Content Design and UX Writing

Content design and UX writing are often interchangeable titles these days – we look where they cross-over and where they’re different. 

This intensive online course offers an introduction to the craft of content design and UX writing, including the processes behind it, research, collaboration and iteration. Over 12 weeks, online, you’ll learn how content design fits into the design process and how to work with other stakeholders in product and design teams. This is a hands-on course with lots of practical tasks to apply these new skills.

Week 1: What is a content designer / UX writer? An overview of what the role involves and what it doesn’t. Principles of UX content, how they fit with voice, tone and style, followed by a very interactive content crit.

Week 2: Can they do the thing?Usability testing and user research methods for finding out if your content works, and how to fix it when it doesn’t.

Week 3: Discovery phase and user needs. Writing for the user, learning from your users. User needs vs business needs and how to balance them.

Week 4: Principles of content transformation. How to run a content transformation project, content strategy, tools and methods.

Week 5: Structure – looking at the big picture. User flows, user journeys, screen flows and content reviews.

Week 6: Information architecture. Learn the principles of information architecture, organizing, and structuring content in a service. Also a mid-course review of everything covered so far.

Week 7: Digital products and interfaces. How to use Figma as a content designer / UX writer. Patterns, components, design systems and lo-fi sketching of wireframes.

Week 8: Microcopy. Best practice and top tips for writing error messages, modal windows, button copy and everything in between.

Week 9: Forms. We’ll look at different kinds of forms, how to design forms, why they’re important and what makes a good form.

Week 10: Localization and Accessibility – specialist seminars. Best practices and tips for writing content in a foreign language you don’t understand. Principles of accessibility, with an introduction to tools and methods.

Week 11: Final projects. Presentation of portfolio projects, discussion and feedback.

Week 12: Working with others and getting a job. How to show the value of content design, plus practical considerations when working with Product Designers, Product Managers, developers, engineers, stakeholders and our friends in Brand & Marketing. Getting a job as a content designer.

Who this course is for:

You have 3+ years of professional experience in copywriting, journalism, social media, or a combination of these. Also product designers, product managers or anyone on the product team that works with words and wants to get better at writing UX copy and understanding content design principles.

You’re either the person responsible for the words in your products and you want to formalize your skills, you’d like to expand your range as a writer for digital, or you’d like to transition into the growing field of content design and UX writing. The course and assignments will be in English, but you’ll get a set of in-demand content design skills that enable you to work in languages across a range of markets.