Free content design and UX writing resources

Andrew Tipp introduces a visual framework that breaks content design into four pillars: research, plan, design, and maintain, built on a foundation of core UX principles.

Emma Aldington argues that content-first design isn't only for large government sites. Simple content wireframes can improve conversion, clarify interactions, and speed up collaboration.

Dave Connis argues that content design must move past surface-level debates and focus on systems. He outlines how string files, content architecture, and clearer definitions drive real user success.

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.

The role of content in generative AI. "Keep asking the questions, keep having the conversations, and really try to establish a point of view on this." This = content generated by artificial intelligence. Hear more from Aladrian Goods, Content Design Manager at Intuit, as she chats with Kristina Halvorson. Listen to the full episode.

Monster list of UX books. We were scrolling on LinkedIn and came across a list that's too good not to share. Thanks to Colin Baird for posting this mega Airtable base including 1,000+ UX books. Add these titles to your library.

Build trust with organized Figma files. "A cluttered workspace can instantly damage your credibility, even before the quality of your work is assessed." Is it time for some housekeeping? Read on to keep your Figma files clean and your stakeholders happy.

Erin Schroeder writes that teams often rush to add AI chatbots without fixing the underlying content and IA issues that make a site hard to use.

Poor collaboration = poor UX. Working as a team takes some serious work. When cross-functional collaboration is broken, products suffer as a result. Nielsen Norman group unpacks the common challenges and strategies for success.

Carly Ayres explores why hybrid skill sets are becoming essential as AI accelerates specialist work. Strong generalists combine depth in one area with fluency across adjacent disciplines.

Make it short and sweet. Concise sounds nice in theory, but it's more difficult to achieve in practice. Thanks to Taylor Dykes for compiling this guide to rewriting digital content for brevity. Here's how to reduce your word count.

Jeremy Hoover says that content guidelines fail because they live in forgotten docs. This piece lays out how to structure pattern files, build AI prompt templates, and turn guidelines into a searchable app.

21 small thoughts (and counting) about information architecture. We would read Scott Kubie's grocery lists if he published them. This time, he shares a non-exhaustive list of IA thoughts. See what you think…

Andrew Hogan, Figma's Head of Insights, breaks down how design collaboration is shifting and what teams still get wrong, including research on cross-functional workflows and AI's impact.

Don't offer discounts on your well-being. You know the saying, "Good, cheap, and fast—but you can only pick two." What happens when we take a stand against "cheap" content work? In this essay, Chelsea Larsson shares how to be "rich" in content design.

Oluwatoyin Adeoye challenges the default 'active good, passive bad' rule by showing where passive voice actually improves UX writing, reframing it as a strategic tool.

Design for cognitive accessibility. Accessibility is more than screen readers. It's about making your content usable for everyone. In this post, Eva Katharina Wolf outlines design considerations for users living with ADHD. Read the accessible design recommendations.

Erin Schroeder dissects Netflix's chaotic taxonomy and half-baked personalization, arguing that streaming sacrificed the simple, legible experience of the video store.

Futureproofing UX in the age of AI. Keeping up with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and automation is a full-time job itself. This post from Gerren Lamson will help your UX team adjust how you create AI-supported experiences. Check out the AI guide from Indeed Design.

Lucie Johnson puts Google's Deep Research feature to the test, showing why AI-generated research still needs heavy verification and human judgment.

How AI is transforming UX writing. How can UX content folks embrace artificial intelligence tools? What does an AI-driven workflow mean for the future of UX writing? Tomer Gabbai, CEO and Co-Founder of Frontitude, weighs in. Read the predictions.

Frances Gordon outlines a six-step process adapted from ISO 31000 for building a structured risk-management foundation before writing an AI usage policy.

Writing good interfaces. Good writing takes time. The next time you're stuck in a vicious rewriting cycle (and not getting anywhere), give these techniques compiled by Nick DiLallo a try.

Nick Parish says content strategists should treat AI as an amplifier, not a copy machine, using it to mine content inventories, stress-test IAs, and act as a harsh editorial sparring partner.

A content designer's guide to product audits. Ready to launch your next content audit? In this one, Emily Wachowiak, Senior Content Designer at Mozilla, shares how to set yourself up for mission success with the right scope, goals, and tools. Leap into your product content audit.

Angelique Little explains how to design experiences around Gen Z values: safety, inclusion, honesty, and real connection.

Content design isn't as broken as you think. Our community has been abuzz with discussion about the future of our field. Some believe it's doomed, others are optimistic about the prospects. This post from Anna Potapova puts the conversation into perspective.

A panel explored how writing, structure, and storytelling translate far beyond traditional UX roles. Content design teaches problem-solving through language.

The UX research tools map. Okay, this one is a true work of art. Check out the illustrated guide to the ever-changing world of research software brought to you by the User Interviews team.

Amy Lanfear traces how UX writing at Microsoft grew from ad-hoc help-topic cleanup to a formal discipline embedded in product design.

The 2023 content design salary & industry report. Thanks to all who joined us for the preview session. You can watch the recording, and then get your own custom report.

Luis Ouriach's Figma widget gives teams a fast way to audit and troubleshoot design system components directly inside Figma.

When consistency in microcopy does more harm than good. Kinneret Yifrah (author of the book on microcopy) explores when it's okay to break the rules to keep the overall user experience intact. Main takeaway: Avoid consistency for consistency's sake.

Scott Pierce says most teams mistake content guidelines for actual systems. Pattern libraries break under scale, edge cases, and AI. Mature systems encode principles and decision frameworks.

