creators code: how to avoid death by words
TRANSCRIPT
Creators Code: How to Avoid
Death by WordsA Checklist for Creators: 10 Ways to Improve IX, the UX of Information
©2013 Sridhar Machanihttp://google.com/+SridharMachani
Impressions are made everywhere and everytime: Everyone judges your product by what they see, hear,
and read about your product.
Buying decisions are made at almost every such impression, or the user experience (UX).Test: Have you ever bought a product or subscribed to a service that had spelling mistakes, confusing text, ugly looks, or reputation of bad-mouthing users?
Why care about IX (Information Experience)?
How to avoid:● Common traps: Write, edit, and prepare content● Suicide: Inside the product (in-app)● Poison: Outside the product● Infections: Interacting with users● Conspiracy: Support● Trial: Documentation● Prison: Blog● Execution: Social
Agenda: 10 ways to avoid death by words
1. Common traps: Write
● Be human, write for the humans, not for devices● Write for your audience (Normal users? Admins?
Developers?)● Keep it informal, active, direct, and simple● Separate content by concepts, procedures, and references
(where possible)● Use screen-shots/images, flow-charts, and videos if words
are not enough● Don’t steal content (there’s no undo online)
2. Common traps: Edit
● Remove words that are:○ Unwanted○ Ambiguous○ Hurtful, sarcastic, or controversial
● Check for consistent usage of words and style (use either UI or user interface throughout)
3. Common traps: Prepare
● Spell check everything (UI elements, web pages, error messages, emails)
● Proof read for right meaning and context (‘trial’ and ‘trail’ are both correct spellings, but which one do you mean?)
● Use readable font size and styles (purple text on black background is unreadable)
● Repeat the cycle; get more eyes to review
4. Suicide: Inside the product (in-app)
● First-use experience○ Guide users how to use core functions with warm, welcoming words○ Show how to get back to home page/screen and how to get help
● Retain known names and shortcuts for common tasks in the UI● Take permissions and inform users about delicate tasks (saving
personal data or sending data to third-party apps)● Notifications
○ Don’t disturb users when they’re sad/angry (I wish we knew how :-))○ Interrupt only if you must○ Show meaningful messages
● Remove clutter and distractions
5. Poison: Outside the product● Website:
○ Ensure users can easily navigate, sign-in and sign-out, find help, and contact you
○ Tell them who you are● App stores:
○ Tell users what works, what doesn’t○ Tell them what is free, what’s not
● Newsletters/Brochures: Tell stories, try not to sell on every page● Ads:
○ Show or talk about your core functions, not every feature○ Don’t clutter
6. Infections: Interacting with users
● Be nice: ○ Talk to them like you would talk to close family and friends ○ Show empathy and the benefit of doubt - you don’t know what
battles they’re fighting● Be fair:
○ Keep promises - nobody forgets what’s due to them○ Don’t argue - you’ll be a loser even if you win○ If they’ve made mistakes, give them a chance to exit or come good
● Be transparent: ○ If you’ve made a mistake, admit it○ Don’t mislead them, especially in matters of money and privacy
7. Conspiracy: Support● Problems:
○ Diagnose the issue before starting to fix a problem○ Sometimes users think it’s a problem, but it may not be, or it
may lie somewhere else○ Set expectations - price, terms, what is/is not covered, ETA○ Watch out for users who complain, and more so for those who
don’t complain at all● Forms (in-app):
○ Gather information that you really need to fix an issue○ Avoid collecting or storing sensitive data
7. Conspiracy: Support (Continued)
● Emails/IM: ○ Read users’ emails/messages before responding○ Collate requests and instructions, instead of sending an
email/message for each item● Forum:
○ Monitor, moderate, and respond in reasonable times● Phone:
○ It’s better to use phone calls for escalations or critical functions○ Unless you can sustain quality phone support, stick to emails/forums○ On a call, be patient, soft, and courteous, and hear the users out
8. Trial: Documentation
● A rough draft is better than nothing● Organize and visually separate topics based on concepts, procedures
(install, upgrade, configure, customize), and references● Publish PDF, HTML guides (some of us still like to print and read)● Videos are great for users with high Internet bandwidth - for others,
publish audio and transcript versions of the videos● Involve writers early in the game - from planning and design● Involve support teams to identify areas of focus that need extensive
documentation (more screenshots and examples)● Send beta docs to some users for early reviews and bug fixes● It’s a constant cycle - draft, review, fix/update, publish
9. Prison: Blog
● Write about topics that help and entertain users● Great place to talk about your product updates, timelines,
plans, and teams● Write about industry topics and win brownie points● Keep it official, not such a good idea to talk about your
family problems● Be prepared for all kinds of user comments - it’s up to you
to moderate it, just let the users know about it
10. Hanged: Social
● Use social media platforms to build relationships and engage with users
● It’s about your company’s brand - what it stands for● Post and respond regularly● Be careful what you write/share - it can’t be taken
back● Analyze and identify trends - no news is generally NOT
good news out there
● Less support calls/requests -> more savings● High user recommendations and ratings ->
growth in users and revenue● Users' trust and confidence -> easier to upsell
and market other products
What does it all mean for your business?
Good information experience can bridge a lot of gaps
Need Help? Questions? Suggestions?Contact me!
Creators Code, the book
It would be great to elaborate on these topics with lots of examples, comparisons, and HOW-TO procedures.
That is precisely my objective in this upcoming book. If you would like your product to be discussed or if you
have a suggestion, please drop me an email at [email protected].
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