clarify

Identify and improve unclear, confusing, or poorly written interface text to make the product easier to understand and use.

MANDATORY PREPARATION

Invoke /frontend-design — it contains design principles, anti-patterns, and the Context Gathering Protocol. Follow the protocol before proceeding — if no design context exists yet, you MUST run /teach-impeccable first. Additionally gather: audience technical level and users' mental state in context.

---

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."