Be proactive, not reactive. Instead of "you should have invited me earlier," what if we thought, "how can I take steps to get included earlier?" Kate O'Brien lays out ways for content designers to flip the narrative and take control of our influence. Read on to take action.

Ben Moran talks about his time as a UX Writer at Rockstar. Game UIs must support fast decisions, complex systems, and narrative tone at the same time.

23+ UX writing terms for 2023. As word people, we love defining concepts. This post from Pete Armi is chock full of valuable terms and their definitions to carry into this year and share with anyone new to working with UX writers. Get the glossary.

Henry Freedland walks through the linguistic problem behind naming Figma's new prototype offline mode, showing how each iteration exposed deeper mismatches.

Design books for non-designers. Ready to refresh your UX bookshelf? Get ready to bookmark these recommendations from the Stripe design team.

Hunter Gebron breaks down a practical, beginner-friendly method for turning your team's guidelines into a working custom GPT.

3-step process to feature naming. There's no "right" way to name a product feature. In this one, Taylor Rohwedder shares the process that helps keep her team on track and avoid unnecessary debates. Read more on naming on the UXCC blog.

Matt Strom says tech's fixation on super ICs has created a widening gap in the design talent pipeline. Junior roles have vanished and senior expectations keep rising.

Tackling your first content design system. Building a content design system from scratch can be super intimidating. Jessica Ouyang put together this guide on what they've seen work for other teams building with Ditto components.

April Lipson and Jacqui Devaney outline a practical framework for planning, running, and applying content research at Atlassian.

The laws of UX. We've seen this one circulating around LinkedIn and didn't want you to miss it. This collection of best practices—combining user psychology and design heuristics—is an aesthetic and valuable resource for anyone building user interfaces.

Dave Connis reframes product copy as doing one of six specific jobs inside a system: inform, educate, sell, ask, represent, or instruct.

The state of UX in 2024. How can we prep for the year ahead? This report looks at the characteristics of "late-stage UX" and how designers can navigate automation, saturation, and financial growth goals while still advocating for user needs. No small task. Get the 2024 report.

Sarah Kessler says teams should evolve their overall design system so content is treated as a first-class part of design, not an add-on.

A manager's guide to building ground-breaking products. We're not sure what counts as "ground-breaking," but we'll let you read this three-part series from Figma to find out. It includes insights from teams and leaders at Shopify, Ironclad, Twitch, Uber, and more.

Andrew Tipp curates 10 core titles covering hands-on practice, content ops, strategy, leadership, and structured content.

Quick and dirty content design user test. Working with limited (or zero) budget but still want to test the strength of your content? In this example, Yael Ben-David shows how to work with the resources you have to still gather meaningful insights.

Sophie, a content design intern at Wise, describes owning a real 10-week project, doing research, presenting in crits, and testing with real customers.

How to use AI in the UX writing process. There's a lot of AI talk out there but not a lot of "how" to actually use it to streamline our work. In this new post, Patrick shows the ways input impacts output and examples of finetuning prompts to generate more useful content. Use AI wisely to scale your work.

Figma walks through practical workflows for drafting, riffing, organizing strings, collaborating with designers, and handing off copy.

The anatomy of a notification. Unsure if your alert copy calls for an inline notification, banner, or toast message? You'll want to read this breakdown on the Adobe Design blog from Haley House on how to design notifications that inform and empower users.

Antonios Nader argues that direct translation undermines Arabic UX. He makes the case for Arabic-first UX writing that embraces conversational language and RTL design.

How tiny UX copy tweaks make a big impact. Seemingly small copy changes can lead to major performance wins. Lily Rutman, Senior UX Content Design Lead at DoorDash, shares a few case studies with positive business outcomes to help make the case for consistent content testing.

Trish Winter-Hunt argues that in an agentic world, content becomes the infrastructure that keeps multi-agent behavior coherent, trustworthy, and human.

A guide to measuring copy success. In UX, every word matters. Wondering how much weight your copy carries? Need help solving a copy decision tie-breaker? Let the data do the talking. Read more on creating (and measuring) copy that converts.

David Hamilton, Head of Content Design at General Motors, explains how he led creation of a centralized content standards system used across mobile, web, and in-vehicle interfaces.

The evolution of content design skills. If you missed our LinkedIn event with special guest Kristina Halvorson, you're in luck. We've turned the interview into a brand-new episode of the podcast. Tune in for the candid conversation, leave with the confidence to take initiative in your role. Listen to the episode and get the transcript.

Hamza Labrinssi dismantles the hyperbolic 'AI will replace UX' narrative, arguing the panic stems from shallow takes, not reality.

Is content design the same as UX writing? Not quite. The titles are used interchangeably, but there are subtle nuances in the roles and skill sets. This excellent post from the Hotjar team walks through their content design practice to show how UX writers, content designers, and product designers work together to build better experiences.

Chuck Pearson writes that the web is drowning in sameness because teams skip the hard work of content. When content arrives late, designers fall back on trendy aesthetics.

Top content design skills teams need in 2024. Navigate the evolving UX content landscape to set yourself (and your organization) up for success in the year ahead … and beyond. Prioritize these 9 skills to stay ahead.

Nick DiLallo argues that the biggest usability problems in today's AI products come down to unclear, imprecise, or misleading writing.

Language is the new interface. There's no denying that generative AI is changing the way we interact with machines. What does this mean for the way we design digital products and services? See why every UX designer should study conversation design.

Michael Restiano argues that polished prose and stellar editorial skills don't necessarily translate into effective UX content.

