I think empty states are one of the more overlooked parts of interface design. They’re rarely the screens that appear in portfolio hero images. There aren’t beautiful charts, colorful dashboards, or impressive interactions to show off. Usually, there’s just an illustration, a few lines of text, and a button. But consider what happens when someone opens a product for the first time.
They haven’t created anything yet. There are no saved files, no activity, no history, and no personalized content. The product is technically working, but the interface has very little to show.
What happens next can make a big difference to how approachable the experience feels.
Empty doesn’t have to mean unhelpful.
Imagine opening a medical-records app and seeing:
No files found.
It’s technically accurate. But it doesn’t explain much.
Now consider:
Your health records will appear here. Add your first report to get started.
The second version gives the empty screen a purpose. It explains what belongs there and suggests a next action. That example reflects something I think about when working with information-heavy interfaces: the words surrounding an interaction are part of the experience, not decoration added afterward.
Small pieces of language carry a lot of responsibility.
A button label tells someone what will happen if they click. A confirmation message reassures them that an action worked. An error message should explain what went wrong and, wherever possible, how to recover. When those details are unclear, even a visually polished product can feel difficult to use.
This also connects to accessibility. An icon that seems obvious to its designer may not communicate the same meaning to everyone. A short, descriptive label can provide important context. And status changes need to be understandable to people using assistive technologies, not just visible through color or animation.
Personality is useful when it doesn’t get in the way.
I enjoy playful writing in interfaces. A small unexpected line can make a product feel more human. But I’ve also become more aware that personality needs to match the situation.
A cheerful joke might work in a creative tool. It probably isn’t appropriate when someone is struggling to understand an important healthcare error. The tone of the interface should respond to what the person is trying to do and how they might be feeling at that moment.
Designing the quiet moments.
I think there’s an interesting challenge in designing screens that don’t have much content. You can’t rely on impressive visuals or information density to communicate value.
Every element has a clearer job. The heading needs to establish context. The description needs to be useful. The action needs to make sense. And sometimes the best design decision is simply not adding another element.
My takeaway: Good UX writing doesn’t just fill empty space. It helps people understand what to do with it.
