CONTEXT
ShareChat is an Indian social media platform available entirely in 15 different Indian languages. This means, 15 different approaches towards writing, since Indian languages are subject to multiple dialects, script variations and grammatical genders that need standardization, which was successfully established with the voice and tone exercise for the brand. However, the localization process itself came with a bigger set of challenges. There was a need to understand user preferences since westernization or the prevalence of scenarios like Hinglish or Tanglish etc. weighed heavily on the day-to-day usage of the language. For this reason, there was a need to understand the common parlance associated with UX terms like glossary, banners and strings.
SOLUTION
Conduct a user research to understand the user preferences by presenting them with variants of above mentioned UX writing components.
Participants: Users and creators
Languages: Tamil & Hindi. From a DAU perspective these languages were ranked on top, also the other South & North Indian languages are similar in nature due to same ancestry and language branching.
Findings
GLOSSARY
Terms like My Wallet, Events, Goodies, Prize Pool to name a few were chosen for the exercise from the existing glossary pool. Presented in 2 variants, the localization equivalent and a transliterated variant of it.
Few examples considered
Tamil | Events | நிகழ்ச்சிகள் | ஈவன்ட்ஸ் |
Tamil | Withdraw | வித்டிரா | பணத்தை எடு |
Hindi | Entertainment | एंटरटेनमेंट | मनोरंजन |
Hindi | Transaction History | ट्रांजेक्शन हिस्ट्री | पिछला लेनदेन |
Feedback
Glossary terms are preferred to be transliterated or written in English, if they are stand alone words. But, if these words appeared in a sentence users preferred them to be localized with the regional equivalent.
Findings
UX STRINGS
Strings like toast messages, tool tips & other microcopy.
25 strings were picked and 3 different variations were provided.
V1: Text existing in app
V2: Variation in words usage
V3: Creative / new tone
Few examples considered
| Tamil | Would you like to remove yourself as co-owner? | நீங்கள் கோ அட்மின் பொறுப்பில் இருந்து விலகுறீர்கள் | நீங்கள் இணை நிர்வாகி பொறுப்பில் இருந்து விலக விரும்புகிறீர்களா? | நீங்கள் கோ ஓனர் பொறுப்பில் இருந்து விலக விரும்புகிறீர்களா? |
| Hindi | Now family owners can schedule battle for you | अब फैमिली के एडमिन आपके लिए बैटल शेड्यूल कर सकते हैं | अब परिवार के मालिक आपके लिए युद्ध शेड्यूल कर सकते हैं | बैटल टाइम है बॉस! अब फैमिली के एडमिन आपके लिए शेड्यूल कर सकते हैं बैटल |
Feedback
Majority of the strings that users preferred was version 1 i.e existing in-app.
They preferred passive voice as it gave smooth readability.
Direct and simple copies were preferred for the functional strings.
Do not prefer complete transliteration in majority of the cases, with the exception of words they’re already familiarized within the app or otherwise.
Findings
BANNERS
Nudges user to join a chatroom or get astrology consultations.
15 banners were picked for feedback and 3 different variations were provided.
V1: Text existing in app, slightly fun tone.
V2: More Colloquial/creative.
V3: Direct & simple.
Few examples considered
| Tamil | Say hi to new friends Join these popular chatrooms now | போகாதீங்க! உங்க புது நண்பர்களை தேடி புடிங்க. உங்க டேஸ்ட்டுக்கு ஏத்த சாட்ரூம்கள் இதோ! | எங்க போறீங்க? இதை பாருங்க உங்களுக்கு ஏத்த சூப்பர் ஸ்பாட். வாங்க தெறியான சாட்ரூமில் ஜாயின் பண்ணுங்க | ஏன் அவசரம்! இதோ இருக்கு ஸ்பெஷல் சாட்ரூம்ஸ் ஜாயின் பண்ணுங்க மஜா பண்ணுங்க |
| Hindi | Say hi to new friends Join these popular chatrooms now | नए दोस्तों को नमस्ते कहें, इन लोकप्रिय चैटरूम को अभी जॉइन करेंन | नए दोस्तों के साथ अपनी महफिल जमाएं! अभी इन पॉपुलर चैटरूम्स को जॉइन करें | नए दोस्त बनाने के लिए अभी इन पॉपुलर चैटरूम्स को जॉइन करें |
Feedback
Users preferred both variant 1 & 2 for the banners.
They preferred to have creative and local touch in the banner unlike functional strings.
Fun to read hyperlocal and cultural contextual texts on banners.
Needs to keep the language friendly and should use the words that’ve been common among fellow language users.