Language
Language plays a crucial role in shaping the user experience the products of Optimal Systems. A consistent, clear, and translation-friendly writing style strengthens product usability and supports internationalization. This chapter outlines the key principles for writing UI texts for the products in enaio® and yuuvis®.
Core Principles
Section titled “Core Principles”- Consistency First - Use consistent terminology and phrasing across all UI components (e.g. matching menu action that opens a dialog and the dialog title)
- Clear and Concise - Write short, direct texts. Avoid nested sentences and unnecessary filler words.
- Action-Oriented - Use meaningful verbs and phrase actions in the infinitive (e.g., Delete document / Dokument löschen, Reset filter / Filter zurücksetzen).
- Positive Tone - Use user-friendly, constructive language. Blame the system, not the user, in error messages.
- Platform-Specific Wording - Tailor wording for platform context (e.g., “tap”/“tippen” on mobile, “click”/“klicken” on desktop)
UI Text Types and Rules
Section titled “UI Text Types and Rules”Actions (Buttons, Checkboxes, Radiobuttons, Menu actions)
Section titled “Actions (Buttons, Checkboxes, Radiobuttons, Menu actions)”- Use precise action verbs (e.g., Speichern, Löschen).
- Avoid generic labels like OK unless no clearer alternative exists.
- Capitalize only the first letter of the string (Sentence case)
- Keep the verb-object order for compound actions (e.g., Create subscription/Abonnement anlegen).
- Keep the wording of actions that belong together (e.g. set of radiobuttons) consistent
Dialogs
Section titled “Dialogs”- Title: Infinitive form or configuration noun (Create new folder/Neuen Ordner anlegen, User administration/Benutzerverwaltung)
- Capitalize only the first letter of the title string (Sentence case)
- Content: Clear, direct instruction or question
- Buttons: Use explicit verbs for “confirm” and Abbrechen for cancel
Tooltips
Section titled “Tooltips”- Phrase as a short command (Open filter/Filter öffnen, Sort entries/Einträge sortieren)
- Start with a capital letter
- Only use period if the tooltip consists of complete sentences
- No additional explanations unless needed (e.g., in ribbon tooltips)
Messages
Section titled “Messages”- Status/Toaster messages: Short, complete sentences describing what happened
- Error messages: Use the XYZ pattern: An error has occurred (X). This can happen if Y. Please do Z
- Address users directly using Sie in German. Use the verb “möchten” instead of “wollen”
- Use the same sentence structure for user questions (Use direct speech)
Internationalization Guidelines
Section titled “Internationalization Guidelines”- Source Language: German (German teams) or US English (Belgrade teams)
- Translation Readiness:
- Avoid synonyms and ambiguous phrasing.
- Use consistent placeholders for variables (e.g., 0, %s) and quote styles.
- Avoid German-specific idioms and nested constructs in English