As a young content strategist, one of the first rules I learned was consistency. To build a holistic and hospitable user experience, we should use the same words as often as possible. I latched on to this rule because it just makes sense. If we swap terms and phrases with abandon, it could create doubt as users might not be sure if “transfer funds” and “add money” do the same thing. Consistency paired with repetition also does wonders for building brand awareness and recall. But now that I’ve been around the content block a few times, I find that we don’t need to be 100% consistently consisten ..read more

Recently, I’ve been investigating the role AI could play in assisting some of the UX writing tasks I do day-to-day, so instead of being threatened by the tool (that’s what it is), I can harness it to make my work more productive. During this investigation, I’ve found some plusses, some minuses, and some curiosities that I feel are worth highlighting. I used AI to assist with four core tasks: Naming a new product or service Synthesizing qualitative research insights Creating a sample information architecture Generating a buyer persona 1. Naming a new product or service Recently, I was tasked ..read more

Attending conferences is a great way to network and stay on top of trends and changes in the industry. Every year, there are UX-focused conferences happening around the world, some even offering virtual attendance options for maximum flexibility. When it comes to choosing conferences to attend, there is an overwhelming number available. To make it easier for you to find the right event, I compiled a list of UX conferences happening in 2024 that content designers may be interested in. Who is this list for? This list is for content designers, UX writers, and content strategists interested in l ..read more

There’s no shortage of fantastic resources out there, but sometimes it can feel overwhelming to sort through it all. So, we’ve pulled together the most popular links shared in our weekly Dash newsletter for you to enjoy in one place. See what came out on top… 50. UX writing is the name, cohesion is the game. We know consistency is key, but what does it really look like in practice? Marina Nevolina outlines how to create cohesive narratives across touchpoints. 49. The role of content in generative AI. “Keep asking the questions, keep having the conversations, and really try to establish a point ..read more

Even though it’s the end of the year, we haven’t been slowing down. In fact, we’re busier than ever. It’s our mission to make sure we’re consistently providing the best content design training possible. That means we’re always reviewing our curriculum and our learning experience to make sure it’s relevant based on what’s happening in the industry. This December, we’re delivering the biggest updates to our course line-up ever … including a few new surprises. Here’s what we’ve got in store: Over 180 instructional videos across our courses Everyone learns differently. For some that means rea ..read more

The Interface is a brand-new podcast exploring trends and hot topics for UX content people. Recently, Active Voice CEO Sara Wachter-Boettcher published an article in which she made a bold claim about designers: your company is gaslighting you. Designers might know this feeling well. Content designers especially. Being told that you need to do more. Educate more. Prove your “worth” more. But Watchter-Boettcher says…no. “It’s a manipulative technique that makes designers question their own sanity and assume that they’re the problem — but that maybe, if they just try one more time, things will ch ..read more

Naming a new feature feels similar to naming a baby—high stakes, fairly subjective, and there’s no one right way to do it. At least, that’s how I felt when tasked with naming a new feature for AbleTo, a mental health app. It’s true: there’s no one right way to name a new feature. I found this method to be both collaborative and user-oriented, which helped the team steer clear of decision-making under uncertainty and subjectivity. Step 1: Define feature name criteria First, as a team, we brainstormed a set of criteria this feature’s name would need to abide by. The team included our Product ..read more

The Interface is a brand-new podcast exploring trends and hot topics for UX content people. This audio is a recording of a LinkedIn Live event we held with Kristina Halvorson. As we head into the Button conference next month, we discuss: The skills content designers need to survive in 2024 How to advocate and grow the industry (and yes, that doesn’t mean writing another blog about “why content design is important”) How to move beyond “teaching” and into real substantive impact Available to listen Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Episode transcript Patrick: [00:00:00] Hey, everyb ..read more

Imagine you’re working away on your laptop, with a phone on your desk, a wearable on your wrist, and Bluetooth headphones in your ears. You’re deep in thought as music plays quietly. And then you get a call. That quiet, contemplative headspace suddenly gets replaced by ringtones, vibrations, and a sea of CTAs and suggestions on every screen. It’s disruptive, confusing, and irritating on a level you recognize only from getting requests like, “Can you just fix the copy?” This is my experience every time someone calls me while I’m working. I’m all-in on the Apple ecosystem: MacBook Pro, iPhone, A ..read more

Imagine a slice of freshly baked bread, golden and crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy inside. Now, drizzle some high-quality extra virgin olive oil on top, and take a bite. The combination of bread and oil is simple yet delicious, and it has been a staple of Mediterranean cuisine for centuries. But what does it have to do with UX content and localization? Let’s pretend bread represents UX content and oil represents localization. Together, they form an undeniable and powerful combination. When UX content and localization team up, you’ll reach a more global audience, build a better user expe ..read more