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You’re writing a screen and have so much you can say. So how do you decide? How much is so much that they won’t read a thing, and how much is so little that you’ll come off cryptic and leave them more confused than before they started reading? 
#UXwriting #ContentDesign
#UXwriting #ContentDesign
1. Everything necessary and nothing else
Don’t the users guessing. Too concise can leave them in worse shape than had you filled the screen with text. Include everything they need but not more: if it does not offer clear, immediate value, leave it out.
Don’t the users guessing. Too concise can leave them in worse shape than had you filled the screen with text. Include everything they need but not more: if it does not offer clear, immediate value, leave it out.
2a. One thought at a time
One thought per sentence. It’s not as much about the number of characters or words as it is is about messages. If you’re trying to say too much at once, you’ll lose the user halfway through and they’ll absorb none of it.
One thought per sentence. It’s not as much about the number of characters or words as it is is about messages. If you’re trying to say too much at once, you’ll lose the user halfway through and they’ll absorb none of it.
2b. If two sentences clutter the screen, consider breaking the experience into two screens. I’ve seen first hand the positive test results of breaking a flow into more screens with less content on each screen, especially on mobile.
3a. Progressive disclosure
You don’t always have to leave messaging out. Sometimes you can include it all, just not all at once. Progressive disclosure can work in two ways:
Chronologically — reveal information as the user wades deeper into the experience;
You don’t always have to leave messaging out. Sometimes you can include it all, just not all at once. Progressive disclosure can work in two ways:
Chronologically — reveal information as the user wades deeper into the experience;
3b. Layers — put certain details behind a click (e.g., tooltip, expand/collapse) so that it’s there for those who want it, while not in the way for those who don’t. The benefit of copy behind a click is that if the user made the effort to get there, they are likely to read it.
4. Ask the user
Talk to user-facing teams. What are users asking? Maybe you’re wasting precious real estate on information that is industry standard while you thought you were providing education... find the questions you’re not preempting and put that content in instead.
Talk to user-facing teams. What are users asking? Maybe you’re wasting precious real estate on information that is industry standard while you thought you were providing education... find the questions you’re not preempting and put that content in instead.
5. Limitations
Pay attention to factors that have nothing to do with the copy or the user, but that do affect the experience. E.g., what does your it look like on an old crappy phone with a tiny screen? Despite everything, if those screens can’t accommodate the copy, rethink it.
Pay attention to factors that have nothing to do with the copy or the user, but that do affect the experience. E.g., what does your it look like on an old crappy phone with a tiny screen? Despite everything, if those screens can’t accommodate the copy, rethink it.
6. Don't be afraid to add words
There is a lot of advice out there about how to cut copy down. But your user's goal is not to read as few words as possible -- it's to get a job done. More on that: https://blog.prototypr.io/less-is-not-always-more-1d07b527a09
There is a lot of advice out there about how to cut copy down. But your user's goal is not to read as few words as possible -- it's to get a job done. More on that: https://blog.prototypr.io/less-is-not-always-more-1d07b527a09
