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In this video, we’ll explore how personality and voice could be applied to simple pieces of website and app messaging - such as status and error messages - to improve UX and understanding.
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Once you've defined your personality,
you can confidently begin to create
0:00
UX content that reflects who you are and
improves the experience for your users.
0:04
One way you should apply your personality
is with status and error messages.
0:09
Like when you submit a form, you'll
either see a confirmation message or
0:14
an error message asking
you to fix something.
0:18
Another is when users hit a broken link,
like on the Olive Garden website here,
0:21
and users need to figure out where to go.
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Why are these short little
pieces of content important?
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They provide valuable immediate
feedback for the user, and
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keep the user experience intact
when interruptions occur.
0:36
But without these messages,
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users may not understand if
something worked or how to fix it.
0:42
So these messages have become
integral parts of user interfaces.
0:45
But a lot of times, designers and
developers will go with most generic
0:50
version of the message simply
to make the interaction work.
0:54
But on the other hand, let's say
you're browsing on Threadless for
0:58
a designer t-shirt.
1:02
You spot something you like and
add it to your cart.
1:03
Suddenly, like magic, your shopping
cart appears, a smile on its face,
1:06
and tells you One item
added to my Carty Belly!
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I'm still hungry.
1:14
And this is adorable, I mean, who wouldn't
want to keep feeding this cute little guy?
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At it's core,
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this is a form confirmation that tells me
I was able to complete my desired action.
1:22
But with a healthy dose of personality
in the form of a cute image and
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little character, I can see Threadless
wants me to enjoy this experience.
1:32
So as you've seen,
UX content takes many forms, text, images,
1:37
video, even little characters.
1:42
And when it comes to these status and
error messages, they're essential for
1:44
keeping the user experience intact
when users need instant feedback.
1:49
But there's another reason why these
messages are a great way to impact UX.
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It's because your users won't expect it.
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A lot of people expect generic
messages like form complete or
2:01
success when they do stuff.
2:06
But not a smiling shopping cart hungry for
more business.
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When you return a message with
unexpected personality and
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a personal touch, it's more likely
to make a positive impression.
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So if Threadless is a fun brand,
what kind of brand are you?
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Think back to the personality
trait exercise you completed, and
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you might start to have some ideas how to
apply your personality traits to status or
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error messages.
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What would you say if a user
messed up an important form?
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Or if they completed
a purchase on your site?
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How would you warn them or thank them?
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Here are a few strategies to think about.
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First, consider the context
of the interaction.
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Why is the user doing something
that requires feedback?
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If they're trying to submit a help ticket,
you don't wanna return a status
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message that's out of touch
with their current attitude.
3:01
A message like, super duper,
we got your help request.
3:05
It might make them feel like
they're not being taken seriously.
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Stay true to your personality, but
use the right tone for the situation.
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Help requests should generally elicit
a more serious and measured response.
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But confirming a purchase or
event sign up could be an opportunity to
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provide a more positive and
celebratory piece of feedback.
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Another important tip.
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If you're going to inject your
feedback with personality,
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make sure you keep the meaning
of your message intact.
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Confirmation or
warning messages are there for a reason.
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Users must know what's happening.
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Don't muddle the meaning by making
your messages too clever or confusing.
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Like if someone registered for an event,
tell them exactly what they need to know.
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Don't go overboard and
say hurray you're on the list, bruh.
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Did I just get added to a list?
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Did I do this right?
4:04
Inject just enough personality so
your voice is familiar, but
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don't force your users to wonder
what you're trying to say.
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Make sure the message is
clear without any confusion.
4:14
And while these injections of
personality can be helpful,
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don't start inventing new
places where messages pop-up.
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You don't want to reinvent how normal
interaction or processes should work.
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Find the places where information
needs to be given, and
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then add a dash of fun, seriousness,
or whatever traits make you you.
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Focus on the interactive spots you already
have in place, and work with those.
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So when it comes to error messages or
status messages,
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use the appropriate tone for
each situation.
4:49
Make sure the meaning is always clear.
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And inject your personality into logical
spots where that immediate feedback will
4:56
be helpful and welcome.
5:00
When your users run into these spots,
their experience won't be disrupted.
5:02
It'll be improved because of the care
you took with your UX content.
5:07
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