{ "version": "https:\/\/jsonfeed.org\/version\/1.1", "title": "Ilya Birman’s Blog: posts tagged language", "_rss_description": "Ilya Birman’s blog on design, cities, music, and life", "_rss_language": "en", "_itunes_email": "ilyabirman@ilyabirman.net", "_itunes_categories_xml": "<\/itunes:category>\r\n<\/itunes:category>\r\n\r\n", "_itunes_image": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic-square@2x.jpg?1573933764", "_itunes_explicit": "no", "home_page_url": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/tags\/language\/", "feed_url": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/tags\/language\/json\/", "icon": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic@2x.jpg?1573933764", "authors": [ { "name": "Ilya Birman", "url": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/", "avatar": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic@2x.jpg?1573933764" } ], "items": [ { "id": "284", "url": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/all\/stopwords-in-user-interface\/", "title": "Stopwords in the user interface", "content_html": "

These are words that usually signal problems with the user interface.<\/p>\n

Main and secondary<\/h2>\n

Variants: regular, general, basic, advanced, extended, miscellaneous, more
\nExamples: main section, basic options, advanced plan, miscellaneous settings<\/p>\n

The line between “primary” and “secondary” is not defined. The user is looking for a particular thing and has no idea whether it’s “main” or “advanced”. “More” is usually a graveyard of elements that the designer didn’t find place for.<\/p>\n

Useful<\/h2>\n

Variants: important, notable
\nExamples: useful hints, important information, notable changes<\/p>\n

When you nominate some stuff important, this means all the rest is unimportant. Instead of stating the usefulness, explain the benefit: “How to start snowboarding”.<\/p>\n

Article<\/h2>\n

Variants: post, entry, publication
\nExamples: add entry, next post<\/p>\n

These, again, name the type of the content. The words can be useful among the editorial staff, but meaningless for the reader: there are no newspapers with an “articles” section.<\/p>\n

Catalogue<\/h2>\n

Variants: list, archive
\nExamples: shoes catalogue, news archive<\/p>\n

There’s no need to signal that a list is following. Just put the list with an informative heading: “Shoes”, “News”.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/h2>\n

Variants: enter, select, go, follow, open, launch
\nExamples: click here to open, enter password, select country, follow the link<\/p>\n

There is no need to explain how to use buttons, links, input fields and other standard user interface elements. Links should just name the places they lead to: “iPhone 7 review”. Form fields should just name the content: “Password”, “Country”.<\/p>\n

Form<\/h2>\n

Examples: application form, inquiry form<\/p>\n

A form is a table of fields to fill. The word “form” just names a type of screen, but the user already sees that it’s a form. Name it with the benefit in mind: “Job application: designer”.<\/p>\n

Required<\/h2>\n

Variants: necessary, must, please
\nExamples: required field, you must agree, please specify the phone number<\/p>\n

The user doesn’t care if a field is required. If the form doesn’t work without it, they will put in some garbage. Instead of demanding or begging, explain the benefit: “We will call to coordinate delivery time”.<\/p>\n

Operation<\/h2>\n

Variants: process, transaction, request, step, state, module, function, data
\nExamples: process is not responding, bad request, step 5 of 12, module not installed, wrong data format<\/p>\n

These words are handy to describe how something works technically. But there is no point in using them in the user interface: they just complicate the matters for the user. Write as a human being: “Spell check available in paid version”, “Due to an error, the app needs to re-open”.<\/p>\n

Authorisation<\/h2>\n

Variants: authentication, authentification, identification, session, limit
\nExamples: please authorise, session timeout<\/p>\n

Even programmers mix up the autho-whatever-s constantly. Use the verbs “to enter” or “to sign in”, or, even better, name the thing that’s inside: “Shopping history”.<\/p>\n

Success<\/h2>\n

Example: operation completed successfully<\/p>\n

If operation hasn’t completed successfully, it hasn’t completed, period. Write what’s been done: “Money sent”, “Update installed”.<\/p>\n

If you know why a particular word from this list is not good, but in your case it makes perfect sense, leave it.<\/p>\n", "summary": "These are words that usually signal problems with the user interface", "date_published": "2017-07-04T00:21:24+05:00", "date_modified": "2017-07-30T13:16:51+05:00", "tags": [ "interface", "language" ], "image": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/click-here-cover@2x.png", "_date_published_rfc2822": "Tue, 04 Jul 2017 00:21:24 +0500", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "284", "_rss_enclosures": [], "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": true, "links_required": [], "og_images": [ "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/click-here-cover@2x.png" ] } }, { "id": "252", "url": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/all\/ui-ux\/", "title": "Why I don’t call myself a “UI\/UX” designer", "content_html": "

Many of the things I do are considered a job of a “UI\/UX” designer. But I haven’t ever called myself one.<\/p>\n

That’s because the term “UI\/UX” is badly designed: it’s tasteless and vague.<\/p>\n

Tasteless<\/h2>\n

The abbreviations are used in science and tech, but when normal people talk, abbreviations are out of place. A good user interface is humane.<\/p>\n

The way this abbreviation is constructed is wacky. First, it includes the word “user” twice. The good designer would not put a word twice where once would suffice. Second, it abbreviates “experience” with X instead of E. This comes from cheap marketing, where X used to sound “cool” and “trendy”. When a designer uses it, I feel like they disrespect the user and have shallow knowledge.<\/p>\n

Vague<\/h2>\n

There’s a “\/” in the middle, whose meaning is unclear. A slash usually implies an exclusive or<\/i>. So does this mean “UI or UX, but not both”?<\/p>\n

Good writers use conjunctions, not slashes. A slash is a way to slam two pieces together without thinking what sense the combination makes. This is not how you design a good user interface though.<\/p>\n

The lack of taste and inability to communicate well are not the qualities of a good designer.<\/p>\n

See also: Guy English on UX<\/a><\/p>\n", "summary": "Many of the things I do are considered a job of a “UI\/UX” designer. But I haven’t ever called myself one", "date_published": "2017-02-10T01:33:48+05:00", "date_modified": "2017-06-04T16:28:31+05:00", "tags": [ "design", "language", "myself", "work" ], "image": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ui-ux-cover.png", "_date_published_rfc2822": "Fri, 10 Feb 2017 01:33:48 +0500", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "252", "_rss_enclosures": [], "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": true, "links_required": [], "og_images": [ "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ui-ux-cover.png" ] } } ], "_e2_version": 4259, "_e2_ua_string": "Aegea 12.0a (v4259e)" }