Terminology and Cheat Sheet
The purpose of this section is to provide a condensed list of rules and terms for writing UI copy. These are not specific or limited to certain parts of the product or elements in the UI, but rather act as a set of broadly applicable rules.
In addition to this list of standard terms, the rules that follow should help in writing good copy. These rules are meant to be used by those planning on writing significant amounts of copy. If you're interested in very specific aspects (for example, error messages), you should look for those specific guides.
These rules will not miraculously help you write amazing copy if writing is just not for you, though, so if this is the case, get someone else to help! Remember that writing copy is very much a skill, and knowing english is not enough. Treat copywriting with respect, and you will have a greater chance of coming up with something great. Leave it until the last minute, or as an afterthought, and the end result will reflect this.
| Do use | Do not use | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Connection | Contact | We focus on action and relationships. Connection is action oriented while contact is static |
| Recipient | Receiver | A receiver refers to a machine while a recipient is the correct term when talking about people |
| invoice | Invoice | Do not capitalize words in the middle of a sentence |
| * wants to connect with you | * wants to join your network | joining a network is ambiguous. The action is to connect, and networks are then formed organically |
| Connection request | Network request | We focus on the action which is the connection, network is ambiguous |
| Document status | Document state | Status is generally understood in business, state is tech jargon. |
| Status:Void | Status:Voided | Voided is only the past tense of the verb to void, and never an adjective. |
| Supplier | Vendor | Both are fine, we have chosen supplier as a matter of consistency |
| Validate | Transcribe | Transcribing connotes a time consuming and arduous task. At Tradeshift, we use clever technology to do these things, so there is no need to transcribe – only review and validate. |
| Validator | Reviewer | see above |
| Processing | in queue | Processing indicates motion and progress, whilst in queue signifies lack thereof. |
Always attempt to include subject, verb and articles in a sentence. This is so that copy does not sound like a robot. Sentences like “Error importing file” are technically correct but do not convey meaning well. Being technically correct is not enough, copy needs to read as a person explaining something to another!
Never sacrifice clarity in order to sound casual. Copy should be whenever possible, casual, natural and friendly, but clarity remains the top priority.
Be specific and precise with your word choice. "Search" isn"t the same as "filter", "send" might not be the same as "submit", and "cancel" is not the same as "go back". Particularly in action-oriented copy, make absolutely sure that what you say is what you mean to say.
Avoid overusing jargon, and be very wary of abbreviations. Following design principles, Tradeshift is a product with a very wide user base, and is not expected to be a primary working tool. As such, copy should aim to inform users with a very wide variety in knowledge. Of course sometimes it is impossible to avoid jargon, but consider it carefully. Abbreviations, on the other hand, are almost never OK. "Site" should be "Website", "Info" should be "Information" and "Invite" should be "Invitation".
Don"t fall for the "people don't read" trap. This has been repeated as a mantra for a very long time, but UX experts across the board agree that this is not true. Specially when it comes to headers and buttons, users read! Do not allow copy to be steered by this assumption.
Avoid using passive voice. Passive voice (invoice was sent by you) creates awkward sentences where the subject is de-emphasized. Unless the intention is specifically to do this, do NOT use passive voice.
Do not leave copywriting to the last minute! Writing copy is a task like any other, and requires time, thought and effort to come up with a good result. If you leave it until the last minute, it is going to be bad. If you write the first thing that comes to mind and call it a day, it is going to be bad. So instead of filling a design with Lorem Ipsum, start working on the copy as an integral part of the design, and iterate on it like you would anything else.