Express your ideas

Use a conversational tone and voice when writing content for Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs). You're communicating with a person, the language you use has an enormous impact on that persons experience. Write as though you're speaking with someone in a business context. Be upfront, honest, and use empathy. Be direct, but not insensitive.

Research shows that people follow social norms when communicating with GUIs. If the interface breaks these rules, people become frustrated, and even angry. Similarly, if the GUI uses inconsistent content, people find it difficult to trust the product.

Create a positive experience and engage the user by using the guidelines described in this section.