21 things to consider when pursuing a promotion or raise. Ready to get paid what you're worth? Before navigating your next pay conversation with your boss, be sure to read up on best practices and industry standards. Big thanks to Scott Kubie for this gem of a negotiation guide.

Erik D. Kennedy argues that despite massive hype, there's no evidence that current AI tools have triggered a true renaissance in design.

Acceptance criteria for UX writers. If you've seen a Jira ticket before, you'll know the tickets typically include requirements that need to be met before it's considered "done." Ben Davies-Romano recommends we adopt this mentality to avoid "copy by committee" with opinion-based feedback. Before you start content designing, get everyone on the same acceptance criteria page.

Sidika Sehgal shares how UX writing is emerging rapidly in India and the challenges that come with building a young industry in a large, diverse market.

Humanize your ChatGPT output. Check out this guide from Jeff Coyle with tips on how to fine-tune the outputs from AI-generated content. It's here to stay, so let's make sure it works for real people.

Russell Norris describes how he built VERBI, an AI-powered content design agent at Intercom, showing that good AI output depends on good systems.

The power of integrated content standards. Jessi Field-Sierra led the effort to integrate Robinhood's Content Standards into their design system. The results? 88% of product designers found the content updates helpful and inconsistencies were caught weeks (and even months) earlier. Read the Robinhood case study.

Jonas Downey shares a first-principles guide to leading design teams through rapid change, arguing that resilience starts with psychological safety and realistic bandwidth.

10 questions to consider when writing UX copy. "Just as airline pilots still adhere to a pre-flight checklist to ensure nothing is amiss, we believe in the value of a 'quick checkup' before any UX writing project." Get the UX copy checklist from Hamza Labrinssi.

Ray Newman offers a grounded guide for people moving into content design from journalism, marketing, or copywriting. He breaks down the real skills the job demands.

Alert! Your alerts need an audit. Is it an alert, callout, popup, or notification? In this post, Steve Dennis shows how to componentize your notifications to reduce the chaos. Get a taxonomy for alerts and notifications.

Seb Smith explains why UX writers need to use A/B testing to prove the impact of their words, outlining how simple copy variations can meaningfully shift conversions.

Should we compare content design to UX design, not UX writing? In this one, Lizzie Bruce shares a few thoughts on UX content as a discipline. Above all, though, is the idea that "we should perhaps focus on what we do, where we overlap, where we can learn from each other, and how we can advocate for the user … rather than on what we are called." Read more from Working in Content.

Sen Lin argues that modern AI models have outgrown the chat box and that today's conversational UI is a mismatch for what LLMs can actually do.

Friction is a feature. It's been used to prevent accidental shopping sprees or deleting important files. But this time, Maximilian Piras focuses on how adding strategic friction can actually improve algorithmic quality (AKA more personalized content). See how products leverage friction.

Jack Garfinkel argues that content accessibility means making information usable by people with diverse needs, not just visually, but cognitively and technologically.

Less is more when it comes to "Learn More." Is your website full of inaccessible links? In this one, Ryan Bigge shares how the team at 1Password broke the "learn more" habit and collaborated on content patterns together for a more usable experience. Learn how to overhaul your CTAs.

Ben Callahan (with Nathan Curtis) reviews feedback from 95 design-system practitioners about when AI tools help and when they break trust entirely.

Is your company gaslighting you? We'll take "Loaded Questions" for $500. You may have seen Sara's article circulating around LinkedIn. There's quite a bit to unpack here, so she joins Patrick for a chat on the podcast to discuss our unhealthy approach to work and the "now what" next steps. Listen in or read the transcript.

Scott Pierce speaks to the emotional toll of working in content and UX design, arguing that impostor syndrome often stems from structural factors, not real incompetence.

How to level up in content design. In this one, Jane Palash shares where to look and what to learn when trying to move into a "senior" title. (Special shoutout to our UX Content Research & Testing course.) Learn how to grow as a content designer.

Austin Mallick compares working as a content designer to the constant battles in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, reflecting on balancing stakeholder demands and productive work.

Implementing UX writing in a design system. The task of building a content design system might seem daunting, but it's well worth it in the long run. Where should you begin, especially if you're a solo UX writer? Learn more from Mélanie Michou's year and a half journey at AVIV Group.

Elodie Veysseyre walks through building a custom UX-writing assistant at her company.

Content design in the age of AI. It's easy to get anxious thinking about artificial intelligence and the future of the field. Jenny Williams talks about working with AI, the challenges of designing content in a high-tech environment, and staying inspired in the work. Read the full Microsoft Design interview.

Carly Ayres argues that the traditional apprenticeship path into design is vanishing, replaced by unpaid gigs and a survival-of-the-connected ethos.

Content design leadership with Connie Wu. What does it mean to be a content leader? Connie Wu, former Head of Content Design at TikTok, joins Patrick for a LinkedIn Live podcast recording to share lessons learned on the leadership path. Get the podcast recap!

Thomas Chan shows how Agile concepts can help content teams manage chaos without burning out, covering scope, Kanban, squad structure, and retros.

Must-have content design artifacts. Rebecca Nguyen shares how using the right tools, templates, and documents at the right time can help you work more efficiently, collaborate more effectively, and demonstrate the power of content design. Try these artifacts out for yourself.

Ray Newman reminds us that small improvements matter, and that content designers can help make those small improvements add up to big improvements over time.

Best Figma plugins for writers in 2022. So many plugins, so little time. This roundup from Frontitude is definitely worth referencing though. It includes everything from search and navigation plugins to visual support and placeholder plugins to replace Lorem Ipsum for good. Give it a bookmark!

