UX Writing Glossary

Accessibility (A11y) - Designing content to be usable by people with disabilities, like screen-reader-friendly text.

Action Verb - A strong, direct verb (e.g., "Save," "Submit") that prompts user action.

Affordance - A design cue that suggests how something should be used, often reinforced by text.

Alert - A brief message notifying users of critical updates or issues.

Alt Text - Descriptive text for images, aiding accessibility for visually impaired users.

Ambiguity - Vague wording that confuses users; UX writers avoid this.

Artifact - A tangible deliverable (e.g., a copydeck, style guide, or button label).

Banner - A prominent message or announcement, often at the top of a page.

Brevity - Keeping text short and to the point for quick comprehension.

Button Label - The text on a button that tells users what it does (e.g., "Sign Up").

Call to Action (CTA) - A prompt encouraging users to take a specific step, like "Learn More."

Card - A concise content block, often with a title, description, and action.

Character Limit - The maximum text length allowed, critical in UI design.

Chatbot Script - Pre-written dialogue for automated user interactions.

Clarity - Writing that’s easy to understand without extra effort.

Clickthrough Rate (CTR) - The percentage of users who click a link or CTA.

Cognitive Load - The mental effort required to process information; UX writing minimizes this.

Confirmation Message - Text affirming a user’s action, like "Payment Successful."

Consistency - Using uniform language and style across a product.

Content Audit - Reviewing existing content for quality, relevance, and gaps.

Content Hierarchy - Organizing text by importance, often with headings and subheadings.

Content Strategy - The plan for creating, delivering, and managing UX content.

Contextual Help - In-app guidance tailored to a user’s current task.

Conversational Tone - A friendly, human-like writing style for engagement.

Copydeck - A document compiling all UX copy for a project.

Cross-Cultural Design - Writing adaptable to different cultural norms and languages.

CTA Button - A clickable element with action-oriented text.

Dead End - A point where users get stuck with no clear next step; good writing prevents this.

Default Text - Pre-filled content, like placeholder text in forms.

Design System - A shared set of guidelines, including writing standards.

Dialog Box - A pop-up with text for user decisions (e.g., "Are you sure?").

Directional Cue - Text guiding users where to go or what to do next.

Discovery Phase - Researching user needs before writing begins.

Dropdown Menu - A list of options with concise labels for selection.

Empty State - Text shown when there’s no content (e.g., "No messages yet").

Error Message - Text explaining what went wrong and how to fix it.

F-Shape Pattern - How users scan text (top-down, left-to-right); writing adapts to this.

Feedback Loop - Gathering user input to refine content.

Field Label - Text describing a form input, like "Email Address."

Flow - The sequence of steps (and text) in a user journey.

Font Size - Text size impacting readability in UI.

Form Validation - Messages confirming or correcting user input.

Friction - Anything slowing users down; clear writing reduces it.

Functional Text - Copy serving a practical purpose, like instructions.

Globalization - Designing content for worldwide use.

Glossary - A list of terms and definitions for consistent usage.

H1, H2, H3 - Heading levels organizing content by priority.

Help Article - Detailed support content for user questions.

Hover Text - Tooltip content appearing on mouse-over.

Human-Centered Design - Focusing content on user needs and behaviors.

Idiom - A phrase with cultural meaning, avoided in global UX.

In-App Message - Text delivered within the product experience.

Information Architecture (IA) - Structuring content for intuitive navigation.

Inline Error - A message next to a specific input with an issue.

Instructional Text - Guidance on how to use a feature or complete a task.

Interaction Design (IxD) - How text supports user interactions with a system.

Jargon - Industry-specific terms simplified for users.

Label - A short descriptor for UI elements, like buttons or fields.

Landing Page - The first page users see, with persuasive copy.

Localization - Adapting content for specific languages and cultures.

Loading Message - Text shown during a wait, like "Processing…"

Microcopy - Small bits of text (e.g., button labels) enhancing UX.

Modal - A pop-up requiring user action, with clear text.

Navigation - Text helping users move through a product, like menus.

Notification - A brief alert about updates or actions.

Onboarding - Text introducing users to a product’s key features.

Opt-In/Opt-Out - Text for user consent choices.

Pagination - Text indicating page numbers or progress (e.g., "Page 2 of 5").

Persona - A fictional user profile guiding tone and content.

Placeholder Text - Temporary text in fields, like "Enter your name."

Plain Language - Simple, straightforward writing for all users.

Pop-Up - A temporary window with concise messaging.

Progressive Disclosure - Revealing info gradually to avoid overwhelm.

Prompt - Text encouraging a specific user response.

Readability - How easily text can be read and understood.

Responsive Design - Text adapting to different screen sizes.

Scannability - Formatting text for quick, glanceable reading.

Search Bar Text - Placeholder or results messaging in a search field.

Skeleton Screen - Placeholder text during loading for smoother UX.

Snack Bar - A brief, dismissible message at the screen’s bottom.

Status Message - Text showing a process’s current state (e.g., "Uploading").

Style Guide - Rules for tone, voice, and formatting in UX writing.

Success Message - Confirmation of a completed action, like "Saved!"

Tab Label - Text identifying sections in a tabbed interface.

Tagline - A short, memorable phrase summarizing a product.

Task Flow - The steps (and text) users follow to complete a goal.

Terminology - Standardized words for consistency across a product.

Toast - A small, temporary message, often for feedback.

Tone - The emotional feel of the writing (e.g., friendly, formal).

Tooltip - Brief text explaining an element on hover or tap.

Truncation - Shortening text to fit UI, often with an ellipsis (…).

UI String - A single piece of text in the user interface.

User Flow - The path users take, guided by text and design.

User Journey - The full experience, shaped by strategic writing.

Validation - Text confirming correct input or flagging errors.

Value Proposition - Text explaining a product’s core benefit.

Voice - The consistent personality in a brand’s writing.

Warning - Text alerting users to potential risks or issues.

Whitespace - Empty space around text, enhancing readability.

Wireframe - A blueprint where UX writers plan copy placement.

Wizard - A step-by-step guide with instructional text.