islandflow/.agents/skills/impeccable/reference/clarify.md

Additional context needed: audience technical level and users' mental state in context.

Find the unclear, confusing, or poorly written interface text and rewrite it. Vague copy creates support tickets and abandonment; specific copy gets users through the task.

---

Assess Current Copy

Identify what makes the text unclear or ineffective:

1. Find clarity problems:

   • Jargon: Technical terms users won't understand
   • Ambiguity: Multiple interpretations possible
   • Passive voice: "Your file has been uploaded" vs "We uploaded your file"
   • Length: Too wordy or too terse
   • Assumptions: Assuming user knowledge they don't have
   • Missing context: Users don't know what to do or why
   • Tone mismatch: Too formal, too casual, or inappropriate for situation

2. Understand the context:

   • Who's the audience? (Technical? General? First-time users?)
   • What's the user's mental state? (Stressed during error? Confident during success?)
   • What's the action? (What do we want users to do?)
   • What's the constraint? (Character limits? Space limitations?)

CRITICAL: Clear copy helps users succeed. Unclear copy creates frustration, errors, and support tickets.

Plan Copy Improvements

Create a strategy for clearer communication:

• Primary message: What's the ONE thing users need to know?
• Action needed: What should users do next (if anything)?
• Tone: How should this feel? (Helpful? Apologetic? Encouraging?)
• Constraints: Length limits, brand voice, localization considerations

IMPORTANT: Good UX writing is invisible. Users should understand immediately without noticing the words.

Improve Copy Systematically

Refine text across these common areas:

Error Messages

Bad: "Error 403: Forbidden" Good: "You don't have permission to view this page. Contact your admin for access."

Bad: "Invalid input" Good: "Email addresses need an @ symbol. Try: name@example.com"

Principles:

• Explain what went wrong in plain language
• Suggest how to fix it
• Don't blame the user
• Include examples when helpful
• Link to help/support if applicable

Form Labels & Instructions

Bad: "DOB (MM/DD/YYYY)" Good: "Date of birth" (with placeholder showing format)

Bad: "Enter value here" Good: "Your email address" or "Company name"

Principles:

• Use clear, specific labels (not generic placeholders)
• Show format expectations with examples
• Explain why you're asking (when not obvious)
• Put instructions before the field, not after
• Keep required field indicators clear

Button & CTA Text

Bad: "Click here" | "Submit" | "OK" Good: "Create account" | "Save changes" | "Got it, thanks"

Principles:

• Describe the action specifically
• Use active voice (verb + noun)
• Match user's mental model
• Be specific ("Save" is better than "OK")

Help Text & Tooltips

Bad: "This is the username field" Good: "Choose a username. You can change this later in Settings."

Principles:

• Add value (don't just repeat the label)
• Answer the implicit question ("What is this?" or "Why do you need this?")
• Keep it brief but complete
• Link to detailed docs if needed

Empty States

Bad: "No items" Good: "No projects yet. Create your first project to get started."

Principles:

• Explain why it's empty (if not obvious)
• Show next action clearly
• Make it welcoming, not dead-end

Success Messages

Bad: "Success" Good: "Settings saved! Your changes will take effect immediately."

Principles:

• Confirm what happened
• Explain what happens next (if relevant)
• Be brief but complete
• Match the user's emotional moment (celebrate big wins)

Loading States

Bad: "Loading..." (for 30+ seconds) Good: "Analyzing your data... this usually takes 30-60 seconds"

Principles:

• Set expectations (how long?)
• Explain what's happening (when it's not obvious)
• Show progress when possible
• Offer escape hatch if appropriate ("Cancel")

Confirmation Dialogs

Bad: "Are you sure?" Good: "Delete 'Project Alpha'? This can't be undone."

Principles:

• State the specific action
• Explain consequences (especially for destructive actions)
• Use clear button labels ("Delete project" not "Yes")
• Don't overuse confirmations (only for risky actions)

Navigation & Wayfinding

Bad: Generic labels like "Items" | "Things" | "Stuff" Good: Specific labels like "Your projects" | "Team members" | "Settings"

Principles:

• Be specific and descriptive
• Use language users understand (not internal jargon)
• Make hierarchy clear
• Consider information scent (breadcrumbs, current location)

Apply Clarity Principles

Every piece of copy should follow these rules:

1. Be specific: "Enter email" not "Enter value"
2. Be concise: Cut unnecessary words (but don't sacrifice clarity)
3. Be active: "Save changes" not "Changes will be saved"
4. Be human: "Oops, something went wrong" not "System error encountered"
5. Tell users what to do, not just what happened
6. Be consistent: Use same terms throughout (don't vary for variety)

