v32.1.1
UX Writing
Follow these guidelines to write clear, concise, and helpful content
Our words aren’t there to be read, savored, and appreciated, but to pass unremembered while they help get somebody to the thing they want. – Torrey Podmajersky in Strategic Writing for UX
When to start writing
Writing starts when design begins.
The purpose of UI text is to meet two goals: our business objectives and user goals. Like the start of any design project, ask any questions necessary to define the problem.
Who are the users?
This can help you identify the amount of information necessary in the text, the desired tone, industry terms they might be familiar with, if translation is important etc.
Who will approve this text?
Ask the PM to identify the people who should be the approvers for text to avoid irrelevant arguments and conflicting feedback
Where is this text placed on the UI?
Context is everything. What is the user doing? What are the surrounding components? How much space is available?
Voice
When voice is consistent throughout the experience, brand affinity is strengthened
| Confident | Helpful | Human | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concepts | Assertive, direct, and builds trust | Provide useful information and non-obtrusive learning material to aid in completing tasks | Conversational and realistic |
| Vocabulary | Avoid please. Avoid generalities like very, really, etc. | Plain and accurate description | Avoid technical terms |
| Verbosity | Be brief and begone | Enough to provide accurate information | (not verbosity-specific) |
| Grammar | Prefer single verbs to compound verbs | (not grammar-specific) | Simple sentences or phrases. Use present and future tense |
| Punctuation | Avoid question marks and exclamation points | (not punctuation-specific) | Use contractions. Avoid terminal punctuation for single sentences. Avoid colons, semicolons, and dashes. |
| Casing | Title-case titles and headings | Sentence case for anchors and body text | Sentence case for body text |
Tone
Tone is the variability in our voice from one part of the experience to another
| Friendly | Direct | Serious | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concepts | Welcoming and slightly energetic | Straightforward and to the point | Honest and sober, letting users know that something important is happening |
| Use cases | Onboarding flows, success states, and congratulatory messages after transactions | Alerts, forms, errors, and other components that require information to be delivered to the user | Transactions and any other scenarios that involve the movement of money or assets |
| Desired effect | User feels like Carta’s products and services are approachable and easy to engage with | User is aware of the information required for them to be successful and engaged with Carta’s products and services | User understands that Carta takes transactions seriously and instills additional trust in its products and services |
Be Clear
Write text that is understandable and direct
Write simply
Use simple, direct language that is easy to understand
Share class for issuing options
When options are issued, this will be the share class used to issue them
Do
Be direct
Don't
Be long-winded when explaining a field
Share class for issuing options
Do
Be direct
When options are issued, this will be the share class used to issue them
Don't
Be long-winded when explaining a field
Write for your audience
User research helps identify areas where text changes could make a feature easier to use
Write accurately
Use call to actions (CTAs) that are accurate and specific to the task. Avoid Submit.
Be Concise
Write text that is short and scannable
Write for all reading levels
Use common language
Turn on to view your latest activities
True you can view your latest activities
Do
Use simple English
Don't
Sound like a robot
Turn on to view your latest activities
Do
Use simple English
True you can view your latest activities
Don't
Sound like a robot
Front-load text with the objective and communicate only essential details
Consent expires if not approved by the expiration date
Set an expiration date. If consent isn’t approved before the expiration date, it will be expired.
Do
Get straight to the point
Don't
Avoid being instructional. The UI should inform the user on what to do; reserve text for additional help.
Consent expires if not approved by the expiration date
Do
Get straight to the point
Set an expiration date. If consent isn’t approved before the expiration date, it will be expired.
Don't
Avoid being instructional. The UI should inform the user on what to do; reserve text for additional help.
Assign responsibilities for specific actions within Carta
Roles assign responsibility for specific actions within Carta to designated individuals. Users assigned to roles must have permission to access the company's account.
Do
Write only the essential details
Don't
Avoid overexplaining. Break down instructions throughout the experience.
