Article · ~10 min read

Writing for user interfaces

GOV.UK / Government Digital Service · GOV.UK Service Manual Free Beginner

The UK government writes for millions of people in hard moments, and their public guidance is one of the best free sources on button and error wording. It is refreshingly blunt: describe the action on the button, tell the user how to fix an error, and skip the apologies. Battle-tested advice you can copy directly.

  • Label a button with the action it does, for example 'Save and continue'
  • Tell the user how to fix the problem, not just what broke
  • Keep the same word for the same action across every page
Open on gov.uk ↗

The question it answers

  1. How do I write clear button and error messages so users know exactly what to do next?

Read with it

  1. This is the book most working UX writers point to when they need a system, not just tips, for the exact text on buttons,... O'Reilly Media Book Strategic Writing for UX (2nd Edition) Torrey Podmajersky
  2. Nielsen Norman Group is the closest thing to a standard reference in usability, and this piece is a clean, specific checklist... Nielsen Norman Group Article Error-Message Guidelines Tim Neusesser and Evan Sunwall (Nielsen Norman Group)
  3. This is the reference everyone quietly copies when they first try to write down their brand voice, and it is public, free, and... Mailchimp Content Style Guide Article Voice and Tone, Mailchimp Content Style Guide Mailchimp
  4. If you are a founder or designer writing your own product copy without a UX writer on the team, this is the most practical... Smashing Magazine Article · About a 20 minute read How To Improve Your Microcopy: UX Writing Tips For Non-UX Writers Irina Silyanova
  5. Concrete rules for writing the words on your buttons and menus so nobody has to decode them. It covers using a verb plus a noun... Nielsen Norman Group Article · ~9 min read UI Copy: UX Guidelines for Command Names and Keyboard Shortcuts Anna Kaley
  6. This is the single most practical book written entirely about the tiny words in your product (buttons, error messages, empty... microcopybook.com (Nemala) Book · ~350 pages Microcopy: The Complete Guide Kinneret Yifrah
eChai Partner Brands The partnership →