Hci vs ux

Looking at an email in my inbox from smashing magazine, it talks about ux issues and provides an example of a Skype dialog box, do you want to reject the file, however it is the language in the dialog box that makes what you are trying to do confusing. This is part if the hci paper i am writing at the moment. Product design is just one part of the process, how is it going to look, what function does the device do, but the ux is especially important.

From the email:
Yes. No. OK. Cancel. Whenever you're designing an interface, you don't only have to thoroughly think about the visual style of your buttons, but also about the microcopy that will be displayed on those buttons. What words should you choose for the confirmation buttons? What about the checkout buttons, and even the alerts?

There has been a lot of discussion whether more general or more abstract terms should be used as labels on buttons. The more precise the label is, the better. Also, it might be a good idea to use meaningful verbs like "Save" or "Confirm", instead of "Yes", "No" or "Cancel". Mailchimp, for example, prompts users to actually type in the word "DELETE" when deleting their data and confirm it with a button also labeled "Delete".

What has worked best for you? Do you have any general tips, ideas or thoughts for button labels? Please share them with us on Twitter using the hashtag #smlabel.

P.S. And if you'd like to learn more on how to design better UX, we've got just what the doctor has ordered: Two brand new eBooks on UX, which are also available for free download for our Smashing Library customers.

— Vitaly (@smashingmag)