You know, in the digital world, new things are always popping up, right? But sometimes, these amazing new features get lost because they’re buried under a pile of confusing words. You’ve got these super powerful tools, but if no one can figure them out, what’s the point?
That’s where I come in, as a UX writer. My job is to take all that technical stuff and make it easy to understand. It’s not just about making things short and sweet; it’s about really putting myself in your shoes, guessing what you’ll need next, and helping you get the most out of whatever you’re using. I’m going to share some of my secrets about how I take complicated things and make them simple, so you can really get the hang of your products and feel good about using them.
Getting Inside Your Head: Why Simple is Best
Before I even type a single word, I try to imagine what you’re thinking. You’re probably here to solve a problem, finish a task, or just learn something new. Every bit of information that’s hard to get, every new word, it all adds to what I call your “cognitive load”—that’s just fancy talk for how much brainpower you have to use. My goal is to make your brain work as little as possible.
Here’s How I Do It: Finding What You Don’t Know Yet and What Bugs You
- Understanding You (and Others): I don’t just look at who you are. I try to figure out what you already know. Are you a tech whiz, or are digital things a bit new to you? What usually frustrates you when you’re trying to learn a new app or website?
- For example: If something handles data encryption, someone who builds software might understand “AES-256 bit encryption.” But if I’m talking to you, I’d say something like, “Your information is protected with the best security out there.”
- Breaking Down the Feature (From Your Side): I take that complicated feature and boil it down to what it actually does for you. What problem does it solve in your life?
- For example: Instead of saying, “This module helps with asynchronous data synchronization,” I’d think, “This automatically keeps your files up-to-date across all your devices.”
The Trick of Showing You Just What You Need, When You Need It
If I dump everything on you at once, you’re going to feel swamped. My method is to show you information only when it makes sense, letting you take in the complex stuff little by little.
Here’s My Strategy: Rolling Out Information Slowly
- The Hook (The “Why”): I start with the immediate benefit, trying to pique your interest without getting technical.
- Bad way to say it: “Configure advanced network proxy settings.”
- Good way to say it: “Keep your connection safe for browsing.” (This tells you why you should care).
- The Main Thing You Do (The “What”): I make the main action really clear, using words you already know for actions.
- For example (following the good example): “Turn on Safe Mode.”
- Extra Details/Advanced Stuff (The “How” & “Customize”): I hide the more complicated options behind simple labels, sections you can expand, or separate settings pages. I only show them if you actually go looking for more control.
- For example: Under “Safe Mode,” an expandable section called “Advanced Security Options” could then show you things like “Proxy Type” or “Port.”
Let me give you a clear example: Imagine a photo editing app and its “Color Correction” feature.
- First, you see: A simple button that says “Enhance Colors.” (This is the big picture benefit).
- When you click “Enhance Colors”: A slider pops up for “Intensity.” (This is the main adjustment).
- Below the slider: You might see a small link like “Manual Adjustments” or “Fine-Tune.” (This is me hinting at more detail).
- If you click “Manual Adjustments”: Then you’ll see all the technical sliders for “Hue,” “Saturation,” “Luminance,” and “White Balance.” (These advanced options are only there if you want them).
My Three Rules for Clarity: Short, Exact, and Familiar
Good UX text is like a perfectly cut diamond: it’s lean, shiny, and just right. Every single word I use has to earn its spot.
Here’s My Strategy: Being Short Without Losing What I Mean
- No Jargon: I swap out technical terms for plain, everyday words. If I absolutely have to use a technical term, I’ll define it simply or give you some context so you get it right away.
- Bad way to say it: “Initialize the daemon for persistent caching.”
- Good way to say it: “Start automatic file updates.”
- Say What You’ll Do, Directly: I focus on what you can do or what will happen.
- Instead of: “Data transfer can be observed to occur.”
- I’d say: “We’re transferring your data now.”
- Short Sentences and Paragraphs: I break down big ideas into little bits. I avoid long, rambling sentences that make you read them twice.
- My rule of thumb: One idea per sentence, and just one to three sentences per paragraph for text you read on a screen.
- Always Use the Same Words: I use the same words for the same things throughout the whole product. If I call something a “project” on one screen, I won’t suddenly call it a “workspace” on another unless there’s a really good, clear reason for you to know the difference.
Here’s a specific example: Explaining something called “Database Sharding” to someone who isn’t technical, like in a cloud hosting dashboard.
- First thoughts (and they’re bad!): “Implement resilient horizontal partitioning via database sharding for optimized query distribution and enhanced scalability.”
- Applying my Clarity Rules:
- Short?: Too many technical terms. “Horizontal partitioning” is just jargon.
- Exact?: What does it do for you?
- Familiar?: “Sharding” isn’t a word most people know.
- My improved UX Text (initially): “Make your database faster as it grows.” (Simple, focuses on the benefit).
- If you click “Learn More” or on a little info icon: “When your database gets very large, it can slow down. Sharding splits your database into smaller, faster pieces. This means your app stays quick, even with millions of users.” (Breaks it down, uses the idea of “pieces,” and emphasizes “app stays quick”).
