Daily UX Writing Challenges

Short UI copy exercises

Failures and Cancellations

SCENARIO

A traveler is in an airport waiting for the last leg of a flight home when their flight gets abruptly canceled due to bad weather.

CHALLENGE

Write a message from the airline app notifying them of the cancellation and what they need to do next.

Error Messaging

SCENARIO

The user entered the wrong email address to sign in to their account.

CHALLENGE

Tell the user to enter the right email.

THOUGHTS

  • Don’t blame the user with words like “invalid” or “wrong” 

  • Humor in this case would only work if it matches this company’s voice…but I should probably tread carefully!

  • Repeatedly receiving this message could become annoying

  • Maybe “We didn’t find that email! Try again?” would be safer

UX and Loss Aversion

SCENARIO

The user works in graphic design. While critiquing a design in a mobile app, their phone abruptly turns off. When they restart the phone, they reopen the app.

CHALLENGE

Write a message that the user will read immediately upon opening the app. What do they need to know? What steps (if any) do they need to take to recover their content? What if they can't recover the content?

FEEDBACK

  • Emojis aren’t conveying the appropriate tone

  • Consider the hierarchy of presented information — what’s more important to know?

  • If the app could’ve quit for various reasons unrelated to the app (e.g. battery), then the copy should be more general and not assume blame for it

  • Apologizing can have some legal implications

  • Watch out for over-promising…