Writing Is Designing: Words and the User Experience by Michael J. Metts & Andy Welfle

Author:Michael J. Metts & Andy Welfle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rosenfeld Media
Published: 2020-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

FIGURE 5.5 Password hint microcopy below the password field won’t help someone using a screen reader who hasn’t made it there yet.

Rather than saying:

• Click the OK button below to continue.

• (A button that scrolls you to the top of a page): Go to top.

Instead, say:

• Next, select OK to continue.

• Go to beginning.

Write Left to Right, Top to Bottom

While you don’t want to convey spatial meaning in your writing, you still want to keep that spatial order in mind.

Have you ever purchased a service or a product, only to find out later that there were conditions you didn’t know about before you paid for it? Maybe you didn’t realize batteries weren’t included in that gadget, or that signing up for that social network, you were implicitly agreeing to provide data to third-party advertisers.

People who use screen readers face this all the time.

Most screen readers will parse information from left to write, from top to bottom.10 Think about a few things when reviewing the order and placement of your words. Is there information critical to performing an action, or making a decision, that appears after (to the right or below) an action item, like in Figure 5.5? If so, consider moving it up in the interface.

Instead, if there’s information critical to an action (rules around setting a password, for example, or accepting terms of service before proceeding), place it before the text field or action button. Even if it’s hidden in a tooltip or info button, it should be presented before a user arrives at a decision point.

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