- For someone more advanced, in the settings: “Database Sharding: Distributes data across multiple servers for improved performance and scalability. Learn more about sharding configurations.” (Acknowledges the term, and links to deeper information if they want it).
Using What You Already Know: Speaking Your Language
You open my product with ideas in your head about how things should work, based on real life or other apps you’ve used. My text needs to match those ideas.
Here’s My Secret: Connecting to Things You Already Understand
- Analogies and Metaphors: I use comparisons to things you already get.
- Bad example: “Perform an atomic commit operation.”
- Good example: “Save all your changes at once, like locking them in.”
- Action-Oriented Words: I use verbs that show exactly what’s going to happen or what you can do.
- Instead of: “The system is capable of data archival.”
- I’d use: “Archive your data.” or “Save for later.”
- Standard Button Labels: I don’t try to be clever and invent new words for common actions. If “Save,” “Undo,” “Delete,” and “Search” are standard, I use them. Making you learn new terms just slows you down.
- Text Cues for Actions: My text, just like the design, should make it obvious what you can do. If the text says “Click here to X,” then you should be able to click it, and it should do X.
- For example: A button that says “Generate Report” tells you that if you click it, you’ll get a report.
Let me give you a specific example: Explaining something like “Version Control” in a document editor.
- Original idea (using internal jargon): “This feature facilitates distributed revision management and merge conflict resolution capabilities for concurrent document iteration.”
- Connecting to what you know: You understand “drafts,” “undo,” “history,” and “different versions.”
- My improved UX Text:
- Headline: “Never Lose Your Work: Version History”
- Description: “See every change made to your document, compare different versions, and restore an earlier draft at any time. It’s like having a perfect record of your document’s journey.”
- Button: “View History”
- Inside the history view: “Restore this version,” “Compare with current,” “Save a snapshot.” (Familiar actions, with clear outcomes).
Giving You Information Just When You Need It
An explanation that pops up at the wrong time or in the wrong place is pretty useless. Context is everything.
Here’s My Strategy: Delivering Information Right When You’ll Use It
- Little Info Bubbles and Icons: For things that aren’t critical but might be a bit confusing, I use a little ‘i’ icon or a question mark. When you hover over it or click it, a tiny bubble appears. I keep these bubbles super short—usually just one sentence.
- For example: A box asking for a “Callback URL.” That bubble might say: “The address your system sends confirmation messages to after a successful event.”
- First-Time Use Tours: If something’s completely new or the product is really complex, a quick, interactive tour the first time you see it can be super helpful. I always let you skip it if you want.
- For example: A tour with just 3-5 screens showing the main benefits and what you can do in a new dashboard.
- Empty Spaces: When a list is empty or you haven’t used a feature yet, I use that empty space to tell you what it’s for and how to get started.
- For example: For an empty “Scheduled Reports” section: “No reports scheduled yet. Schedule your first report to get automated insights.” Then, right below it, a “Schedule Report” button.
- Error Messages: Beyond just saying there’s an error, I explain why it happened (in simple words) and how to fix it.
- For example (instead of “Error 403”): “You don’t have permission to access these settings. Please contact your administrator.”
Here’s a specific example: Explaining a “Conditional Logic” feature in a form builder.
- Little info bubbles on fields: If you hover over “Rule 1,” it shows: “Set conditions for showing or hiding fields based on user input.” (Just-in-time, brief).
- Empty space message: If you haven’t added any conditional logic yet, that section says: “Make your form smarter. Add conditions to show specific questions only when relevant. For example, show ‘Dietary Restrictions’ only if ‘Attending Gala’ is ‘Yes’.” Then, a “Add New Rule” button. (In context, with a simple example).
- Step-by-step guide: For setting up the first rule, a wizard guides you through it, with each step’s explanation building on the last.
- Step 1: “Choose which field will start the change.”
- Step 2: “What value does that field need for the change to happen?”
- Step 3: “Which other fields should appear or disappear based on this.”
The Tone of My Voice: Building Trust and Calming Nerves
How I say something is just as important as what I say. A friendly, helpful, and reassuring tone can really ease any worries you might have when facing something complex.
Here’s How I Do It: Sounding Like a Helpful Friend
- Friendly and Approachable: I avoid sounding too formal or like a robot. I imagine I’m explaining this to a friend.
- Bad example: “System requires user authentication prior to functionality access.”
- Good example: “Please sign in to continue.”
- Reassuring Words: Especially when you’re doing something important (like deleting data or changing complex settings), I reassure you about what will happen or if you can undo it.
- For example (for deleting something important): “Are you sure you want to delete this? This action cannot be undone.” (Clear about the consequences). Or for a complex setting: “You can change this setting at any time.” (Makes you feel better).
- Guessing Your Questions: I think about what worries or questions you might have and try to answer them before you even ask.
- For example (for automatic renewal): “Your subscription will automatically renew on [date]. We’ll send you a reminder email 7 days before. You can cancel auto-renewal anytime in your account settings.” (Anticipates “when?”, “will I be reminded?”, “how do I stop it?”).
