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Strategic Writing for UX

Strategic Writing for UX

by Torrey Podmajersky
Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
Release Date: June 2019
ISBN: 9781492049388
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Book Description

When you depend on users to perform specific actions—like buying tickets, playing a game, or riding public transit—well-placed words are most effective. But how do you choose the right words? And how do you know if they work? With this practical book, you’ll learn how to write strategically for UX, using tools to build foundational pieces for UI text and UX voice strategy.

UX content strategist Torrey Podmajersky provides strategies for converting, engaging, supporting, and re-attracting users. You’ll use frameworks and patterns for content, methods to measure the content’s effectiveness, and processes to create the collaboration necessary for success. You’ll also structure your voice throughout so that the brand is easily recognizable to its audience.

  • Learn how UX content works with the software development lifecycle
  • Use a framework to align the UX content with product principles
  • Explore content-first design to root UX text in conversation
  • Learn how UX text patterns work with different voices
  • Produce text that’s purposeful, concise, conversational, and clear

Table of Contents

  1. [ Preface ]
  2. Chapter 1. Why: Meet the Goals of People and the Organization
    1. Align the Goals of the People and the Organization
    2. Choose Content to Meet the Goals
    3. Identify Purposes, Opportunities, and Constraints
    4. Imagine and Test Solutions
    5. Summary: Words Make Experiences Work
  3. Chapter 2. Voice: They Recognize You
    1. Three Example Experiences
    2. Creating a Voice Chart
    3. Using the Voice Chart as a Decision-Making and Iteration Tool
    4. Summary: Lift Every Voice
  4. Chapter 3. Conversation for Content-First Design
    1. Face-to-Face, Full-Body Design
    2. Transforming the Conversation into an Experience
    3. Summary: Now You’re Having the Right Conversation
  5. Chapter 4. Apply UX Text Patterns
    1. Titles
    2. Buttons, Links, and Other Commands
    3. Descriptions
    4. Empty States
    5. Labels
    6. Controls
    7. Text Input Fields
    8. Transitional Text
    9. Confirmation Messages
    10. Notifications
    11. Errors
    12. Summary: Use Patterns as a Place to Start
  6. Chapter 5. Edit, Because They Didn’t Go There to Read
    1. Editing in Four Phases
    2. Purposeful
    3. Concise
    4. Conversational
    5. Clear
    6. Summary: Use UX Text to Help People Move Forward
  7. Chapter 6. Measuring UX Content Effectiveness
    1. Direct Measurement of UX Content
    2. Researching UX Content
    3. UX Content Heuristics
    4. Summary: If You Like It, Put a Value on It
  8. Chapter 7. Tools of the UX Writing Trade
    1. Write for the Context
    2. Managing Content Review
    3. Publishing the Text
    4. Tracking the Content Work to Be Done
    5. Summary: The Tools Are a Means to an End
  9. Chapter 8. A 30/60/90-Day Plan
    1. The First 30 Days, AKA Phase 1: What and Who
    2. 30–60 Days, AKA Phase 2: Fires and Foundations
    3. 60–90 Days, AKA Phase 3: Rapid Growth
    4. Summary: To Fix the Words, Build Strong Foundations
  10. Chapter 9. What to Do First
    1. Decide What Is Urgent and What Is Important
    2. Ground the Content in Empathy
    3. Introducing UX Content to the Team
    4. Summary: Use UX Content to Meet Your Goals
  11. [ Index ]