Say what? How content design can make or break the future of web3 with Corey Janssen

Thank you everyone for coming out today. Let's get started. So I'm Corey Jansen. I'm the content designer at MetaMask and I have over a decade of experience in content design and UX writing. Um and as we all know the world of web 3, it's rapidly evolving and with that comes new challenges and opportunities for UX.

So, I'm really thrilled to have the chance to speak with everyone here today about how content design has the potential to make or break the future for web 3. But before we get started, let's quickly define content design because it's a pretty new field. Uh, basically content in terms of UX design, it's the language that appears within the user interface. So, content design, which is sometimes called UX writing or product writing, is essentially designing with words. Um, I've worked as a content designer at a lot of places in web 2 like like Pinterest, um, Facebook and Chase and I gained a lot of valuable experience in the field.

Um, digging deep into research and data to find the right language that best resonates with users. Um, but it was the draw of the unknown and the new innovations of web 3 that drew me to MetaMask where I've been able to immerse myself in the unique challenges of our emerging field. And as one of the very few web uh content designers in web 3, I've been able to see firsthand uh the many challenges that this ecosystem presents. There's a lot of opportunity for us to cut through the jargon and create products that make web 3 accessible to everyone, not just developers and, you know, crypto enthusiasts, investors. And I'm really excited to share some insights with you guys today and hope that by the end of these next 15ish minutes, you'll see the potential that content design holds for the next phase of web 3.

So, let's just dive right in. Content design is all about simplifying complex ideas so that they're easy for the average person to understand. And when it comes to web 3, there's definitely a lot of complex terminology to navigate. Uh luckily we can apply some of the lessons and best practices from UX in web 2 to make web 3 more accessible and userfriendly because after all the potential that we have for the democratization of money and power is lost if we can't effectively communicate with the people who we need to use it the most. So for the next few minutes, let's explore the challenges of communicating effectively in web 3 and a few strategies that you can apply to your own projects for making uh everything more comprehensible and approachable for a wider audience.

As web 3 continues to gain momentum, we're seeing more and more people become curious about it, and they're really excited. They're ready to jump in and explore. But one of the biggest barriers to entry for these people is the unfamiliar terminology that's associated with web 3. In fact, we've had many conversations with folks who've expressed feelings of intimidation and confusion when they see words like gas fees or seed phrase, smart contract, things that a lot of us here are really familiar with. So, we forget how confusing these words can be to someone new.

And then if someone is actually brave enough to like take that chance on a DAP or a wallet or buying an NFT, they still will continue to struggle with the UX as they on board. And this can really affect a user's ability to navigate the interfaces and complete tasks. Um I actually observed a recent research session where there were some intermediate to advanced level users who were still struggling to define what they were doing within a flow even though they had literally just done that on screen. And that's not any fault of their own. That's just the fact that we need to reframe some of our terminology.

And it was a bit alarming because when you consider the fact that a lot of these actions the users are taking are irreversible. They should be able to understand what they're doing when they're doing it. I like to think of this as being similar to when you're learning a new language where it's not just a matter of memorizing vocabulary, but also comprehending the context and the structure of the language. There's a concept in language learning theory called comprehensible input that suggests that learners need to understand a certain amount of language before they can start producing it on their own. I'm a student of Mandarin.

I've been taking it for a year and I can sit around and memorize characters and practice my tones all day long, but it's not going to mean anything if I can't actually understand the words in the context of a conversation or reading a street sign. And in that same way, web 3 users need to comprehend a certain number of terms and concepts before they can effectively use them in our ecosystem. And nowhere is this need for comprehension more evident than in the prevalence of scams. Uh preventing fraud is crucial in the world of crypto. And it's more apparent than ever that comprehension and clarity are really necessary to achieve this.

Um, we all know that scams can take so many forms like rugps, fishing attacks, and even experienced users can be tricked into giving away private keys or sending money to a fraudulent address. Uh, but there is some silver lining because we might be able to combat some of these scams with better content design. Uh by creating clear and user-friendly interfaces and using informative and concise text, we can empower people to make better decisions about their data. For example, a well-designed wallet interface could help um users verify the authenticity of an address before they send funds. Uh where an informative pop-up alert could warn users about a potential for scams or suspicious activity.

But for web 3 to reach its full potential, widespread adoption really is necessary. But this is unlikely to happen if we don't understand how to use the things that we're building. Um, while some people might argue that web 3 is still a bit niche, so it doesn't require the kind of widespread adoption I'm talking about today, I believe that we risk losing the worldchanging potential that everything we're working on offers if it remains isolated from the broader sphere for much longer. And without a more cohesive effort to make web 3 more accessible, I believe it'll continue to be seen as just a place for thrillsekers and developers and crypto bros. Uh with its complex jargon and notorious scams deterring many people who could really benefit from using our technology.

Uh so to avoid becoming just another tech bubble that burst, we need to meet people where they are and help them understand the value and the potential of web 3. I mean, in the world of tech, we're constantly iterating on our products and ideas, but why shouldn't that include improvements to the language we're using within our products as well? And just like in learning a new language, it's important for us to to provide comprehensible input and support users at all levels. And in that same way, we need to provide accessible resources and user-friendly interfaces that help people navigate web 3 and understand its benefits. And by doing so that we can realize the full potential of web 3 and really make it a positive tool for change in this world.

So I mean what can we do about this right? Like great Corey but how is that realistic? So in the context of web 3 content design can play a crucial role in creating a user- centered ecosystem that attracts and retains a diverse and engaged user base by using language as a tool for clarity and empathy inclusivity. content design can help build the bridges in the pathways that will connect web 3 um to the wider world of digital innovation and creativity. So, let's just take a quick look at four key ways we can start doing this today.