NEVER:

• Use jargon without explanation
• Blame users ("You made an error" → "This field is required")
• Be vague ("Something went wrong" without explanation)
• Use passive voice unnecessarily
• Write overly long explanations (be concise)
• Use humor for errors (be empathetic instead)
• Assume technical knowledge
• Vary terminology (pick one term and stick with it)
• Repeat information (headers restating intros, redundant explanations)
• Use placeholders as the only labels (they disappear when users type)

Verify Improvements

Test that copy improvements work:

• Comprehension: Can users understand without context?
• Actionability: Do users know what to do next?
• Brevity: Is it as short as possible while remaining clear?
• Consistency: Does it match terminology elsewhere?
• Tone: Is it appropriate for the situation?

When the copy reads cleanly, hand off to $impeccable polish for the final pass.

---

Reference Material

The sections below were previously ux-writing.md and live inline now so the clarify flow has its deep UX-writing reference in one place.

UX Writing

The Button Label Problem

Never use "OK", "Submit", or "Yes/No". These are lazy and ambiguous. Use specific verb + object patterns:

Bad	Good	Why
OK	Save changes	Says what will happen
Submit	Create account	Outcome-focused
Yes	Delete message	Confirms the action
Cancel	Keep editing	Clarifies what "cancel" means
Click here	Download PDF	Describes the destination

For destructive actions, name the destruction:

• "Delete" not "Remove" (delete is permanent, remove implies recoverable)
• "Delete 5 items" not "Delete selected" (show the count)

Error Messages: The Formula

Every error message should answer: (1) What happened? (2) Why? (3) How to fix it? Example: "Email address isn't valid. Please include an @ symbol." not "Invalid input".

Error Message Templates

Situation	Template
Format error	"[Field] needs to be [format]. Example: [example]"
Missing required	"Please enter [what's missing]"
Permission denied	"You don't have access to [thing]. [What to do instead]"
Network error	"We couldn't reach [thing]. Check your connection and [action]."
Server error	"Something went wrong on our end. We're looking into it. [Alternative action]"

Don't Blame the User

Reframe errors: "Please enter a date in MM/DD/YYYY format" not "You entered an invalid date".

Empty States Are Opportunities

Empty states are onboarding moments: (1) Acknowledge briefly, (2) Explain the value of filling it, (3) Provide a clear action. "No projects yet. Create your first one to get started." not just "No items".

Voice vs Tone

Voice is your brand's personality, consistent everywhere. Tone adapts to the moment.

Moment	Tone Shift
Success	Celebratory, brief: "Done! Your changes are live."
Error	Empathetic, helpful: "That didn't work. Here's what to try..."
Loading	Reassuring: "Saving your work..."
Destructive confirm	Serious, clear: "Delete this project? This can't be undone."

Never use humor for errors. Users are already frustrated. Be helpful, not cute.

Writing for Accessibility

Link text must have standalone meaning: "View pricing plans" not "Click here". Alt text describes information, not the image: "Revenue increased 40% in Q4" not "Chart". Use alt="" for decorative images. Icon buttons need aria-label for screen reader context.

Writing for Translation

Plan for Expansion

German text is ~30% longer than English. Allocate space:

Language	Expansion
German	+30%
French	+20%
Finnish	+30-40%
Chinese	-30% (fewer chars, but same width)

Translation-Friendly Patterns

Keep numbers separate ("New messages: 3" not "You have 3 new messages"). Use full sentences as single strings (word order varies by language). Avoid abbreviations ("5 minutes ago" not "5 mins ago"). Give translators context about where strings appear.

Consistency: The Terminology Problem

Pick one term and stick with it:

Inconsistent	Consistent
Delete / Remove / Trash	Delete
Settings / Preferences / Options	Settings
Sign in / Log in / Enter	Sign in
Create / Add / New	Create

Build a terminology glossary and enforce it. Variety creates confusion.

Avoid Redundant Copy

If the heading explains it, the intro is redundant. If the button is clear, don't explain it again. Say it once, say it well.

Loading States

Be specific: "Saving your draft..." not "Loading...". For long waits, set expectations ("This usually takes 30 seconds") or show progress.

Confirmation Dialogs: Use Sparingly

Most confirmation dialogs are design failures; consider undo instead. When you must confirm: name the action, explain consequences, use specific button labels ("Delete project" / "Keep project", not "Yes" / "No").

Form Instructions

Show format with placeholders, not instructions. For non-obvious fields, explain why you're asking.

---

Avoid: Jargon without explanation. Blaming users ("You made an error" → "This field is required"). Vague errors ("Something went wrong"). Varying terminology for variety. Humor for errors.