Burcu Ozguclu argues that UX writing isn't dying in the age of AI -- it's becoming dangerously invisible, making it easier for organizations to undervalue and erase it.

When life gives you lemons, write better error messages. How did the team at Wix tackle thousands of error messages in the span of one month? Set aside this post from Jenni Nadler to learn more about the aptly named Errorgate 2021.

Figma's guide to Figma. Wondering which bells and whistles are worth implementing in your content mocks? Figma's own Ryan Reid compiled a comprehensive overview for UX writers picking up and learning the tool. Get the guide.

What job are your words doing? For many users, "just" picking up the phone, or "simply" filling out a form is anything but easy. In this post, Lizzie Cass-Maran shows the nuances of word choice and how we can make our writing clear and friendly—without using any microaggressions.

Spotify keeps it personal. In this one, Jasmine Bilham explores how the streaming service uses emotional design to keep listeners (and users) coming back to their product year after year. Read the full blog.

Everyone has a type. Content designers come in all shapes, sizes, and creative "types." Knowing yours will help you maximize your potential. Discover if you're a Thinker, Maker, Dreamer, and more with this gorgeous quiz designed by Adobe.

Our go-to UX glossary. Our field is full of terminology and technical jargon that can be hard to decipher. Pretty ironic, huh? If you need a primer, Tina Golub's UX glossary is a great place to start.

To err is human. To write helpful error messages, divine. Learn how you can go above and beyond the "golden formula" with this useful guide from Kyra Lee, UXCC instructor and Associate UX Writer at UserTesting. The key takeaway? Empathize with users and the people you work with.

It's an experience library. Design systems are great, but the name implies only designers use them. And that's not the case! Enter: The Experience Library. It's a place for anyone working on products, services, and comms to go for content guidelines, design principles, and accessibility standards. Explore the Co-op library to get inspired.

Anticipation. Context. Empathy. Apple gets to the core (see what we did there?) of designing inclusive interfaces for their products with the P.A.C.E. framework. Revisit the WWDC 2022 session exploring human-centric writing for interfaces through the lens of language.

Create a content ecosystem map. Who doesn't love a good map? Scott Kubie has a great resource collecting a few articles on creating content maps. If you're confused about the content across your organization, no matter the format, this is a good start to get stuff organized.

Inclusive UX writing at HelloFresh. Wondering what this looks like in practice? Emerson Schroeter shares how HelloFresh content designers incorporate inclusive language into their products and train in accessibility as a team. Read the blog post.

Content + design = a match made in heaven. We know you know this already, but it's important to reiterate. Our teams—and ultimately our products—are better when we work together. Jan Rojcek, UX Director at Indeed, shares how their team improved communication and built a framework for effective collaboration. This is a must-read.

Systemizing your product copy. If we can rely on design systems for button font, sizing, and colors, shouldn't the same be the case for the text that goes on the button? Text is a system, after all. Our friends at Ditto explore this idea in their Config talk and recap blog post.

The best resources mentioned at Button 2022. Button was a great experience, but there were so many tools, books, resources, and other goodies referenced that it can be hard to keep track. Clare Scott compiled all the resources into a handy list.

Content-first design wins. We know that you know content-first design matters or you wouldn't be reading this. But here we are! This blog post serves as a great reminder—or excuse—to forward to a coworker who doesn't quite get it yet. Read more from Liam King on the GatherContent blog.

Designing for ADHD makes for better experiences. Minimizing distractions and reducing cognitive load benefits all users. I mean, who doesn't want a more clear, more focused experience? Here's a great use case on why designing for accessibility actually makes your product better for everyone.

Time to put your research hat on. Wondering what makes your users tick? The good people over at User Interviews have compiled a comprehensive guide to user research—covering everything from selecting participants and conducting sessions to analyzing the data and reporting out findings. Bookmark this user research guide.

Content designers and technical writers assemble. When UX content design and technical writing teams unite, they access content superpowers. UX Mag explains this synergy.

Designing with words. In this one, Rachel McConnell, Torrey Podmajersky, Ben Martin, and Laura Costantino share their POV on how to best integrate content design into a product development lifecycle and how to measure if it's working or not. See their responses…

R-E-S-P-E-C-T. That's right! All users deserve to be treated well. And it's about more than just sounding friendly in your microcopy. Nick DiLallo offers up eight ways content designers can focus on a little respect in their content.

Stop being so polite. Yes, you read that right. No more "sorry" or "please" in your writing. Why? A lot of that polite language can actually get in the way of a good user experience. Which is pretty impolite, eh? Read more pointers from the Carmax UX team.

Five tips for simplifying UX. This one from Maggie Wilson reminds us of a few reliable ways to improve product harmony with words. One quote that stands out: "In the end, though, the complexity of language should be inappreciable." Read the full post to get inspired.

Five steps for building a content design system. As @zeldman so eloquently said, design without content is just "decoration." In this blog, Jordan Bowman outlines how to set up a content design system using Ditto and Figma.

Misfit? This is why you're great at content. We all have unique perspectives to bring to the content design table. This podcast episode of Content Rookie explores how UX content folks can embrace "counterculture" and their own quirky abilities. Catch the episode with Nicole Michaelis and guest Bill Kurland. Next, read Bill's take on punk in UX.

Microcopy, big value. While effective single-word CTAs look effortless, it actually takes years of practice to master the art of succinct writing and delivering the right message to users at the right time. Make like Picasso and take pride in the utility of all copy, macro and micro. Read more from Hannah McKenzie for Atlassian's blog.

