Formulations

To provide the user with a work environment that is easy to understand, guidelines have also been established for the formulation of texts. These guidelines are to be observed on the different levels, for example, when choosing terms, when formulating pull-down options consisting of object and an action or when formulating the different messages.

Guidelines

Terms

If possible, use terms which the user knows and which he/she can understand.

Suffixes

Except for the word "personnel number", you can do without the suffix "number". For example, we talk about a "vendor" and not a "vendor number".

Suffixes such as "key" and "indicator" should only be used if they are necessary to understand the field.

Texts in the Form of Questions

Texts containing questions should be positive.

Example

Good: Do you want to save the data?
Bad: Don't you want to save the data?

Shortened Sentences

If you use short formulations, use the sequence verb -> noun without the article.

Avoid nominalizations, that is, making verbs into nouns.

Exception: If several short phrases appear one after the other (for example, in a pull-down menu), the part containing the information - that is, the verb - is always written first.

Beispiel

Good:
- Enter account number
  ---
- Display account number
- Delete account number
Bad:
- Entry of the account number
  ---
- Entry account number
  ---
- Account number display
- Account number delete

Messages

Messages should be formulated as precise as possible. They should describe the current situation in unambiguous terms.

They should not have a negative connotation and should not be in any way instructive. Meaningless or instructive words such as "may", "must", "should", "belong", "wrong", "incorrect", "incomplete", "not allowed", or the like are therefore to be avoided.

The terms used must be appropriate for the task of the user and be easy to understand. Messages which refer to technical modes of operation of the system are to be avoided.

The syntactic structure should be clear and concise and consist of complete sentences. You do not have to use articles, but at least an auxiliary verb must be present. Use the present tense whenever possible.

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