ux-content
Skill21 starsChanged 5 months agoMITView on GitHub
Content strategy and UX writing: plain language, microcopy, labeling, read/unread states, localization, and content freshness. Use when writing or reviewing UI copy, error messages, empty states, tooltips, onboarding text, or any in-product content.
In this repository17 other files it gives its agents.
- ux-accessibilitySkill
- ux-ai-automationSkill
- ux-error-handlingSkill
- ux-formsSkill
- ux-generalSkill
- ux-help-onboardingSkill
- ux-information-architectureSkill
- ux-navigationSkill
- ux-networkSkill
- ux-notificationsSkill
- ux-reviewSkill
- ux-safety-privacySkill
- ux-searchSkill
- ux-settingsSkill
- ux-user-accountSkill
- ux-utilitySkill
- ux-visual-designSkill
The file
We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent
8 rules. About 0 are common, 8 are distinctive, and 0 are very specific to this project.
≈0
Common · estimate
Many files like this have a rule of this kind.
≈8
Distinctive · estimate
This author's own choices. Worth a look.
0
Very specific
Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.
- Common
- Distinctive
- Very specific
- Distinctive: line 12
Every word in your UI is a design decision.
- Distinctive: line 34
Avoid: "Something went wrong."
- Distinctive: line 35
Use: "We couldn't save your photo.
- Distinctive: line 39
Use: "Create account" / "Send message" / "Place order"
- Distinctive: line 42
Avoid: "To complete your order, please enter your card details below."
- Distinctive: line 43
Use: "Enter your card details to complete the order."
- Distinctive: line 68
Leave 30 to 40% expansion space for German, Finnish, and Russian translations.
- Distinctive: line 77
When applying this checklist to a screen, flow, or codebase:
≈ “Common” is an estimate: at least 1 in 5 of the 350,495 skill files we read have a rule of the same kind, not the same words. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.
Files
Content and UX Writing
Every word in your UI is a design decision. Good UX writing reduces friction, builds trust, and guides users to their next step. It carries the same weight as visual design.
Checklist
| Item | Guidance |
| Plain language | Write at a 7th-grade reading level. Short sentences and common words. |
| Data accuracy | User-entered data is validated and shown back correctly. No stale values. |
| UGC distinction | User-generated content is in a visually distinct container from editorial content. |
| Read and unread indicators | Read and unread items are visually differentiated with a bold title or a colored dot. |
| Localization quality | Translations are reviewed by native speakers. Machine translation alone is not sufficient. |
| Content freshness | Outdated content is flagged, archived, or removed after a defined threshold. |
UX Writing Principles
Be specific, not vague
- Avoid: "Something went wrong."
- Use: "We couldn't save your photo. Check your connection and try again."
Write for the action, not the object
- Avoid: "Submit"
- Use: "Create account" / "Send message" / "Place order"
Front-load the key information
- Avoid: "To complete your order, please enter your card details below."
- Use: "Enter your card details to complete the order."
Be consistent with terminology Pick one word for one concept and use it everywhere. If one screen says "Save" another should not say "Store" or "Keep" for the same action.
Microcopy Patterns
| Context | Pattern |
| Button | Verb plus noun: "Download report", "Add photo" |
| Destructive button | Specific verb: "Delete account", not "OK" |
| Placeholder text | A genuine hint, not a repeated label: "Search by city or ZIP" |
| Error message | What happened and how to fix it |
| Success message | Confirm the action and suggest the next step |
| Loading text | What is loading: "Uploading photo..." not just "Loading..." |
| Empty state headline | Empathetic and forward-looking (full standards in ux-error-handling) |
Localization Notes
Strings should never be concatenated. Use placeholders: "Hello, %@" not "Hello, " + name. Leave 30 to 40% expansion space for German, Finnish, and Russian translations. Date, time, number, and currency formats are locale-specific — always use platform formatters, never hardcode them. Right-to-left languages require layout mirroring, not just a text direction change.
How to Review
When applying this checklist to a screen, flow, or codebase:
- Go through every checklist item and mark it Pass, Fail, or N/A — never skip items silently.
- Cite specific evidence for each finding: the screen, component, file, or line it applies to.
- Tag each failure with a severity: Blocker (breaks the experience), Major (hurts usability), or Minor (polish).
- End the review with the top 3 recommended fixes, ranked by user impact.
Related Skills
ux-error-handling— the error message formula and empty-state standardsux-forms— labels, placeholders, and validation copyux-accessibility— plain language as an accessibility requirement
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