“Your” vs “My” in UI: A Subtle but Crucial Choice

The article explores the subtle but crucial decision of using "My account" vs. "Your account" in user interfaces. It argues that in most cases, prefixes are unnecessary; simply using "Account," "Orders," etc., is sufficient. However, complexities arise when dealing with content belonging to both the user and the system, such as a case management system containing both the user's and others' cases. While "My Cases" might seem fine in a menu, it feels unnatural in other contexts like onboarding flows or email notifications. The author recommends using "Your" when communicating to the user and "My" when the user is communicating to the system.