How to effectively work with non-UX writers?

Do you find it challenging to work as a UX writer? Do you want your team to understand the value that you add? If yes, read this full article.

I’ve been hearing this from many UX writers that their team and other stakeholders don’t understand their value or the impact that they can create on the product. And that’s why today, we’re going to talk about how to make your team understand your value as a UX writer and create an impact through microcopy.

Unfortunately, most of the designers and other stakeholders feel that UX writing is just filling the empty boxes with content. And, it’s very frustrating when you get the designs and you are just expected to enter the content in the designs without much context to it.

Prefer watching over reading? Check out this video:

Working with non-UX writers

Firstly, I’d like to tell those designers who involve their UX writers after their designs are ready — you are doing wrong to you, to the writer, to the product, and the business as a whole.

If your fellow UX writer doesn’t have the context to the initiative or project that you are asking the content for, they won’t be able to give an impactful copy. And remember, a beautiful design without good copy is just a decoration. Neither design nor content alone can create great experiences. You need to involve your UX writer right from the beginning. Because they are experts in communicating with users and users would understand your design only if your writer conveys your thought behind the design through strategic language.

“My designer friends, involve your UX writers from the beginning and thank me later.”

Now, let’s move on to what UX writers face everyday. Whether you are a newbie or an experienced UX writer, when you join a design team in a new organization, you are definitely going to face challenges. There are several reasons:

1. You may be the first UX writer that the organization is hiring.
2. Not all design teams are used to working with UX writers.
3. And even if they are, they don’t know the right process — when and how to collaborate with UX writers.

So, when you join a new organization or a new team, make sure you educate your fellow designers and other stakeholders. How?

Conduct a workshop on UX writing

It’s very beneficial for you and your team if you conduct a UX writing workshop for them. This will help you to create awareness about UX writing, UX writer’s role in the team, and the impact that UX writing can have on the product.

Tips for conducting a UX writing workshop:

• Make sure the workshop is engaging with two-way communication with your audience.
• Include activities for the audience in the workshop.
• Schedule the workshop in the morning or pre-lunch.

It’s very important that you follow these tips because if the workshop is not engaging and activity-based, audience will get bored and will lose interest after some time. So, to keep them focused and engaged, include activities and communicate with them. Also, after lunch usually people are sleepy and not that focused, so it’s better to conduct the workshop in the morning with fresh mood.

What goes into the workshop?

1. What is UX writing and what involves in it?
2. What is the importance of UX writing?
3. What impact UX writing creates on business?
4. Why are you hired? And what are your roles and responsibilities in the team?
5. What value you’re going to add to the team, the product, and the business?
6. Explain the ideal UX writing process to be followed while collaborating with UX writers.
7. Explain how are you going to make your team’s life easy?
8. Share a few examples of good vs bad UX writing to make them understand the impact of UX writing.

In a Nutshell

So, friends, when you join a new team, it’s advisable to conduct a basic workshop on UX writing for all the stakeholders that you’re going to work with. This way, you’ll create awareness in your team about UX writing and the value that you’re going to add to the team and the product. This will also make your team understand your role and you’ll earn respect for your role and your skills.

Good luck! I hope this article will help you face your daily life challenges as a UX writer and make your lives little easier.

Happy writing!