Be Consistent with Terminology
The words (or copy) that you write in your product have a dual purpose. The first is the most obvious: they label items and views and tell the user which elements are which.
The second is less obvious, but more important: the words you use become a very precise and descriptive language for your product. Understanding and parsing this language is essential to a user forming a mental model of how your product works.
- If you call your e-commerce shopping cart a “cart,” then call it “cart” everywhere
- If you call your user’s profile page “profile,” then call it “profile” everywhere
- If you call your user’s email settings “email settings,” then call them “email settings” everywhere
Mix these up and it will take your user longer to ponder the inconsistent terms and work out what you mean.
Think also about the tone of voice you use in your product—for example, very formal error messages might appear jarring or unwelcome in a children’s mobile game. On the other hand, if you’re applying for a passport online, you want very clear, precise error messages with no frivolity.
The words in your UI have a lot more meaning than many people realize. Obsess over the right terminology to use and you’ll help make users happier.
Learning points
- Use consistent terms across your product
- Don’t just label things as you go—build a consistent language for your product
- Help users to form a mental model more quickly with consistent copy
