Writing
One focused chapter from the Thorbis interface research. 11 rules. Read the research index for every chapter and focused study.
Writing
- Active voice. Instead of “The invoice will be sent,” say “Send the invoice.”
The invoice will be sent.
Send the invoice.
Tell them to do it. - Sentence case in the product. Headings and buttons in the workbench use sentence case. Marketing pages may use Title Case. Store copy in natural case; control presentation with CSS.
Save Invoice
Save invoice
Workbench is sentence case. - Be clear & concise. Use as few words as possible. Prefer & over and in compact UI.
- Action-oriented language. Instead of “You will need to add a technician,” say “Add a technician.”
You will need to add a technician.
Add a technician.
Start with the verb. - Write in second person. Avoid first person. The product talks to the operator, not about itself.
We saved your job.
Job saved.
The product does not narrate itself. - Use numerals for counts. Instead of “eight open jobs” say “8 open jobs.”
eight open jobs
8 open jobs
Count with a digit. - Consistent currency formatting. Same decimals in one view, 0 or 2, never mixed. Numbers use tabular lining. Separate a number from its unit with a non-breaking space.Safe to spend
Today$2,480.00
Hold$186.00
Money is tabular. Same decimals. A confirmation if it moves. - Default to positive language. Frame messages in a problem-solving way, even for errors. Instead of “Your payment failed,” say “We couldn’t run the card, try again or use a different method.”
Your payment failed.
We couldn’t run the card. Try again.
Give them the next move. - Error messages guide the exit. Don’t just state what went wrong, tell the user how to fix it. The copy and the button should educate and give a clear action.Add tech
The error sits on the field. Submit stays enabled. - Avoid ambiguity. Instead of the button label “Continue” say “Save invoice” or “Dispatch job.”
Continue
Save invoice
The button says the job. - No marketing in the workbench. Avoid filler, vague praise, and internal implementation language inside operational workflows. Tickets and empty states are for scanning, not reading.
Unleash your dispatch potential.
No jobs this morning.
An empty state is the next action.
I built this for the dispatcher at 7 a.m., the tech in a crawlspace, and the owner closing the books. Quiet chrome. Precise work. I’m still learning. These are the notes.
Applied bookmark research
Reviewed 2026-09-06. These examples reinforce the existing owners; they do not introduce another visual style or claim the product behavior is implemented. Read the 26-source review and access limits.
Keep operational text steady and unambiguous
Changing digits, shifting labels, and brittle wrapping make money and status harder to inspect.
Evaluate numeric alignment where amounts are compared, stable action labels during requests, and wrapping with real content. Treat optical adjustments as controlled system decisions. Keep the existing font families and semantic type roles.
Thorbis example. An invoice comparison aligns changing amounts without hiding their currency or precision. A long property name wraps without displacing the next action. Save remains the action; the adjacent status explains what happened.
Verify. Try zero, negative and large amounts, long names, missing values, fallback fonts, text expansion, and browser zoom. Compare readability at actual size rather than approving a magnified specimen alone.
Do not import. No blanket balanced wrapping on data rows, copied display face, custom page-local type scale, or status copy that claims more than the system knows.
Open the type skill · Evidence: Details that make interfaces feel better; Web Interface Guidelines; Invisible Details