Decoding UX Writing: From Entry-Level Challenges to Senior Strategies
Decoding UX Writing: From Entry-Level Challenges to Senior Strategies
A conversation with Atlassian's Senior Content Designer on breaking into UX Writing and succeeding in the field
Hey, everyone! Welcome to another brain-picking stack, a.k.a Interviews, where I pick a topic and a UX expert and pick their brain on it!
Today, I welcome Riya Chakravarty, Sr. Content Designer at Atlassian, who was my first mentor on ADPList and guided me around the sticky situations in a UX team. Her expertise is beyond ordinary, which you'll see in this year's Button Conference, where she'll talk about Experience variants: Taking users to the right information during long-term, cohorted feature rollouts.
However, in this stack, Riya peels back the curtain on breaking into Content Design/UX Writing and tackling challenges like expertise advocacy, finding your footing and upskilling as an experienced professional.
For the uninitiated, UX Writing Bud translates UXW mumbo-jumbo to human so you can learn and kickstart your career with the least effort and monies. If that’s your jam…
UXWB: Since the topic is breaking into content design, I want to begin with your journey.
How did you enter the field? Did your previous experiences contribute, or were there obstacles?
Riya: I had diverse experiences before becoming a Content designer, but one thing that always stuck with me was my ability to communicate and solve problems through words. I started off as a journalist, where I was foraging information to inform readers about what's going on in the world, then moved on to e-commerce as a writer, where I was helping people to make the right choices, and then jumped into the content strategy to help them navigate the web. Now, I design experiences that meet people's needs at the right time. Every step of my journey, including the obstacles, has shaped me into a better professional with a keen understanding of my audience.
If someone were to follow the same path, I would advise reflecting on what aspect of your job you truly love and ensuring you have the necessary skills.
UXWB: Agreed. A diverse experience gives you time to develop those skills. But is that why most UXW job postings demand mid- and senior-level experiences?
Riya: I think UX writing roles are usually open for a mid and senior-level because teams are still figuring out the role's responsibilities and want someone who can establish rituals, processes, and ways of working. Entry-level jobs require training and guidance. Since UX writing/content design is not typically taught in academic curriculums and there is a lack of UX writing leadership, there are fewer entry-level jobs.
UXWB: There's an awareness gap at (and before) the recruitment stage. So what can freshers do? Should they join a different profile and slide later into a role in UX?
Riya: I believe entry-level job seekers have more opportunities for on-the-job learning. Taking up other content roles and using that time to develop your strategic skills is okay.
Be proactive and curious, and seek collaboration opportunities with cross-functional teams like design, products, and engineering. Document how you solve problems or why you write copy in a certain way. Remember that every content role serves the user somehow, so always advocate for the user. This will help you develop UX writing skills and transition into a pure UX writing role later in your career.
UXWB: Makes sense. I wonder if there are ways in which non-UX writers can help increase UX maturity in their organisation to transition or create space for a position in UX. What do you think?
Riya: As writers, we need to be problem-solvers and go-getters in our roles. As a non-UX writer, I feel the most important thing to do is ask questions and document your process. Show the value you bring to your team and engage with cross-functional peers.
To contribute to the UX process:
Make friends with designers and observe how they approach problems.
Offer support by writing microcopy or helping with content touchpoints in journey maps.
Conduct website content audits, recommend improvements, and identify content gaps.
Also, be proactive. Don't wait for briefs or ad-hoc requests. Look for opportunities to contribute to existing UX processes. Start your own initiatives if needed. Create process documents and showcase your work. Set up review sessions with stakeholders and actively participate in discussions. Take advantage of every opportunity to engage with your team.
UXWB: I've noticed such transitions come with much apprehension from the teammates. Having prior experience or a UX-mature team doesn't change that—Content Design is often side-lined and not perceived as valuable as designing or product management. What has been your observation?