For starters, we should aim to be straightforward in all of our content and UX. Um, many newcomers, as I mentioned earlier, struggle to understand the technical jargon and the abstract concepts that underpin the blockchain. So, we should aim to use plain language, analogies, and even visual aids to explain these concepts in a more accessible and relatable way. Um, a couple good examples of something we do at MetaMask is renaming potentially confusing terms like token allowances and seed phrases to things that are a bit more intuitive to a user, like spending caps or secret recovery phrases. Um, it's also worth considering whether we should rethink terms that are generally misunderstood like gas fees.

But at the end of the day, there's a human on the other end of the screen. So, we need to write like a human as well. Another key factor is to build credibility and trust. Trust is essential in web 3 uh where users are often required to share their personal data um in a decentralized and anonymous environment. So we can work together to build trust and credibility by using transparent and honest language and being super clear when we're writing about security and privacy and avoiding using terms that sort of fall into hype or overpromises.

Um, one example of this approach is a new feature that we've started rolling out recently in some versions of MetaMask. Um, that creates a constructive hurdle when a user wants to reveal their secret recovery phrase. To unveil the phrase, the user has to pass a two question quiz that emphasizes the importance of never sharing your phrase with anyone. Because realistically, if someone is asking you for your secret recovery phrase, it's pretty much guaranteed that they're going to steal your money, right? But unless we educate users about this, there's no there's a big chance actually not no chance uh that they'll fall victim to a bad actor and then they'll lose trust in crypto altogether.

And so our goal is to educate users through honesty and transparency which then builds credibility not just for MetaMask but for like the ecosystem as a whole. And the third key to improving UX in web 3 is to keep your content and your interfaces short and simple. Clear and concise language in UI text, error messages, and onboarding screens helps users understand what they need to know and how to do it. Um, this can reduce frustration, errors, and confusion. And it increases the likelihood that users will stay engaged throughout the flows.

There's a lot of research out there actually that suggests that um people really only tend to read a very small percentage of text on any given screen. There was a study that was done by Neielson Norman group not too long ago that found users read about 28% of the text on a web page. Whereas if you're on a mobile screen, it's only 20% of the text that a user is reading on any given page. So that really puts space at a premium and makes it very important to get to the point as quickly as possible. And finally, we should be accessible in everything that we're building.

When you design for accessibility, you make an experience better for everyone. And above all, I mean, web 3 aims to be open, decentralized, and inclusive. But this requires us to be mindful of the diverse needs and the perspectives of people who will be using our products. We can foster more inclusivity and accessibility by using clearer language and considering the readability of the content for users with different backgrounds, abilities, preferences, and assistive technologies. And this can be as simple as using actionoriented language and providing clear steps for users to follow in our UI.

Make sure that if you identify any errors or issues um that you offer guidance on someone can how they can actually resolve these problems. That's just one step to make things easier for everyone. I could go on about this for hours, but I won't right now. And at this point, you might be thinking, "Okay, wow, Corey, that's great, but I don't have the budget for a content designer or a UX writer, and I know nothing about writing." But that's okay because there are actually a few basics that you can easily apply to your own writing starting right now.

So to begin with, prioritize empathy above everything. When you're considering how a user might feel at each stage of your flow, think beyond just what they're doing at that moment and focus on why they're doing it. If you can understand the user's goals and motivations, this can help you create a more effective and user-friendly experience via copy. Um, additionally, you might consider uh doing some user testing or just gathering feedback from um a selection of people who you just test your content out on to help ensure that the user's needs and concerns are being addressed. Um, but realistically, you're probably in a time crunch and you don't have the bandwidth or the budget to test your copy, right?

So, just a little hack that I like to use is try reading everything out loud because this will help you um identify awkward phrasing or unclear messaging. Then just keep rewriting, rewriting until you find the sweet spot. And along those same lines, um it's key to keep your copy short and simple. As I mentioned a moment ago, be sure to uh use plain language and avoid unnecessary technical jargon, which can be difficult in web 3, but I think it's a realistic goal that we can all start working towards. Try to use the active voice whenever possible, and avoid long or complex sentences because that can be cognitive overload for most people.

Um, another basic practice is considering global audiences when you're writing. It's really easy to write in a silo and lose track of the fact that people um might not be familiar with the idioms or slang that you might be tempted to use in some of your writing. Additionally, if if this is a larger scale project, you should consider translations or localization support for users who might not be fluent in the primary langu language of your app. Um, it's also really worth googling terms or phrases that you might use in your product, especially if you're going to name a new feature um to make sure that it doesn't have an unsavory meaning in another language. This is something I've seen happen a lot.

Um, yeah, and finally, this sounds like a big goal, but it's very doable. Try to anticipate everything that can go wrong for a user. Sometimes it's called the unhappy path in UX. When you're creating error messages, provide detailed information about the problem and offer solutions and next steps. Just avoid generic error messages, 404s, codes because they don't provide enough information to a user and no one can understand how to fix the problem and just creates a very cycllically frustrating experience for everyone.

Um, and if you have additional resources or support channels, provide a link to this in your error messages so people can get help when they need it. And I realize that was a lot of information and a very short time and it's been a very busy weekend and very chaotic. So, I've created a website that has um all of the basics you need to get started with your own UX writing or content design. If you scan this U uh QR code or just go to this URL, um yeah, you can check out some some style guides that I've created. Um I'm going to keep updating it as language evolves uh within web 3.

And yeah, I would love love to hear from you. And if you'd like to continue talking about content design and the future of web 3, feel free to hit me up via email, check out this website, find me on social media. Um, yeah, and just thank you all so much for taking the time to listen to this talk today. And I really can't wait to see what everyone does um with content design to change web 3 for the better. Thank you everyone.

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