Humans beings have evolved skills that let them scan text and rapidly extract its meaning and assess its importance. Studies show that the human brain can process text in as little as 100–200 milliseconds. This quick consumption of text emphasizes the need to craft clear, concise, and compelling text to capture users’ attention.
The psychology of content consumption depends mainly on people’s cognitive biases, of which UX designers should be aware. For example, the Von Restorff effect causes isolated or contrasting text to tend to stand out more. UX designers can exploit this effect in strategically highlighting key points or calls to action.
Similarly, the serial position effect causes people to remember the first and last items in a sequence more than those in the middle. Therefore, introductions and conclusions carry extra weight. Memorable opening and closing lines can help ideas stick with your users. Similarly, the first and last subheadings or points in textual content are more memorable.
Understanding human’s innate biases and factors such as reading patterns, scanning behaviors, and information recall gives UX designers the tools to craft text that resonates.
User-Centric Writing Principles and Best Practices
Armed with insights into how users consume content, UX designers and writers can apply the following principles and best practices for user-centric writing:
- Put the user first. When creating text, always consider the user’s needs, goals, and mental models. Don’t fall into the trap of writing to please internal stakeholders or meet personal preferences. And never just look at your competitors’ designs and imitate them.
- Emphasize clarity over cleverness. When conveying any information, be clear, direct, and unambiguous. Avoid unnecessary complexity, the use of jargon, and vague language whose interpretation imposes a greater cognitive load.
- Be purposeful. Every word, sentence, and block of text should serve a definitive purpose—especially if its purpose it to guide the user. Ruthlessly cut anything unnecessary or distracting.
- Define a consistent voice and style. Create a voice and style guide for your organization that establishes the tone and personality that textual content should convey. Consistency builds trust and familiarity.
- Create a textual experience. The flow, rhythm, and even the formatting of text are part of the overall experience. Consider factors such as line length, font weight, whitespace, and hierarchy.
By focusing on users’ core needs and seeing text as an integral part of the user experience, UX designers can master user-centric writing.
