UX Writing Weekly #179

17 business idioms and their alternatives
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Twitter is working on an edit button and it has nothing to do with Elon Musk 😉. Hey Twitter! How about increasing the character limit, thereby encouraging public discourse that is mature, nuanced, and complex? Anyone? Bueller?


This week’s edition is brought to you by Writer — get automated brand consistency directly in Figma.

WHAT’S INSIDE ✍


Issue #179 (Apr 13th, 2022) 

  • 17 business idioms and their alternatives

  • Why your design system needs words

  • Navigating interviews

  • AI for content teams

ARTICLES 📰

⚾ "I know it’s a long shot, but I wanted to touch base because you’re always on the ball, and we need to be at the top of our game." 


That message might work for the company softball game, but when it comes to clear communication, we can do better


17 business idioms that weaken writing and complicate communication

🔠 Design systems: they aren’t IKEA instructions—you’re gonna need to add some words in there. It’ll be good for both your team and your product


Why your design system needs content design


😳 So you have a UX writing/content design interview. What to do? Step 1: Don’t panic! Step 2: check out the sage advice in this article. 


Navigating Content Design Interviews with Andrew Astleford


MICROCOPY BITE 💬

Special three-part breakdown of a new Chrome feature:


Start typing in the Chrome address bar, and you may notice something new: a "Resume your journey" feature. But does the copy and design here sufficiently communicate the feature?



Only after seeing it a few times did I hover over what turns out to be a button, sparking a default browser tooltip with more info.


Pressing ‘tab’ a few times does move the focus to the button. But that took a while to figure out.



This is a tricky use case, complicated by the fact that the user's hands are on the keyboard when the feature is introduced. As a thought experiment, what changes might you suggest to increase engagement?


PILLARS OF COMMUNITY 🏛


Hot topics and trending posts from community members. Join the conversations below!

UPSKILL: LIVE EVENTS & MORE 📚

👉 FREE EVENT TOMORROW (Apr 14th):
Join Neil Osman of Wix for a free live event. Get useful tips on crafting engaging experiences for screen reader users and why web semantics is essential for content UXers in general.


Screen Readers and Content Experience


Podcast:

Meet May Habib, CEO of Writer, who joined Yuval for a chat about how AI can help content teams become faster and more consistent.


AI for content design teams with May Habib @Writer


Figma event:

Lots of "Figma for UX writers" content at the upcoming Config. Registration is free!

JOBS 👔

🥑 Holy guacamole that’s a lot of UX writing jobs! 

  • Create intuitive and seamless experiences for millions of Linktree users as a UX writer (anywhere in Australia). 

  • Join the industry leader in mobile measurement, fraud prevention and cybersecurity at Adjust as a UX Writer in Berlin. 

  • A mystery client needs a UX writer/content designer in London (hybrid)

  • Ignition, the world’s first client engagement and commerce platform for the professional services industry, needs a senior content designer in Sydney (remote, hybrid, or on-site)

And, as always:

PORTFOLIO 🎨

A plethora of examples in this well-organized portfolio site by Cheryl Cline, UX Writer. 


https://cheryl-cline.com/

KICKS 'N' GIGGLES 😂

VOX POPULI 🗣️

Join our online communities, and take part in the discussions and debates that are shaping the field.


Check out the back catalog of UX Writing Weekly issues, and if you like our newsletter, share it!

See you next week 👋


— Written and curated by Yuval Keshtcher, Aaron Raizen, and the UX Writing Hub team —



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