Effective language is essential to a usable, appealing, platform-independent interface.

1. Copy is Interface
Erika Hall, Mule Design Studio, San Francisco
Future of Web Apps, 4 October, 2007, London

2. Copy is Interface

3. Copy is Interface
Word Of The Day:
caveat

4. Copy is Interface
Whither the future of
interface?

5. Copy is Interface

6. Copy is Interface
Voguing with
information?

7. Copy is Interface
We’re getting there

8. Copy is Interface
…but not for information-dense tasks.

9. Copy is Interface
Then there is
this thing.

10. Copy is Interface
People will want
to access your
application in
new ways.

11. Copy is Interface
What does this mean for
applications?

12. Copy is Interface

13. Copy is Interface

14. Copy is Interface

15. Copy is Interface

16. Copy is Interface

17. Copy is Interface
gestions.jpg

18. Copy is Interface

19. Copy is Interface

20. Copy is Interface

21. Copy is Interface

22. Copy is Interface
It’s good to know when
to cede control.

23. Copy is Interface

24. Copy is Interface
How do users benefit?
photo by Marxpix

25. Copy is Interface
How will YOU benefit?
photo by Wirehead

26. Copy is Interface
5 Ways to Get Words Right
Authentic
Engaging
Specific
Appropriate
Polite

27. Copy is Interface
Be Authentic

28. Copy is Interface

29. Copy is Interface
consumating.com

30. Copy is Interface
consumating.com

31. Copy is Interface
eharmony.com

32. Copy is Interface
eharmony.com

33. Copy is Interface
eharmony.com

34. Copy is Interface
twitter.com

35. Copy is Interface

36. Copy is Interface
“ The great enemy of clear language is
insincerity. When there is a gap between
one's real and one's declared aims, one
turns, as it were, instinctively to long
words and exhausted idioms, like a
cuttlefish squirting out ink.”
—George Orwell

37. Copy is Interface
Be Engaging

38. Copy is Interface
schoolofeverything.com

39. Copy is Interface
schoolofeverything.com

40. Copy is Interface
virgin-atlantic.com

41. Copy is Interface
virgin-atlantic.com

42. Copy is Interface
citibank.com

43. Copy is Interface
citibank.com

44. Copy is Interface
pownce.com

45. Copy is Interface
pownce.com

46. Copy is Interface
Be Specific

47. Copy is Interface
gettyimages.com

48. Copy is Interface
gettyimages.com

49. Copy is Interface
etsy.com

50. Copy is Interface
etsy.com

51. Copy is Interface
emusic.com

52. Copy is Interface
Be Appropriate

53. Copy is Interface
“Where’s My Stuff?”
amazon.com

54. Copy is Interface
flickr.com

55. Copy is Interface
Be Polite

56. Copy is Interface
feedburner.com

57. Copy is Interface
feedburner.com

58. Copy is Interface
subtraction.com

59. Copy is Interface
subtraction.com

60. Copy is Interface
particletree.com

61. Copy is Interface
Add a picture
of a screw-up
here.
—Erika

62. Copy is Interface
8 Kinds of Bad
Vague Oblivious
Passive Inconsistent
(Too) Clever Presumptuous
Rude Unnatural

63. Copy is Interface
Vague!
Basecamp

64. Copy is Interface
Vague!
Basecamp

65. Copy is Interface
Vague!

66. Copy is Interface
Unnatural!
bofa.com

67. Copy is Interface
Unnatural!
bofa.com

68. Copy is Interface
Don’t be passive.
Photo by catheroo

69. Copy is Interface
Passive!
blinksale.com

70. Copy is Interface
Don’t be too clever.

71. Copy is Interface
“ Murder your darlings.”
— Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, Cambridge Lecturer
(among other things)

72. Copy is Interface
Don’t be rude.

73. Copy is Interface
Rude!
myspace.com

74. Copy is Interface
Rude!
oreilly.com

75. Copy is Interface
Don’t be oblivious to
your surroundings.

76. Copy is Interface
cnn.com

77. Copy is Interface
cnn.com

78. Copy is Interface
facebook.com

79. Copy is Interface
facebook.com

80. Copy is Interface
Don’t be
inconsistent.

81. Copy is Interface
Inconsistent!
ebay.com

82. Copy is Interface
Inconsistent!
ebay.com

83. Copy is Interface
Don’t be presumptuous.
Don’t be presumptuous.

84. Copy is Interface
Presumptuous!
usatoday.com

85. Copy is Interface
Seriously?
americanexpress.com

86. Copy is Interface
You will still need
designers.

87. Copy is Interface

88. Copy is Interface
KTHXBAI!
erika@muledesign.com