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Every piece of UX text should meet four quality standards. These standards work together to create interface copy that helps users accomplish their goals while maintaining a human, accessible experience.

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The four standards

Purposeful

Helps users or the business achieve goals

Concise

Uses the fewest words possible without losing meaning

Conversational

Sounds natural and human, not robotic

Clear

Unambiguous, accurate, and easy to understand

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Purposeful

Purposeful text helps users or the business achieve specific goals. Before writing, ask:
  • Does this text help the user achieve their goal?
  • Does this text serve business objectives?
  • Is the value to the user clear?
  • Are user concerns anticipated and addressed?
If text doesn’t serve a purpose for the user or business, remove it.

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Examples

The first example focuses on the company’s excitement. The second focuses on user value - what they’ll accomplish.

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Concise

Concise text uses the fewest words possible without losing meaning. Every word must earn its space.

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Best practices

  • Use 40-60 characters per line maximum
  • Every word must have a job
  • Break dense text into scannable chunks
  • Front-load important information
Target 8-14 words per sentence for optimal comprehension. 8 words = 100% comprehension, 14 words = 90% comprehension.

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Examples

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Word count targets by content type

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Conversational

Conversational text sounds natural and human. Write how you speak.

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Best practices

  • Write how you speak
  • Use active voice 85% of the time
  • Include prepositions and articles
  • Avoid robotic phrasing
Read your text aloud. If you wouldn’t say it to someone in person, rewrite it.

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Examples

Use active voice 85% of the time. Passive voice is acceptable when the actor is unknown or unimportant.
Including articles (“the”) and explaining “why” (“to continue”) makes text more natural.

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Clear

Clear text is unambiguous, accurate, and easy to understand.

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Best practices

  • Use plain language (7th grade reading level for general, 10th for professional)
  • Avoid jargon, idioms, and technical terms
  • Use consistent terminology throughout
  • Choose meaningful, specific verbs
Avoid idioms and cultural references - they don’t translate well and can confuse non-native speakers.

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Reading level guidelines

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Examples

Specific verbs with objects provide clarity. “Submit” alone lacks context - submit what?

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Using the standards together

Apply all four standards in order during the editing process:
  1. Purposeful - Does this help the user?
  2. Concise - Can I say this in fewer words?
  3. Conversational - Would I say this out loud?
  4. Clear - Is the meaning unambiguous?
Learn more about applying these standards in the editing process guide.