Assign responsibilities for specific actions within Carta
Do
Write only the essential details
Roles assign responsibility for specific actions within Carta to designated individuals. Users assigned to roles must have permission to access the company's account.
Don't
Avoid overexplaining. Break down instructions throughout the experience.
Reveal details progressively and as needed
Reveal more information as user explores them. Avoid overwhelming users with multiple concepts at once.
Signatories are required to sign securities upon issuance
Signatories will be required to sign securities upon issuance. At least one person must act as a signatory at all times. Signatory privileges must be reassigned before a person can be deleted.
Do
Write only the essential details
Don't
Don't communicate details that are irrelevant to the step. Reveal them as needed.
Signatories are required to sign securities upon issuance
Do
Write only the essential details
Signatories will be required to sign securities upon issuance. At least one person must act as a signatory at all times. Signatory privileges must be reassigned before a person can be deleted.
Don't
Don't communicate details that are irrelevant to the step. Reveal them as needed.
Use numerals
Except if you are prescribing a different value to 2 separate concepts in the same sentence
Eg. Carta will send two test deposits within 3 days of confirming your account details
Add 2 signatories
Add two signatories
Do
Don't
Don't spell out numbers
Add 2 signatories
Do
Add two signatories
Don't
Don't spell out numbers
Avoid using too many stop words like this, in, at, with, from
User experience needs to flow. Stop words serve as natural reflection points which isn’t something you want when providing instructions.
Be Helpful
Write text that helps users complete their tasks
Front-load text with actionable item
Point out actions user needs to take in order to accomplish their task. Don’t assume that they know what to do.
Evaluate performance conditions first to partially cancel grant
Available only for option grants with fully evaluated performance conditions
Do
Surface the action needed for user to complete their task
Don't
Don't make them think
Evaluate performance conditions first to partially cancel grant
Do
Surface the action needed for user to complete their task
Available only for option grants with fully evaluated performance conditions
Don't
Don't make them think
Give users options
Let the user feel like they're in control, especially if an error occurs
Do
Giving options when users input an incorrect password
Don't
Don't make the user feel like they're stuck
Do
Giving options when users input an incorrect password
Don't
Don't make the user feel like they're stuck
Don't use phrases that suggest a lot of work for the user
Add information to spreadsheet
Download our spreadsheet and add your information to it
Do
Distribute instructions with the use of UI controls
Don't
Don't overload help text with multiple instructions, especially when it's repeated in UI controls
Add information to spreadsheet
Do
Distribute instructions with the use of UI controls
Download our spreadsheet and add your information to it
Don't
Don't overload help text with multiple instructions, especially when it's repeated in UI controls
Don't use please
Please adds nothing. Removing please makes your copy shorter and easier to scan.
Use consistent words
Use the same word to describe the same action across the platform
Refer to UI elements and controls by their label text
Do not state the type of element or control
Punctuation
Less is more with punctuation. Skip unnecessary punctuation.
Periods
Don't use periods in single line of text/sentences
Drag and drop file
Drag and drop files.
Do
Don't
Drag and drop file
Do
Drag and drop files.
Don't
By generating this document, you agree to Carta's Terms and Conditions
By generating this document, you agree to Carta's Terms and Conditions.
Do
Don't
By generating this document, you agree to Carta's Terms and Conditions
Do
By generating this document, you agree to Carta's Terms and Conditions.
Don't
Use periods in multiple sentences and any sentence followed by a link
Choose a note to convert to a stock certificate. Learn more ›
Choose a note to convert to a stock certificate Learn more ›
Do
Don't
Choose a note to convert to a stock certificate. Learn more ›
Do
Choose a note to convert to a stock certificate Learn more ›
Don't
Use the Oxford comma
This, that, and those
This, that and those
Do
Don't
This, that, and those
Do
This, that and those
Don't
Use contractions, but with care
You can be professional yet use a friendly voice. But be careful, a missing contraction can change the meaning of a word - its vs it’s.
Tense
Mostly use present tense
In most cases, use present tense unless there is no possible way the text can be written in present tense. Even when you would normally use future tense to express a statement in spoken English, that statement can usually be written in present tense.