Designing a more effective portfolio. There's no one-size-fits-all formula for creating a standout portfolio. José Torre shares advice in this post from Shopify UX—and just look at those delightful illustrations.

User Inyerface. Alright, this one is completely useless. Well, that's the point. In this game, you'll have to see how fast you can fill out a form while running into the worst UX/UI design practices known to humankind. Try out the game…

20 content designers share their daily routines. Although no two days look the same, Megan O'Neill started to uncover interesting trends and insights when interviewing 20 content designers from different organizations—including tools, structure, and process. Read Megan's post.

Know your worth. Feeling left out (or worse, undervalued) by your own colleagues? As a UX writer, there are many ways you can elevate your role, communicate the critical work that you do, and get your whole team on your court. Get the top six effective tips to do just that in this Medium article.

You get a request! You get a request! They come in from Slack. Email. Asana. Taps on the shoulder. It's time to put an end to the content request madness. Over on the Writer blog, check out advice for how the busiest content teams handle internal requests.

How to use storytelling in UX. According to Scientific America, 65% of conversation is stories. I mean, who doesn't love hearing about a relationship's happy ending or eavesdropping on some juicy gossip? Over on the Smashing Magazine blog, Marli Mesibov shares how we can channel these human instincts to make our products engaging. Read more on the art of storytelling.

Get the international inclusive writing guide. If you found the Gender-Inclusive Language Project videos helpful, we've got more for you. This time, our project speakers teamed up to put together a tangible guide full of inclusive writing best practices for your team to follow. Get the international guide.

Product too complex to explain? Sounds like the perfect job for storytelling. Content designers Jane Palash and Dana Young share how the Shopify UX team brought the Marketplace Kit to life with the help of a clear narrative. Check out the case study.

Designing for cognitive accessibility. At Confab earlier this spring, Amy Grace Wells took the stage to advocate for neurodiversity in content design. The team has made the video publicly available, and we're giving it the signal boost it deserves. Set aside 27+ minutes for this talk.

Imagine playing Scrabble without rules. First of all, it would be a complete free-for-all in my house. Second, it wouldn't make any sense. Alana Fialkoff uses this example to illustrate just how interconnected product and content can (and should) be. Without product design, there's nothing for our words to shape. Without content design, there's no cohesive story for our product to tell. Read the full piece to see how we're stronger together.

What do moving and content audits have in common? Only everything. Both require making detailed pre-start lists—what to keep/toss and logistics. Both need a packing strategy, like grouping kitchen items and specific observations together into larger containers. This Shopify blog post furnishes handy takeaways like how to rank the problems you want to solve in order of importance—for any task you're facing.

Perfecting your content design portfolio. To help her break into the content design role of her dreams, India-raised, Italy-based designer Kasturi Roy created an online portfolio from a blank page in 45 days. See the behind-the-scenes breakdown of the process.

Time to spill all the tea. Wondering what it's like to work on a UX writing team for a streaming company like Spotify? Same. Well, wonder no more! Anjana Menon, Fran Catanuso, Nicole Michaelis, and Chris Diken answer some of the most common Qs they get in their DMs. Dive in on the Spotify blog.

Think like a PM. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Michelle Sargent, Senior Content Strategist at Indeed, outlines ways content designers can adopt a product manager mindset to better prepare and pitch ideas.

Does ADHD optimize creativity? The research points to yes. In this piece, Eleanor Turner explores the link between neurodivergence and innovative thinking. We also love that the visuals included throughout were made by four creatives living with ADHD. Read the full post.

Resume content we like to see. Considering a career in UX? Make sure to refer to NN/g's guide to designing the perfect resume, complete with advice including what to include, framing your non-UX work experience, and what to avoid (sorry, headshots are a no-go).

UX is ch-ch-changing. Our field has invented and re-invented itself over the years. We've moved from sites to apps and other digital products. We've moved from Agile to Lean. In this post, Andy Budd argues that "the spirit of UX is around. It's just not evenly distributed." Read more about the slow (but inevitable) demise of UX design.

Hold the hamburgers, please. No, not your lunch. The design pattern! As we continue to move towards a mobile-first world, it's essential to consider how our smartphone navigation designs should adapt. Smashing Magazine covers how to create a seamless mobile UX.

When product and content team up, customers win. Time for a case study. This one from Ariel van Spronsen shows how a product designer and a content designer collaborated closely to redesign the HubSpot CMS domain connection flow. Success. Check it out on the HubSpot blog.

Up for a challenge? Card sorting, journey mapping, usability testing. This collection of UX challenges from UX Tools is as good as gold.

You gotta love the process. If you want to work in content design, you've got to love all of the research, testing, and iteration that goes into the end product. UXCC's own Patrick Stafford shares this and other advice for career transitioners with the folks at Working In Content. Read the interview for more pointers.

Podcast: Managing design system content. In this episode, Larry Swanson chats with Nicole Michaelis, Senior UX Writer at Spotify, on creating and managing design-system content. Good stuff. Important stuff. Catch the conversation here.

The case for storytelling in case studies. In this post, Jamie Wallace shares why (and how) you can reverse engineer an effective case study and approach it like a best-selling author. Taking notes… More over on the Writer blog.

Re-designing an industry. Airbnb has flipped the traditional travel booking user flow to incentivize exploration, with a keen focus on delivering the best experience, no matter where. Daniel de Mello unpacks the app's "biggest change in a decade" and ponders the potential impacts it could have on the travel industry as a whole. Read more on Airbnb's redesign.

