancing the overall user experience. It involves collaborating closely with designers, developers, and other stakeholders to align the language with the overall design and functionality of the product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Have you ever thought about the differences between copywriting and UX writing? And UX copy and UX writing? Let's start with the first pair! The two types of writing can be tricky to distinguish. Copywriting involves the creation of persuasive and compelling content primarily aimed at marketing and advertising purposes. It is often used to promote products, services, or ideas and is designed to evoke emotion, inspire action, or drive conversions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the contrary, UX writing is the practice of crafting the text and microcopy within digital interfaces to enhance the user experience. It focuses on providing clear, concise, and helpful language that guides users through interactions with a product or service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In essence, copywriting is about selling, while UX writing is about guiding. Copywriting uses persuasive language to drive actions, whereas UX writing provides clear instructions and assistance to users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UX copy, on the other hand, refers specifically to the written content within user interfaces that directly contributes to the overall user experience. It includes text elements such as button labels, menu options, error messages, tooltips, and instructional prompts. It specifically refers to the smaller, more granular pieces of text that serve functional purposes within the user interface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In summary, UX writing addresses the broader spectrum of textual content within a digital product, while UX copy specifically deals with the smaller, more localized elements that directly impact user interactions and comprehension within the interface. UX copy is a subset of UX writing, focusing on the detailed, functional aspects of text within the user experience. So, while copywriting is primarily concerned with persuasive marketing content, UX writing and UX copy are focused on optimizing the user experience within digital interfaces through clear, concise, and user-centric language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UX laws serve as guiding principles rooted in research and empirical data to enhance designers' comprehension of their target audience. These principles facilitate a deeper understanding of user behavior and preferences. While typically associated with designers, UX laws transcend specific roles within product design teams, offering valuable insights to all involved. By applying these laws to writing, UX writers can craft content that resonates effectively with users, thereby enhancing the overall user experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first one, Jakob's Law, was named after Jakob Nielsen<\/a>, a designer-technologist and prominent usability consultant. It states that<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\nUsers spend most of their time on other sites. This means that users prefer your site to work the same way as all the other sites they already know.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n In essence, this law underscores the importance of familiarity and consistency in website or application design. Jacob's Law states that users prefer your site to work the same way as all the other sites they already know. In UX writing, adhering to Jacob's Law means employing familiar language patterns, terminology, and navigational structures that users encounter across various digital platforms. By aligning with established conventions, UX writers can reduce cognitive load, enhance user understanding, and promote seamless interaction with the interface. For instance, using standard terms for buttons like \"Submit\" or \"Cancel\" ensures users can easily anticipate the function of each element without needing to decipher unfamiliar labels. Consistency in language and layout also fosters a sense of trust and reliability, as users feel more confident navigating the interface when it behaves in ways they expect based on prior experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\nThe time it takes to make a decision increases logarithmically with the number of choices.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Hick's Law, also known as the Hick<\/a>-Hyman<\/a> Law, states that the time it takes for a person to make a decision increases with the number of choices they have. This law highlights the importance of simplicity and minimalism in UX writing. Providing users with too many options can overwhelm them and lead to decision paralysis. Prioritizing content and features based on user needs and preferences can help minimize the number of choices users encounter at any given time. Through strategic content organization and hierarchy, UX writers can guide users towards desired actions and facilitate smoother interactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tesler's Law was named after Larry Tesler<\/a>, a computer scientist known for his work in human-computer interaction. Also known as The Law of Conversation of Complexity, it states that<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\nEvery application has an inherent amount of irreducible complexity. The only question is: Who will have to deal with it?<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n This law emphasizes the need for simplicity and usability in software design. Complexity is inevitable, but it should be managed and distributed in a way that minimizes the cognitive load of the user. Applying Tesler's Law in UX writing involves simplifying user interfaces, minimizing the aforesaid cognitive load, streamlining interactions, managing complexity responsibly, and striking a balance between power and simplicity. These aim to distill complex concepts into easy-to-understand language. The users' need to decipher jargon or navigate convoluted instructions must be reduced in full.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Postel's Law, named after Internet pioneer Jon Postel<\/a>, also known as the Robustness Principle, says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\nBe conservative in what you send, be liberal in what you accept.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n This law originally applied to the design of network protocols but has broader implications for other fields. It encourages tolerance in accepting user input and providing feedback, while also advocating for robustness in handling diverse inputs. In essence, applying Postel's Law to UX writing involves finding a balance between providing clear, unambiguous communication and accommodating the varied needs and interpretations of users. For example, when crafting error messages for forms, UX writers can offer helpful guidance to users on how to fix mistakes without sounding too strict or complicated. By being open to various user inputs, UX writers can make interfaces that are easier to understand and forgive mistakes more easily. Not everyone thinks as you and I do. By embracing both conservatism and liberalism in language design, UX writers can create interfaces that are both robust and user-friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, let's take a closer look at the less-known UX design laws that can be applied to UX writing, too:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\nThe average person can only keep 7 (plus or minus 2) items in their working memory at one time.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Miller's Law, proposed by cognitive psychologist George A. Miller<\/a> in 1956, is a principle that pertains to human cognition and memory. It states that the average number of objects an individual can hold in their working memory is about seven, plus or minus two. In other words, humans have a limited capacity for processing and retaining information in their short-term memory. They can generally retain between five and nine pieces of information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n UX writers can leverage Miller's Law by breaking down complex information into smaller, more manageable chunks. This involves distilling content into bite-sized pieces that are easier for users to process and remember. For instance, when designing error messages or instructional text, adhering to the \"seven plus or minus two\" guideline helps ensure that users can quickly absorb the information presented to them without feeling overwhelmed. Moreover, applying Miller's Law enables UX writers to prioritize the most essential information and eliminate unnecessary details that may clutter the user interface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Von Restorff effect, also known as the isolation effect or the distinctiveness principle, is a cognitive phenomenon. It describes how items that stand out from their surrounding context are more easily remembered. It can be simply summarized as<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\nUniqueness stands out.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n
Hick's Law<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Tesler's Law<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Postel's Law<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Miller's Law<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Von Restorff Effect<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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