ux-writing

Use specific action verbs that match user intent, such as "Save," "Send," or "Add to Cart" instead of generic labels like "Submit" or "OK." Front-load the action and avoid vague phrases like "Click here" or negative framing like "Don't cancel."

A good error message follows the formula: what happened, why, and how to fix it. Be specific about the problem, avoid blaming the user, suggest a concrete solution, and use plain language instead of error codes like "Error 404."

Empty state copy should include three elements: what the space is for, why it is empty, and how to fill it. For example, "Your projects will appear here. Create your first project to get started" covers all three.

For waits under 2 seconds, show only a spinner with no text. For 2-10 second waits, add short text like "Saving changes..." For waits over 10 seconds, explain the process and expected duration, and show progress percentage when possible.

Tooltips should never contain critical information because they are hidden by default and hard to discover on touch devices. Keep them under 150 characters, cover one concept each, and use them only for supplementary hints or keyboard shortcuts.