This week, our lecture focused on UX Writing and how it plays a fundamental role in shaping the overall user experience. We explored how UX writing goes far beyond simply adding text onto screens; it’s about crafting meaningful, purposeful content that supports users as they navigate an interface. The lecture highlighted that words are often one of the most direct ways a product communicates with users, which means the writing must be clear, accessible, and aligned with the product’s goals.
UX writing is the practice of crafting the words that appear throughout a digital product to guide, support, and communicate with users. It focuses on creating clear, concise, and helpful microcopy, such as buttons, labels, instructions, menus, and error messages, that help users complete tasks smoothly. Rather than being decorative, UX writing is functional and intentional, shaping the user’s journey by reducing confusion and making interactions feel intuitive, friendly, and accessible. It plays a crucial role in the overall user experience by ensuring that every word works alongside the design to support user needs.
After learning about UX writing, we moved into a group microcopy exercise where I worked with Christopher, Nathan, and Paul to break down the microcopy used across the Spotify app. Together, we analysed different parts of the interface, such as onboarding screens, navigation labels, playlists, and error messages, to understand how Spotify uses language to guide users and shape the overall tone of the product. We discussed how their wording is intentionally simple, friendly, and action-focused, making it easy for users to explore music without feeling overwhelmed. As a group, we identified examples of strong microcopy, areas where clarity is prioritised, and features where consistency in language helps build trust and familiarity. This exercise helped us see how even small words have a big impact on usability and reinforced the importance of clear, purposeful writing in UX design.
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Overall, this week’s lecture was one of the most engaging so far, as it highlighted just how important language is within the UX process. Learning about UX writing helped me understand how content shapes the user experience just as much as visuals or interactions do. I enjoyed seeing how small pieces of microcopy—like labels, buttons, and error messages—play a huge role in clarity, tone, and accessibility. The group exercise analysing Spotify was a great way to apply what we learned and made me more aware of how intentional every word in a product should be. This session definitely strengthened my appreciation for content design and showed me how improving my UX writing skills will make me a more confident and effective designer going forward.
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