What is the best practice for text in a dialog box?

Question

This is not so much a technical question but still part of the development cycle.

I'm having to word all of my dialog boxes in this program I am working on and I was trying to get a good handle on the best practices for making text for the average end user to comprehend.

I have three core principles I could think of

1. Keep it short - yet long enough to explain thoroughly

2. Avoid personal remarks such as "keep in mind", "just so you know", etc

3. Call an apple an apple - If a concept is highly technical do not dumb it down with another word that doesn't fully encapsulate the idea.

Are these good principles to go by and/or is there something better to add.

Answer 1

There are various platform specific guidelines, e.g.

Microsoft WUXI --- Dialog text
Apple

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The things I would add:

• consistency - keep style and tone consistent throughout the application.
• consistency - use the same names for concepts and elements of your app
• drop everyting you can live without - explanations belong to online help, don't pack the dialog to tight, leave room.
• Use simple words. Not all of your users are native english speakers.
• Use present tense, active voice
• Avoid exclamation marks
• Avoid multiple exclamation marks

Answer 2

Yes, I believe those are great principles to go off of, but one more thing you may want to look for and be encouraged to do, is if it is highly technical and there is a way to get the same point across without using words most people wont get, consider using them, not everybody knows everything