SUMMARY
Purpose: UX writing (Visual & Content Design) ensures that interface content is clear, purposeful, and aligned with human-centred design principles. It enhances usability by shaping the microcopy, interface language, and messaging strategy to support navigation and task completion.
Design Thinking Phase: Prototype
Time: 1–2 hours per interface or flow + 30 mins design review
Difficulty: ⭐⭐
When to use: When designing new user flows or onboarding experiences Before user testing prototypes with realistic content During design QA—before handoff to engineering
What it is
UX writing is the discipline of crafting interface copy that helps users interact with digital products. It includes everything from buttons and labels to error messages, onboarding tips, and notifications. Visual & Content Design focuses on harmonising language with interaction design and visual hierarchy, elevating both clarity and tone.
📺 Video by NNgroup. Embedded for educational reference.
Why it matters
Bad copy creates confusion, mistrust, and dropped conversions. Effective UX writing grounds the user experience in human-centred communication—simplifying complex information, guiding users through tasks, and reflecting the product’s voice and tone in every interaction.
When to use
- During prototyping to bring interfaces to life with real language
- Before usability testing with interactive prototypes
- At key decision points (e.g. payments, permissions, or errors)
Benefits
- Rich Insights: Helps uncover user needs that aren’t visible in metrics.
- Flexibility: Works across various project types and timelines.
- User Empathy: Deepens understanding of behaviours and motivations.
How to use it
- Start with key interaction points and primary user tasks.
- Audit existing content or wireframe copy to identify friction or ambiguity.
- Use voice and tone guidance to align with product messaging.
- Draft microcopy with task context—avoid jargon, use verbs, and be consistent in patterns (e.g. title case vs sentence case).
- Validate in low-fidelity flows before pushing to high-fidelity visual design.
- Pair with accessibility reviewers to ensure clarity across diverse users.
Example Output
For a native mobile banking app:
- Before: "Transaction failed."
- After: "We couldn’t complete your payment. Please check your card details or try again later."
- Tooltip: “Need help updating your card? Tap here for step-by-step instructions.”
This improved copy reduces ambiguity, provides a meaningful next step, and supports user recovery.
Common Pitfalls
- Copy last: Leaving content decisions to the end of the design process leads to retrofitting and poor flow design.
- Inconsistent tone: Using mixed voices (formal in some places, casual in others) disorients users.
- Overloading UI with words: Not all information needs to appear at once—sequence your guidance.
10 Design-Ready AI Prompts for UX Writing – UX/UI Edition
How These Prompts Work (C.S.I.R. Framework)
Each of the templates below follows the C.S.I.R. method — a proven structure for writing clear, effective prompts that get better results from ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, or any other LLM.
C.S.I.R. stands for:
- Context: Who you are and the UX situation you're working in
- Specific Info: Key design inputs, tasks, or constraints the AI should consider
- Intent: What you want the AI to help you achieve
- Response Format: The structure or format you want the AI to return (e.g. checklist, table, journey map)
Level up your career with smarter AI prompts. Get templates used by UX leaders — no guesswork, just results. Design faster, research smarter, and ship with confidence. First one’s free. Unlock all 10 by becoming a member.
Prompt Template 1: “Create a UX Writing Checklist for Key Action Screens”
Create a UX Writing Checklist for Key Action Screens
Context: You are a UX Writer reviewing interactive screens for a mobile booking app.
Specific Info: These include form fields, call-to-action buttons, error states, and confirmation flows.
Intent: Ensure clarity, consistency, and instructional usability across high-friction interaction points.
Response Format: Provide a checklist covering language guidelines, accessibility concerns, and tone patterns.
If device type or platform constraints are unclear, ask clarifying questions before responding.
Then, suggest one revision technique to improve microcopy with limited screen real estate.
Prompt Template 2: “Refine Copy and Tone for Onboarding Flow”
Refine Copy and Tone for Onboarding Flow
Context: You’re a UX Designer prototyping the first-time onboarding for a productivity web app.
Specific Info: The onboarding includes 3 modal screens, each introducing a feature with a short description.
Intent: Improve engagement by crafting benefit-focused text with a helpful, positive tone.
Response Format: Provide revised copy + tone rationale for each of the 3 modals.
If the feature descriptions aren’t self-evident, ask follow-up questions before rewriting.
Then, suggest one way to validate language choices in UX testing.