- Saying Sorry (If Needed): If something goes wrong, a simple “Oops!” or “Sorry, something went wrong” followed by a solution or the next step, just makes everyone feel better.
Here’s a specific example: Explaining an “Account Merge” feature for a new platform.
- Original (Technical/Dry): “This function consolidates multiple user profiles into a singular entity, migrating associated data sets.”
- With an empathetic tone: “Got multiple accounts with us? No problem! We can combine them into one, making it easier to manage everything. All your data and settings from both accounts will be safely moved to your primary account. This process is irreversible, so please choose your primary account carefully.”
- “No problem!” – Friendly and reassuring.
- “Combine them into one, making it easier to manage everything” – Clear benefit.
- “Safely moved” – Addresses anxiety about losing data.
- “Irreversible” – Clear consequence.
- “Choose primary account carefully” – Gives clear instruction and puts you in control.
Working with What You See: Text Isn’t Alone
My words don’t live on an island. They work hand-in-hand with how things look, how they behave, and those tiny little actions that make a difference, all to help you understand.
Here’s My Strategy: Designing for Text, and Writing for the Design
- Lots of Blank Space: I make sure there’s plenty of empty space around the text so it’s easy to read and doesn’t look overwhelming. Big, dense paragraphs are intimidating.
- Headings and Bold Words: I use headings, subheadings, bold lettering, and bullet points to break up the text and help your eyes find the most important stuff.
- Pictures and Icons: A well-chosen icon or a simple drawing can explain something faster and to more people than a whole paragraph of words.
- For example: A cloud icon for “cloud storage,” or gears for “settings.”
- Interactive Stuff: I use things like dropdowns, expandable sections, and tabs to hide less important information until you actively want to see it. The labels on these things have to be super clear.
- Animations and Little Movements: For complex steps, subtle animations can show progress or help explain an idea.
- For example: An animation showing files moving from one folder to another when you “transfer” them, along with the text “Moving 3 files…”
Here’s a specific example: Explaining a “Workflow Automation” builder.
- What you see: A flowchart-like interface where you drag and drop “triggers” and “actions.”
- My text (when you first start): “Automate repetitive tasks and save hours. Drag ‘Start’ to begin your workflow.” (Short, tells you what to do).
- My text (on “Trigger” elements): If you select a trigger, the text might change dynamically to: “When [Event occurs], then…” (Interactive, guides you).
- My text (on “Action” elements): If you select an action: “Perform [Action] on [Target].” (Specific, concise).
- Info bubbles on complex parts: If you hover over a “Loop” node: “Repeat actions multiple times based on conditions.” (In context, brief).
- Error message: If a workflow isn’t complete: A red highlight on the missing connection, and text nearby: “This workflow needs a connection between ‘Send Email’ and ‘Wait’. Drag a line to connect.” (Specific, tells you how to fix it).
Always Improving: The Way to Get It Just Right
No matter how much I know in theory, nothing beats getting feedback from real people. What I think is crystal clear might still confuse others.
Here’s My Strategy: Never Stop Making Things Better
- Watching You Use It: I watch real people using the product. I pay close attention to where they pause, re-read text, or say they’re confused out loud. This information is gold.
- My trick: I ask people to “think aloud” as they navigate. “What are you looking for here? What does this mean to you?”
- A/B Testing: For really important text (like buttons or key feature descriptions), I’ll try out different versions to see which one works better, meaning more people click it or complete a task.
- Changing it Based on Your Feedback: I don’t get attached to my writing. If people are consistently confused by a certain phrase or explanation, I rewrite it. It’s not about what I like; it’s about what you find clear.
- Reading It Out Loud: I literally read my text out loud to myself. This helps me catch awkward phrases, sentences that are too long, or jargon that just sounds weird when spoken.
Here’s a specific example: Explaining a “Data Export” feature with many different file options.
- My first try: “Export Data (.CSV, .XLSX, .JSON formats supported).”
- What I learned from testing: You weren’t sure what “JSON format” was or why you’d need it, and some didn’t know the difference between CSV and XLSX.
- My second try: “Export Data. Choose your format: CSV (for simple spreadsheets), XLSX (for Excel), JSON (for developers).”
- What I learned from more testing: Still some hesitation with “JSON (for developers)” – some people who weren’t developers worried they might click it by mistake, or it still felt like jargon.
- My final version: “Download Data. Select your preferred format:
- Spreadsheet (.CSV)
- Excel (.XLSX)
- Programmer/API (.JSON)”
- The result: “Programmer/API” clearly told the right people it was for them, while still using the technical term in a less intimidating way. Breaking it up with bullet points also made it super easy to scan.
My Role: The Unseen Guide to Understanding
Explaining complex things simply through text isn’t just about writing; it’s about careful planning, truly understanding you, and relentlessly chasing clarity. It’s about being the person behind the scenes who guides you through complicated digital landscapes, turning potential frustration into easy mastery. By showing you information bit by bit, using clear language, connecting to what you already know, giving you information when you need it, speaking in a friendly way, and always testing, I, as a UX writer, become essential to a product’s success. My ultimate goal is to empower you, letting the brilliance of the features shine clearly, without being hidden by confusion.