Projects/Usability/HIG/Wording

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Purpose

Every word displayed in an application is part of a conversation with users. This conversation is an opportunity to provide clarity and to help people feel comfortable in the system.

Guidelines

Use a terminology that is familiar and easy to understand for the target audience (i.e. Persona) of your application.
Avoid contractions such as Don't and Won't etc.
Avoid abbreviations, acronyms, and tech-babble.
Use a tone that’s informal and friendly, but not too informal.
Keep information short and consistent; avoid redundancy or unnecessary words.
Don't abuse capitalization because it draws people’s attention.
In respect to chronological information consider that your app is potentially used for decades; don't use fix dates like this year.
Follow system-wide conventions for basic functions to keep wording consistent.