How to mock up UX writing. Sick of just handing over Google docs? This primer from Dropbox Design includes methods for delivering copy that actually sit within the design itself.

Some UX writing guidelines from Adobe. It's always good to brush up on the basics, right? This one checks all the right boxes.

How to get into UX writing (a field guide) from Katherine Karaus. A great starting point if you're thinking of a career change in 2021 — or even now.

How to design with real content in Figma. Ah, Figma. The year you really started running. This article is a great resource for writers to do more.

How to be a successful UX writer at Netflix. Ben-Barone Nugent, a content designer, sat down with the Writers of Silicon Valley podcast about hypothesis-driven design.

Collaborating on copy with Ditto, the Figma plugin. This start-up really took off by letting design teams manage copy throughout the product process. Let's see where they go in 2021!

Writing for onboarding. One of the most crucial tasks a content designer or UX writer can undertake = the onboarding flow. Some fantastic tips from Adobe here.

Five steps to an effective content strategy from Rachel McConnell. Self-explanatory, really! Rachel is one of the best in the business, and this article is a must-read. One that you can go back to again and again.

How to fix your broken error messages. These are some of the most important components you can write for and getting them right is crucial. Check out Shopify's tips on how to make your errors as effective as possible.

Tips for your UX writing portfolio. Need to give your portfolio a boost? Not sure where to start? Andy Welfle (no intros needed) shares advice for designing a kickass UX writing portfolio to stand out in your job search.

The Daily UX Writing Challenge. Raise your hand if you've taken the DUXW Challenge. Great! If you're new to this, even better. Sign up to get a new UX writing prompt delivered to your inbox daily. The result? Become a better UX writer in just 15 days.

How to succeed as a sole UX writer. UX writer, party of one? You're not alone. As the sole writer on a design team, Kendra Ralson shares how to navigate this complex experience and advocate for your work.

How to write for voice experiences. What's the difference between writing for reading vs. writing for hearing? In this blog, Anna Joliffe shares four key tips for voice experiences. Required reading for anyone interested in this growing field.

5 ways to build your professional UX writing network. It's not always just about what you know, but about *who* you know. This post from Alexandra Duncan offers community-building tips to expand your UX writing network.

Writing inclusive copy. As UX writers, we should aim to make our work available and enjoyable for everyone. Kaitlyn Luckow shares tips for getting started with inclusive and accessible copy.

Content first approach. What is the Content First approach? Why should you use it? This quote says it all. "If you don't have time to do it content first, you must have time and budget to do it over."

Articulating our role in the design process. Question: How and when should content designers be involved in the product design process? Answer: Every stage. Bookmark this informative piece (including a very helpful diagram) from Rachel McConnell.

The psychology of UX writing. It's so much more than crafting button CTAs or editing error messages. Read on to see why UX writing has a lot to do with emotional and cognitive psychology.

The myth of brainstorming. We often think brainstorming ideas is just as easy as throwing as many concepts as possible on a piece of paper. This piece by Julio Martínez examines why that might not be the case.

Yes, you really do need a UX writer. In this great post, Sophie Tahran explores how copy is often an afterthought for digital interfaces. And why it shouldn't be. Next time someone asks what you actually do at work, just throw this at them.

The UX writing process. How is the UX writing process similar to the UX design process? Sara Border created this great resource to help break it down. Good to keep in mind if you need a bit more structure to your work.

A handy UX writing glossary. This year, we teamed up with Strings to create the ultimate UX writing glossary. Keep this one in your back pocket. Forward it to your team. Print and hang it on your fridge.

How technical constraints shape microcopy. Ever tempted to just rag on a piece of microcopy? Not so fast. Yael Ben-David reminds us there are plenty of technical constraints under the surface that users can't see.

How to incorporate content into your design system. A big trend this year has included more UX writers and content strategists introducing content principles into systems. Want to do the same? This piece from our very own Bobbie Wood is a great start.

Getting your first job as a content designer. We all have to start somewhere. Step one? Reading this article from Content Design London.

Nailing the content strategy interview. These interviews can be fairly difficult, so it helps to have some notes and guidance beforehand. Angelique Little provides just that.

How to maximize the impact of content design. Jonathon Coleman's presentation has received a lot of good feedback this year, and rightly so. It's one of the best primers for how to really make an impact inside wherever you work.

Verbs are hard. Sophia Prater digs into why verbs are hard and what this means for the UX writing process. Read on.

Atomic design needs atomic writers. What is atomic design? How can UX writers leverage it? Russell Norris shares insight in this excellent blog post.

UX writing at IKEA. In this interview with Amy Johansson, Senior UX Writer and Customer Journey Specialist, they discuss the rise of UX writing as an integral part of IKEA's development process.

Intro to conversation design. This post is a transcript of the first-ever conversation design workshop at Cornell University, hosted by Cornell AppDev and Google.

What you need to know about UX + copywriting. What makes a UX writer different from a copywriter? Read on, my friend.

Crafting content experiences in a mobile-first world. How can you optimize your website for small screens? Erin Schroeder breaks down how to design content that's mobile-friendly.

Looking for a technical writer? Follow these tips for success so you can be efficient and effective in this process.

Massive list of content design & UX writing resources. Do you look forward to content-packed listicles filled with UX writing goodness? Then you're sure to love this. Plus you'll see a few familiar faces in this roundup (hello, Bobbie Wood and Kinneret Yifrah).

All you need to know about button design. Ah, the good ol' button. AKA one of the main interactive building blocks for creating a user interface. This piece from Taras Bakusevych looks at the anatomy of buttons and how to use them wisely.