Prompt Template 3: “Simplify Button Labels Across Responsive Breakpoints”
Simplify Button Labels Across Responsive Breakpoints
Context: You’re reviewing UI components in a design system used across mobile and desktop.
Specific Info: Multiple call-to-actions use long or unclear phrasing at smaller screen sizes.
Intent: Improve usability by shortening or clarifying CTA labels without losing meaning.
Response Format: Show a before/after comparison in a table with reasons for changes.
If brand tone or CTA hierarchy is unclear, ask follow-up questions.
Then, suggest a rule of thumb for truncating CTA copy responsibly.
Prompt Template 4: “Write Recovery Messages for Failed User Actions”
Write Recovery Messages for Failed User Actions
Context: You’re enhancing system feedback for a digital service platform.
Specific Info: Common issues include failed payments, file uploads, or incorrect input entries.
Intent: Reduce user frustration and support recovery with helpful, human-friendly error copy.
Response Format: For each scenario, provide error message + recovery suggestion + tone guidance.
Ask for edge-case details if examples are too generic.
Then, recommend one way to structure system errors to match severity and urgency.
Prompt Template 5: “Draft Localised Copy Variants for Multilingual Users”
Draft Localised Copy Variants for Multilingual Users
Context: You are standardising UX copy for use across three primary languages.
Specific Info: The design includes instructional text, confirmation messages, and casual prompts.
Intent: Improve consistency and clarity while supporting cross-cultural nuance.
Response Format: Provide English source + suggested translation notes or tone adjustments per language.
Ask about target regional dialects or tone alignment if unclear.
Then, suggest a localisation QA method appropriate for design sprints.
Prompt Template 6: “Audit Tone Consistency for a Feature Flow”
Audit Tone Consistency for a Feature Flow
Context: You're reviewing a design for a settings/preferences section across a SaaS product.
Specific Info: Sections include account details, notifications, and data privacy options.
Intent: Ensure the content tone is professional, coherent, and appropriate throughout.
Response Format: Highlight inconsistencies with examples, then offer revised copy suggestions.
Ask for embedded voice/tone guidance if not provided.
Then, recommend a workshop prompt to align tone across product teams.
Prompt Template 7: “Design Label Alternatives for Icon-Only UIs”
Design Label Alternatives for Icon-Only UIs
Context: You’re building minimalist designs featuring icon-only navigation.
Specific Info: Some icons (like upload, share, or delete) are frequently misinterpreted by test users.
Intent: Improve accessibility and comprehension with supplemental text or interaction cues.
Response Format: Recommend icon alternatives + optional tooltip or label captions.
Ask if motion or haptic feedback is supported, then suggest potential pairings.
Prompt Template 8: “Structure a Content Design Handoff to Developers”
Structure a Content Design Handoff to Developers
Context: You're finalising prototype copy and micro-interactions before dev sprint kickoff.
Specific Info: Annotated Figma files include contextual notes, flows, and tone maps.
Intent: Package deliverables so developers can implement language accurately across screens.
Response Format: Provide a checklist of artefacts, annotations method, and best communication practices.
Ask which handoff platform is being used (e.g., Zeplin, Storybook) for better alignment.
Prompt Template 9: “Explore Alternatives to Empty-State Language”
Explore Alternatives to Empty-State Language
Context: You’re rethinking blank states like empty dashboards, search results, or history views.
Specific Info: Current language shows placeholder copy without contextual value.
Intent: Improve UX by offering instructional, inspirational, or proactive suggestions.
Response Format: Provide content options with tone rationale and potential UI layouts.
Ask for use cases or emotional user states tied to each empty-state.
Prompt Template 10: “Run a Microcopy Task Prioritisation Exercise”
Run a Microcopy Task Prioritisation Exercise
Context: You’re leading a design team retro focused on critical UX writing work.
Specific Info: You have limited time to implement changes across high-traffic product areas.
Intent: Align stakeholders on which copy decisions matter most to user success.
Response Format: Create a prioritisation matrix or weighted list based on UX risk and reward.
Request sample user data or drop-off rates if available.
Recommended Tools
- Ditto – Collaborative UX copy management
- Writer – AI style guide compliance assistant for product teams
- Figma + Figjam – Design reviews and copy contextualisation
- LanguageTool or Grammarly – Content clarity and tone check
- ChatGPT Pro (with GPT-4) – Ideal for prototyping interaction copy in context
