the importance of line breaks

Most customers or clients aren’t interacting with an organization for fun. They have something they want or need to do. They’re busy. They don’t have time to read every single word in a message or on a sign. Instead, they scan for key words.

When you’re writing for someone who’s scanning, the position of words makes a big difference in how quickly and accurately the reader can understand the meaning. In general, the first and last word in a group of words will have the most cognitive impact. As well, relationships form between adjacent words. And when words spread beyond a single line, those relationships are either magnified or minimized.

For example, some debit card machines, after I enter my PIN, instruct me:

PLEASE DO NOT
REMOVE CARD

Now, I can see why this decision might be made from a visual perspective. The words are balanced in a visually pleasing way. But there are more important considerations than aesthetics in this situation (and I’m also a photographer, so I’m not knocking aesthetic decisions, just saying that sometimes they need to be a lower priority than clarity).

In this case, “remove” and “card” are on the same line, with no other words. They are the first and last words in the line, so they catch the reader’s eye and are retained most easily. They also make a complete sentence together, so it seems complete and doesn’t push the reader to seek more information.

So when I’m scanning quickly, I only really see “REMOVE CARD” and I think the transaction is complete. The first line “Please do not” just disappears cognitively. One time I actually removed my card and had to redo the whole transaction. Since then I feel the impulse every time I use these machines but manage to suppress it on time.

Other debit machines do a better job with more strategic line breaks. A better option I’ve seen:

DO NOT REMOVE
CARD

In this case, the words, “Do not remove,” work together and convey the message I most need to hear. “Card” isn’t even really necessary for my understanding – it just adds detail.

Another approach would be to avoid using the word remove altogether – that way there’s no risk the user could possibly misunderstand and do the opposite of what’s intended. For example, some debit machines go with a simple “Please wait…”

Thinking from the reader or user’s perspective helps them meet their own needs as well as those of the business. When you hire a professional, this is the level of thought that goes into what may seem like a simple instruction.