• Is this my interface or yours?
  • Permission has been granted to the original author, John Saito
  • The Nuggets translation Project
  • Translator: jiaowoyongqi
  • Proofread by: Siegeout, Rottenpen

The evolution of My Computer

Remember the icon on my computer when I used Windows? This classic little icon represents all the files you have on this computer, all the projects, work materials, all kinds of data, etc.

Microsoft renamed the icon in the latest Windows to ‘Computer,’ then to ‘This PC.’ Is this revision because the use of “mine” is misleading, semantically incongruous or unnecessary?

This small change got me thinking: Why do some products use the first person and others use the second person when addressing the data information that users belong to?

What do you call your data?

When opening different apps, it is found that there is no uniform usage when referring to the data information that the user belongs to in the user interface. Some are called “my” first-person usage, while others are called “your” second-person usage.

YouTube and Google Drive use first person, while Spotify and Amazon use second person.

So when you design for that, should you do it from a user standpoint or from a product standpoint? I think there’s a fine line between the two, and it all depends on what experience you want the user to have with the product.

First person usage

When you use first person in an interface, it implies that the product is an extension of the user. It’s as if the product is part of the user’s behavior. First-person usage is more personal, like a feeling that the user can define and control.

But in general, first-person usage works better with products that emphasize privacy, personalization, and ownership. Maybe that’s why the term “my computer” has been used for years. In the past, computers were for the sole use of the user, files were not usually shared, and all of the user’s personal information was securely stored in this little icon.

Mine! It’s all mine!

Second person usage

Using second person in the interface implies that the product is talking to the user. It’s as if the product is the user’s personal assistant, helping with tasks. “This is the music you want to hear, and this is your command.”

But in general, second person is better for products that want to give users careful guidance, to help them complete tasks. Is it time to pay the bill? Time to make an appointment? Time to fill out the tax forms? There are many products that help users do things more efficiently, smarter, and simply.

Many products now also communicate with you as personal assistants. They also have names like Siri, Alexa and Cortana. They help you remember notes, remind you to buy milk and even read your email aloud.

Hey Siri, can you help me change the baby’s diaper?

Many other apps, including Medium, will recommend you a selection of content. It seemed to me as if a personal assistant had put his hands up to my reading of the day’s carefully selected stories. I think it’s going to get wider and wider in the future, and we’re going to see more and more products using first-person usage.

Do not use the above two usages

As with other aspects of design, there is no silver bullet. But there is another design option: many products now omit the words “mine” or “yours” when addressing data belonging to a user.

There is no first person or second person.

Maybe the reason for removing “mine” is the same reason Windows changed “my computer” to “computer.”

Unfortunately, not using first and second person is not 100% appropriate for all designs. Sometimes it is necessary to distinguish user content from other content. With YouTube, for example, you can’t just call it a “channel” because that doesn’t tell you whether it’s your own channel, a subscription channel, or a YouTube recommended channel.

So it doesn’t make sense to just call it a “channel” in this case.

This is probably why Windows changed the word Computer to This PC. Since calling it simply “computer” is misleading, it’s important to be clear that you mean “machine.”

The lines

Until now, we’ve mostly talked about what to call the data information that belongs to the user on the interface. But this is only a small fraction of the copywriting that users encounter while using the product. What about button names, Pointers, Settings pages, etc.?

Opinions vary, but here’s what I think is a good design guide:

  • When to Use the first person: When the user is doing something, such as clicking a button or checking a checkbox, use it only when you feel you have to be clear about the relationship.
  • When to use the second person: Use the second person when a product asks a user a question, instructs or describes something. Just imagine what a personal assistant would say.

Use “our” usage

Before I end, I must mention a very common usage. Some products like to use “our” and “us” in their interfaces.

On the homepage of Chase Bank of America

The use of “we” and “our” really adds to the concept of third party actors ———— those who work behind the product. It shows that there are real people working for users, not just some cold machine.

If your product is providing a human service to the user, such as cooking, designing or cleaning, using “we” is more personal. “We are here to help you”, “Please use our services”. Knowing that there are real people working behind those cold screens will make users feel more secure.

On the other hand, if your product is an automated product like Google search, the use of “our” will be misleading because there are no real people behind the search engine. In fact, Google’s interface specification manual states that most of their products don’t appear “ours.”

What’s your opinion?

I’m writing this post because I’ve seen this question raised countless times by designers, programmers, and other authors. Why are we using first person here? And it’s in the second person? But so far, I haven’t seen many articles that make it clear.

Do you have an opinion on this? I’d love to hear your voice.