Writing inclusive copy. We can't summarize this important topic in one single blog post. But Kaitlyn Luckow shares a few tips on how to get started.

Awesome technical communication. A curated list of awesome resources about technical writing, UX, content strategy, and content marketing.

What's in a job title anyway? One of the biggest discussions in our community this year has been around job titles and responsibilities. Brain Traffic's Kristina Halverson does a fantastic job of breaking each of them down. This is a great reference point for the industry moving forward.

Taxonomies and metadata 101. Expert in taxonomy and Image Librarian at Primark, Alice Walsh shares the fundamentals of metadata for beginners in the field.

Can't get enough of Andy Welfle and Michael Metts? Neither can we. They delve into their Writing is Designing book as part of the Montreal UX Content Strategy Meetup.

Localization in UX writing is a big deal, and it's only going to get bigger. In fact, we think it's becoming a fundamental part of any UX writer's toolkit. This is a great guide as to why you should care about it plus some things you can start doing now.

When and how should you be involved in the product design process? Rachel McConnell breaks it down on Medium, adding a content layer to the traditional design thinking framework. This one is worthy of printing out and stashing at your desk.

Why did Facebook change its content strategy team to "content design"? They break it down on Medium – a lot to ponder here, and we think this is just the start of what's going to happen in 2021.

Roy West is one of the most experienced UX writers in the industry. He's worked for everyone from NeXT to Google, Uber, and now, Apple. Design X Us has a fantastic conversation with Roy about his career and UX writing in general. Well worth checking out for newbies and experienced designers alike.

This one's just simple and cool. Writers and designers at Dropbox got together to create a book that shows how digital tools are helping filmmakers create stuff. A great examples of writers and designers collaborating to make fantastic things happen.

Not specific to UX writing, but fundamental information. The hierarchy of interface design is crucial to understanding good design. As content designers, we need to know this well. The more you understand the fundamentals here, the better your writing decisions will be.

10 lessons I've learned practicing UX writing. A great way to end the year and to start another. Some fundamental lessons that should ground all of us, no matter how experienced, no matter where we work. It all boils down to some basic lessons – so keep them close to heart.

How to write digital products with personality. It's possible to add character to your product in many ways—with colors, fonts, illustrations, and more. Nick DiLallo highlights how choosing the right words at the right time will shape the entire user experience.

Tackling complex design debt. Inconsistent product functionality, wildly differing UI components, and conflicting terminology can have significant consequences for your business—if left unchecked. Alex Potrivaev, Senior Product Designer at Intercom, shares a simple three-step framework for managing it.

How not being a native English speaker makes me a better UX writer. Companies often list "native English speaker" as a job requirement but are they missing out on first-class writing talent? We think so. This blog post by Dragana Milovanovic is an important reminder of why not being a native English speaker makes you perfect for user experience writing roles. And key to that is pure human empathy.

Jargon and its discontents. Good ol' jargon. We love to hate it, but sometimes we can't write without it. Lynne Carstarphen, Senior Writer at Square, offers a glimpse into crafting clear, transparent financial copy and how to discern if and when jargon is appropriate.

Learn more" is not enough. Are your CTAs serving a specific purpose, or are they acting more like fillers? Alice Chen makes the case for why descriptive CTAs are more accessible, SEO-friendly, and contribute to an overall better UX. Read this post on our blog.

How to structure and present your UX portfolio. The infamous interview portfolio presentation. If just thinking about this gives you anxiety, just know you're not alone. It all boils down to showing that you can articulate your ideas, processes, and concepts. Need inspiration? UXfolio has your back.

Content rookie: UX writing, content strategy, and content design. Where is the industry now? Where is it going? And why are the roles and titles so freaking confusing? In this podcast episode, Jane Ruffino and Nicole Michaelis discuss all things UX writing. Give it a listen.

Career reflection and advice with Michael J. Metts. This very, very thorough post over on WorkingInContent.com covers UX, content, conversational AI, and Michael's career to date. He also shares advice for those navigating content careers. A fabulous resource to keep handy.

10 tools for UX writers and content designers. Fire up your browser. Get your bookmarks ready. Here are some popular tools to understand your audience and craft content that addresses their needs. Kudos to Christopher Greer for this list.

How to "steal like a designer" and boost creativity. Great ideas aren't born out of thin air… they're stolen. It's not your fault—it's science! It turns out humans can't ideate without prior sensory input. This great read from Daria Vorontsova, Product Designer at Intercom, shows how you can tap into "stealing" to produce your next designs with ease.

Design communication is a critical skill. Good designing = good communicating. Kazden Cattapan, Product Designer at Shopify, highlights how you can build trust by explaining your designs effectively and understanding the needs of your stakeholders. Great frameworks to follow, folks.

Testing copy at Netflix. The problem: The Netflix team lacked an efficient way to run copy tests, including language-focused optimizations, at scale. The solution? Enter Shakespeare. Find out how the team deployed a tool that lets content designers run lighter-weight copy tests without heavy engineering support. More from the Netflix Technology Blog.

A proven method for showing the value of good UX. Looking to get leadership buy-in? Start by identifying frustrations caused by poor UX and isolating said frustration costs. Thanks to Jared Spool for this one.

The design process ≠ a process. Fact: one approach does not fit all scenarios. Instead of just thinking of design as a procedure to follow, think of it as a toolbox. Then, you'll learn to reach for the right tools in the right situations. Jordan Bowman dropping knowledge over on UX Tools.