Riya: I have experienced this and seen many others struggle, too. As content designers/UX writers, part of our job is to educate and advocate for our role at every step. It can be frustrating, but we often work with people who haven't worked with us. We need to communicate that they need our support.
UXWB: So, how do you navigate such situations?
Riya: One effective approach I've used is to inform my team that whenever they involve a designer, they should also involve a content designer.
Designers and content designers are design twins and should work together in all aspects.
Another way to address this is by hosting a knowledge-sharing workshop with your cross-functional team to educate them about content design and your work process. Provide examples that demonstrate how context is crucial for coming up with solutions. For designers, explain that you are also a designer, but you solve problems using language and narrative structures as your medium. Include an activity in the workshop, such as writing an error message for a fictional scenario, and discuss the thought process behind it. This will help them understand your perspective and your value to the team.
Lastly, showcasing your work is essential to demonstrate the value of your role. Document your work as much as possible. For any UI copy you add to your designer's Figma file, explain how you developed the copy, the information you gathered, and the options you considered. Share it with stakeholders for reviews and discussions. This will increase your visibility and help others recognise the effort and thought you put into your work.
UXWB: Now, I want to take up a less-discussed topic—the feeling of stagnation, especially when you don't want to jump ships.
Most resources available are for beginners. As a Senior Content Designer, how do you upskill yourself? What are your go-to resources or platforms?
Riya: Books have been the most enlightening and cost-effective way of learning and upskilling myself. There are some wonderful books on Content Design, Content Strategy and UX writing written by experts and industry champions. It has helped me get that in-depth, structured learning on the subject and provided exceptional practical tools and templates. So, I highly recommend aspiring UX writers invest as much as possible in books. It'll be worth it.
Second, podcasts have been a great way to learn how content folks in different companies work through challenges and solve problems. Some of my favourites are 'The Content Strategy Podcast', 'Writers of Silicon Valley', 'Content Design with Friends,' and 'Writers in Tech'.
Also, attending conferences and hearing people speak and share their work has been really helpful in learning about the latest trends and discovering how others solve challenging p
UXWB: Wow! That makes me wonder how you fit all that in with a hectic work schedule. What's your typical day like?
Riya: As a remote worker, I balance my time between work and personal life. From 8:30 am to 7 pm, I'm in work mode. I start by checking my Slack channels and threads. Mornings are usually busy with work calls, and I read design blogs and articles during breaks. After lunch, I dedicate 4-5 hours to focused work, where I would have my headphones on and dive into deep work. In the evenings, I set aside time to mentor aspiring UX writers. After 7 pm, I close my laptop and go for a swim, read a book, watch a movie or catch up with friends.
UXWB: At UXWB, I try to show the audience the work behind the words. So, I'd like you to walk me through your process.
Let's say you've been tasked with creating content for a new product section. How would you go about defining the terminology and getting everyone on board?
Riya: First and foremost, I would gather context by asking important questions: who is the target audience? Why is this important? Do we have data to support this? How does it align with user needs and business goals? Where will the terminology appear? Who are the reviewers and approvers?
After gathering context, I would benchmark and research search trends and keywords to understand how others define this concept and what users search for. Based on the data, I would develop options and explain the rationale.
Next, I would discuss the options with my project squad and present them to SMEs and stakeholders for feedback. This can be done by calling or sharing a video or document with supporting data. If branding is involved, I would also involve the brand team.
Once I have feedback, I will document it and send it to the approver for a decision. Finally, I will socialise the decision with the team to ensure everyone is on board.
All roads lead to Rome.
I find this quote sums up the journey of most people working in UX. It's natural to have doubts and challenges. I'm glad Riya shared her (sort of) playbook for finding your groove here.
As I reflect on Riya's words (after 2 months of break), it's crystal clear – in the wild world of UX writing, the power of words isn't just a skill; it's the secret sauce for whipping up killer digital experiences.
Cheers to that! 🚀✨