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Lingual

Pop-up messages for language learning app

Content Design
UX Writing
Microcopy
Brand voice
• Magical: Anything is possible in the world of Lingual.
• Encouraging and positive: We’re all about rooting for our learners and helping them make progress.
• Playful: We put the fun in language learning!
Scenario #1
Users earn badges to display on their Profiles. The user just earned the Word Wizard badge for learning 500 words in English.
Final copy
500 words banked...
You’ve earned the Word Wizard badge!
Rationale
Copy should be concise since the toast will quickly disappear. It should also be palatable to any users who might find incentives to be turn-offs. Copy that’s too playful might feel condescending to some adult users.
Delivery Format
Toast
Rationale
There’s no need to add the friction of a Pop-Up which then requires closing, and no need to break users’ concentration by sending them to a new screen. Merely logging the achievement in the Profile tab without also displaying a toast would mean users might never know of the achievement. Incentives might motivate some users to return to the app, so Lingual shouldn’t skip the chance to harness that power.
Scenario #2
The user tries to exit in the middle of the learning session. All data will be lost if they exit: words banked, quiz scores, etc.
Final copy
Are you sure you want to exit?
All session data will be lost.

CTA 1 : Exit
CTA 2: Cancel
Rationale
The choice to exit vs. continue must be impossible to overlook or misunderstand. Copy should therefore be clear and concise.
Delivery Format
Pop-up
Rationale
Exiting the learning session could result in lost material, so users should encounter some healthy friction to prevent accidental exits. When users are met with a modal that momentarily pauses the learning session, this should alert them to the consequential nature of exiting. Were this data-loss warning presented in a toast, its content would be too easy to miss.
Scenario #3
The user chooses to unfollow a fellow learner.
Final copy
You’ve unfollowed monsieurawesome89
Rationale
To be minimally intrusive, copy should ideally be limited to one line so as to resemble a banner. It should also include the name of the unfollowed learner to create just a touch of friction in case the unfollow was accidental.
Delivery Format
Toast
Rationale
Unfollowing a fellow learner is not of great consequence, so a toast suffices. If the decision were made in error, users could navigate to the part of the app where they could add the unfollowed learner back into their network.
Scenario #4
The next lesson can’t load because the internet connection has been lost.
Final copy
Uh-oh!
Your internet connection has been lost.

Check your network settings to resume learning.
Rationale
No one has much patience for a lost connection. The “Uh-oh” lightens the mood a touch without descending into creative copy that might not be welcomed at this moment. The rest of the copy is matter-of-fact and instructive.
Delivery Format
New screen
Rationale
Since a lost internet connection is among the most consequential circumstances, it warrants a new screen that compels users to troubleshoot. Further, awareness of the lost connection prevents users from growing frustrated with the app itself—and only later learning that the interruption was instead an internet problem.
Scenario #5
Users’ word bank goals are set according to the daily targets they specify. A user has set their target to 10 words, and today they’ve followed through on adding 10 to their word bank. As a result, they’ve earned a reward.
Final copy
Native speakers, look out!

You’ve met your daily word bank goal & earned a reward!
Rationale
The first sentence is a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor meant to encourage users to continue pursuing their learning goals. The second sentence balances that out with a straightforward account of the user’s new achievement.
Delivery Format
Toast
Rationale
Meeting a daily word bank goal does not require the user to take any action—it’s enough to simply notify them of the achievement. If the user would like to view their goals or rewards, they can navigate to the Profile. Adult users might prefer to continue learning than to pause for a Pop-Up or new screen.