Daily UX Writing Challenge
The Daily UX Writing Challenge, sent over a two-week period by email, asked participants to economize the copy needed to complete specific tasks. My favourite entries are below.
UX Writing Challenge: Day 1
Scenario: A traveler is in an airport waiting for the last leg of a flight home when their flight gets abruptly canceled due to bad weather.
Challenge: Write a message from the airline app notifying them of the cancellation and what they need to do next.
UX Writing Challenge: Day 2
Scenario: A user is a working parent, and a big sports fan, in the midst of their favourite sports season who can no longer attend games.
Challenge: Write a promotional screen for an app that lets a user choose teams, sends game reminders, real-time score updates and highlight videos.
Challenge: Write a promotional screen for an app that lets a user choose teams, sends game reminders, real-time score updates and highlight videos.
UX Writing Challenge: Day 3
Scenario: The user entered the wrong email address to sign in to their account.
Challenge: Tell the user to enter the right email (40 characters max).
Challenge: Tell the user to enter the right email (40 characters max).
UX Writing Challenge: Day 6
Scenario: It’s Monday. A user has just gotten into their car to drive to work. They plug their phone into the car and start driving.
Challenge: How would you let the user know there’s a fire happening in a nearby town that is causing road closures? The effect on their commute is unknown, but there is a definite danger if the fire gets closer. How do you communicate this to them? When? Write it.
UX Writing Challenge: Day 7
Scenario: A sports fan is at a wedding while his team is playing their arch-rivals. His team makes a touchdown.
Challenge: How would you, quickly, let the sports fan know about the latest play, the current score, and the key players? Write it.
UX Writing Challenge: Day 8
Scenario: The user is a casual music fan and (on occasion) goes to live concerts. They have a music player app on their phone.
Challenge: Tell the user that one of their favourite bands is playing live in their town. How would you compel them to want to go?
UX Writing Challenge: Day 9
Scenario: The user is trying to rent a car using an application but the credit card they have on file has expired.
Challenge: Write them an error message so that they can correct the problem, and try not to be a jerk about it.
UX Writing Challenge: Day 12
Scenario: A user is creating an account. When they come to the step where they are asked to enter their name, they get an error message. A fraud detection software thinks their name is fake—but it’s wrong 5% of the time.
Challenge: Write an error message that prompts them to fix the error without shaming them for having a fake-sounding name.
UX Writing Challenge: Day 13
Scenario: A short-haul truck driver has a phone app that monitors his route, schedule, fuel & deliveries. He has 6 more deliveries before stopping for fuel and lunch. Due to unexpected traffic, he’s behind schedule.
He can choose to stay on his planned route for a few more stops, but risk running low on fuel and missing lunch, or he can get fuel and lunch now and finish the deliveries later.
Challenge: Write a push notification alerting him about this dilemma and options.
UX Writing Challenge: Day 14
Scenario: a user is shopping using a price comparison app that boasts “REAL-TIME” pricing on items. As they are checking the price of an item, something goes wrong. The problem is unknown.
Challenge: write a message that informs the user that they cannot access the app right now. You cannot specify "why" the app doesn't work, you also want them to continue using the app.
Bonus UX Writing Challenge #1
Scenario: People who bought a Samsung smart fridge in 2012 found out that they could no longer connect their Google Calendars to the fridge in 2014.
Challenge: Tell the user that their fridge no longer supports Google calendar in a way that won’t infuriate them.
Bonus UX Writing Challenge #2
Scenario: A user has ordered a pizza using a food delivery app. the app connects users to their favourite restaurants but only facilitates delivery—the app doesn't cook.
Once the order is complete, the user receives a confirmation from the app that the pizza will be delivered within 30 minutes. 10 minutes later, the pizza shop signals to the app that they're busier than usual and the pizza will be delayed an additional 30 minutes.
Challenge: Write an email notification that informs the user about the updated delivery schedule.
Challenge: Write an email notification that informs the user about the updated delivery schedule.
Fundamentals of UX Writing (UX100) Course Work
I completed the Fundamentals of UX (UX100) course at Seneca College during June and July 2020. The final submission asked students to complete the prompted challenges and write copy for the fictional transit provider, TrainLinks. Listed below are the challenges and the proposed copy.
Week 5
Prompt 1
Scenario: A traveler is trying to adjust their settings on the TrainLinks app. They want to turn off
push and email notifications and unsubscribe from the TrainLinks newsletter.
Challenge: Write the microcopy for these actions, use the wireframe as a guideline to help you
understand the potential layout and order of the actions.
Prompt 2
Scenario: A traveler has completed the form to cancel their upcoming, one-way train booking
(business class) from Toronto to Ottawa on July 7th. They have pressed the ‘Cancel’ button.
Challenge: Write the copy for the dialog window that appears when the user has pressed
‘cancel’, use the wireframe as a guideline to help you understand the potential layout and order
of the actions. (Hint: the purpose of this window is for the traveler to confirm that they would like
to cancel the booking)
Week 6
Prompt 1
Scenario: The user is a TrainLinks VIP member and travels frequently for work in business-
class. They have the TrainLinks app on their phone.
Challenge: Write a message to tell the user that their train, scheduled to leave London, ON at
5:45pm and arrive in Toronto, ON at 8:30 pm, is delayed by two hours because of inclement
weather.
Prompt 2
Scenario: A user is trying to buy a ticket using the TrainLinks app but the credit card on file has
expired.
Challenge: Write them an error message so that they can correct the problem.
Week 7
Prompt 1
Scenario: The user is trying to create a personalized TrainLinks schedule. But, the content can’t load without the user’s location. They need to enter their postal code and name.
Challenge: Ask them where they live and who they are without sounding like you are unnecessarily mining their data.
Prompt 2
Scenario: The user is trying to create a TrainLinks VIP account. The form is complex and asks for a variety of information in order for TrainLinks to provide a better experience to the user. There are also privacy and security measures taken in the form that need to be explained to the user.
Challenge: Write the copy for the on-demand UI elements that appear when the user clicks/taps or hovers on the icons in the following two scenarios:
1. The user is uploading a profile image and needs to understand what kind of image to upload. For the best results the image should be: High resolution, .jpeg or .png, Less than 10 MB
2. The user does not have a recovery phone number associated with their account. Having this information associated with their account will allow TrainLinks to text a recovery code to the phone number in the event that the user is locked out of their account.
