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We're creating an app and my research on UX puts me into the mindset that 'a button text must be a verb that describes its function'
So i have created a jQuery modal box and an edit modal box (which is actually the same modal box).
The button text for the Create functions says 'Create [item]'
I'm unsure whether to use 'Edit [item]' or 'Save [item]' for the Modal box text for the edit functionality.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
I think you should focus on what is the real meaning of an action rather than actual function.
I understand your case like this: there is a modal, on which the whole editing occurs. Once the edits are done, user can click button that submits the changes. Theoretically, it is understandable that pressing [edit] would submit these changes (this is a pattern you can see sometimes, I cannot point any system right now, but it happens). For the user, however, it's saving the changes. So, [Save] seems to be better word on the button.
You can consider naming it [Save edits] or [Save changes] which would (I believe) merge both meanings.
What does the "edit" button do? If it opens an edit mode - call it "edit". If it actually saves the object - call it "save". Be sure to include an exit for the user if the changes aren't desirable to save, thus include a cancel button.
I would call it "Edit" only if the end-user will be editing in the next step. If you are calling it "Edit" because clicking it will edit/update the back-end database, this will confuse users.
Even if they are knowledgable about the behind-the-scenes of your system, the expectation from the user's point of view will be to click edit if they are going to edit data.
I know, technically they aren't saving the data either - but having a "Save" button after the user edits feels like they are.
The convention is to use 'edit' to unlock editing capabilities, and save to save edits. Consider:
You can argue that once changes has been made by the user - edits have been already carried out. What the user is to do is save the changes, not edit anything.