Signatories are required to sign securities upon issuance
Signatories will be required to sign securities upon issuance
Do
Don't
Signatories are required to sign securities upon issuance
Do
Signatories will be required to sign securities upon issuance
Don't
Select where an increase in the option pool comes from
Select whether an increase in the option pool should happen using the pre or post money valuation
Do
Don't
Select where an increase in the option pool comes from
Do
Select whether an increase in the option pool should happen using the pre or post money valuation
Don't
Use past tense in messages to describe what the user has recently done
Shares were issued
Shares have been issued
Do
Don't
Shares were issued
Do
Shares have been issued
Don't
Use future tense to describe future events for users
Casing
Casing helps define the level of text hierarchy in a page
This is Title Case
Every word is capitalized, except articles, coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions of four or fewer letters when they aren't the first word or last word
Here is a small list of commonly lowercased words when writing in title case following the Chicago Manual of Style guidelines:
- Articles: a, an, the
- Coordinating Conjunctions: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet
- Short Prepositions: at, but, by, down, for, from, in, into, like, near, of, off, on, onto, out, over, past, till, to up, upon, with
Exception: if the title is longer than 3 words and reads like a sentence
This is sentence case
Only the first letter of the first word is capitalized
Casing usage
| Title case usage | Sentence case usage |
|---|---|
| Page headers | Buttons |
| Modal headers | Bubbles |
| Block headers | Anchors |
| Form section titles | Field labels |
| Dropdown headers | Navigation items |
| Table headers | |
| List item titles | |
| Block sections | |
| All body text |
Editing Tips
If the text is too long
P.S. It's always too long
Eliminate empty words like all, very, really etc.
Send stakeholders updates
Send all your stakeholders updates
Do
Don't
Send stakeholders updates
Do
Send all your stakeholders updates
Don't
Eliminate empty phrases like there are and this is
Attached to 18 securities
This is attached to 18 securities
Do
Don't
Attached to 18 securities
Do
This is attached to 18 securities
Don't
See if you can replace any words with a shorter, simpler one
Roles give permission to selected users for specific actions
Roles assign responsibility for specific actions within Carta to designated individuals
Do
Don't
Roles give permission to selected users for specific actions
Do
Roles assign responsibility for specific actions within Carta to designated individuals
Don't
Cut any details that don’t have to be made explicit
Manages details of board meetings
Board meetings require an administrator to create and edit meetings, set time and location, and add agenda items
Do
Don't
Manages details of board meetings
Do
Board meetings require an administrator to create and edit meetings, set time and location, and add agenda items
Don't
Avoid repeating same words in text and its related components
Looking for the full report?
Export PDF if you’d like to see the full report
Do
Don't
Looking for the full report?
Do
Export PDF if you’d like to see the full report
Don't
If the meaning isn't clear
If you're not sure, get some feedback
Put your text in a mock where it's going to live
Send it to a few people and ask them what they think your text means. If you can send it to users, that’s even better.
Pay attention to any words they use that you can use
If the phrasing isn't good
When you know what must be said but can’t find a way to say it well, try rewriting in a different way
Swap passive and active voice verbs
Turn a question into a statement, or vice versa
Move the second clause into the first position
Emphasize nouns instead of verbs, or vice versa
Abbreviations
e.g. vs. i.e.
Don't use e.g. and i.e. interchangeably as they have different meanings
If you are using a parenthesis, you do not need a comma before e.g. or i.e. If you are not using a parenthesis, you do need a comma before e.g. or i.e.
Always add a comma after e.g. or i.e.
| Abbreviation | Elaboration | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.g. | exempli gratia | For example | Decide on the various types of equity you plan to offer, e.g., common shares, preferred shares, warrants, convertible notes, option grants, option pool. |
| i.e. | id est | In other words | The Subscriber must be a non-U.S. plan (i.e., a plan established and maintained outside of the U.S. primarily for the benefit of non-US persons). |
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