Strategic Writing for UX, 2nd Edition

Chapter 10 Advocate for Content Design

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Advocate for Content Design

It is unforgivable to do what one doesn’t love, especially if one succeeds.

— Christian Dior, Fashion Designer

If you take nothing else away from reading this book, I hope you know that the purpose of UX content is to meet two categories of goals: those of the organization and those of the people who use the experience. To meet those goals, you’ll need to listen to people, prioritize the work, and collaborate with your team. You’ll need to advocate for the concept that content work needs to be done, whether or not your role is dedicated to content design.

Ground the Content in Empathy

When we create experiences, we need to care about the people who will use the experience. When we don’t care, we risk failing at our core task: to make experiences that meet their goals.

The root of caring is to believe people when they talk about the experiences they have. Their experiences can be similar to your own, or they might be literally unimaginable, but we don’t need to imagine them. We must listen to what actual people say, observe how they behave, and believe that we are hearing their story.

When most people listen to a person’s story, they tend to produce the chemical of caring: oxytocin. When content designers listen to a person’s story, we get that oxytocin and more.

For a content designer, the simple act of listening uncovers a gold mine. When people tell their stories, they are likely to use the words they ...