How would a dog write error messages? How would a bird use punctuation? Jane Ruffino is at it again with this tabletop exercise to help develop your product's voice, tone, and style. Check out the Miro file and get to writing.

Experience consistency is key. And the key to consistent experiences is asset mapping. This article from Nielsen Norman Group breaks down how to use asset maps vs. customer-journey maps, plus the benefits of doing so in the first place. Let's see those maps!

So you're writing a writing guide. Now what? Whether you're a new writer or just new at a company, acclimating to the brand's voice takes time. Justin Whaley gives us a glimpse at the new source for Square's voice and tone.

Understanding visual hierarchy. Do your users follow a Z of F scanning pattern while browsing your site? How can you design your content to naturally fit their searching behaviors? Thanks to Interaction Design Foundation for outlining how visual hierarchy helps keep our content organized and aligned with natural eye patterns.

Make more mistakes! Cayla Dorsey is a content designer at Microsoft, and she made a bunch of errors in her first year. In her article, she describes these learning experiences, but also why she hopes you make the same mistakes too.

Why should content come first? We really appreciate this web designer's view of what makes content so important to design—and why it should come first. Forward this to anyone who doubts investing in content from the start.

How to make your documentation inclusive. Google developers are getting inclusive, and we love it! See what Google's documentation style guide currently recommends for tech writers to avoid potentially harmful phrases and terms. A fantastic resource to share with your dev team.

Computers are getting better at writing. What do GPT-3 and Kafka have in common? This New Yorker piece explores how artificial intelligence and machine learning will transform our education system, the fields we work in, and the future of creative writing. A fascinating—and only mildly terrifying—look at AI tools like Sudowrite.

Don't fear Figma. Are you feeling frustrated with Figma? Looking for pointers on how to get the most out of the tool? This resource, curated by Mateus Da Silva, Product Designer at Netflix, is a fantastic place to start. It includes everything from beginner pointers to full-length courses. Have some fun with it!

Content is complex. Content has never been more important, but the truth is it's freaking hard. In this blog post for Gather Content, co-founder and product director Angus Edwardson outlines three effective components of ContentOps to level up the way we all work with, uh, content.

6 must-try workshops for content designers. This post from Rachel McConnell outlines everything from the pre-mortem to stakeholder mapping and the best way to approach workshops for your organization's content needs. Before you schedule your next session, definitely give this a read!

Jump on this UX research tool train. The team over at User Interviews polished up the "UX Research Tools subway system," and it appears to be running smoother than ever. Yes, it's intended to be read like a real public transit map. There are even 18 subway lines, each representing a function key to the user research workflow. Hop aboard and save this for future design commutes!

Inclusive writing at Apple. At the latest WWDC conference, we got a sneak peek at all the new exciting updates across our favorite apps, devices, and browsers. It also looks like the Apple content team is taking a fresh look at their own internal style guide—releasing an updated section dedicated specifically to inclusive writing. We love to see it.

11 key content design considerations. Content design is complex! In this blog post, Erica Jorgensen, Senior UX Content Designer at Microsoft, shares the key things she thinks about and takes into consideration while doing the work. Next time someone asks you to "whip up" some content real quick, just send them the link to this article…

Four emerging roles in content. We can debate job titles all day long, but we're at the point where we can all recognize universal content roles within organizations. Right? In this LinkedIn post, John Collins of Atlassian untangles four content functions: content strategy, content design, content engineering, and content ops. Thoughts? Can you poke holes in this theory?

Accessibility shouldn't be an afterthought. We appreciate the work Craig Abbott and his team are doing over at DWP Digital to create a community-led accessibility manual that doesn't leave anyone out of the conversation. Read more on GOV.UK.

How do you design content for death? When you work in funeral care, you must operate with a high level of compassion, clarity, and empathy—all things super relevant to UX writing work. Helen Lawson and the content design team at Co-op Funeralcare share how they embody four fundamental principles in their content design and communication decisions.

All about ContentOps audits. Way less scary than a tax audit, we promise. In this post from Llibertat, Rob Mills outlines what they are, how to do them, and why they're super important for understanding your org. Audit away!

Who doesn't love free design tools? Yes, you're free to use these 33 online design tools the next time you're in a design pickle. There are some really fun font options, infographic templates, photo resources, and customizable videos. Thanks to HubSpot for this handy roundup.

Establishing a UX writing practice at OutSystems. Companies restructure, responsibilities change, and new hires come on board. You know the drill! During one of these moments of change, the folks at OutSystems realized it was time to make space for a UX practice. Here's a great behind-the-scenes look from Marina Calado at what it really takes to build from the ground up.

All for one, and one for all. The folks over at Adobe released their new inclusivity guidelines for UX writing as part of the Spectrum design system. This guide breaks down writing about people, writing for readability, and writing with visuals. Give the inclusive language guidelines a read!

36% is the magic number. Jonathon Colman, Former Senior Design Manager at Intercom, set out to uncover how much text takes up screen real estate in the most popular iOS apps. This case study does not disappoint.

The UX writer's checklist. Pre-design planning? Check. Aligning with designers? Check. The folks at Frontitude spoke with 100+ teams about where content design fits within their overall processes. Check out these six steps for an efficient UX writing workflow that puts content at the forefront.

The price is write. The way prices are designed on product pages is more nuanced than you might think. So how can we balance UX writing ethics with marketing priorities? Blanca Rego, a content designer and localization specialist based in Spain, shares some very useful insights on our blog.

Houston, we have a content definition problem. If you don't debate your title with colleagues, do you even work in content design? UX writing? Content strategy? What are we calling ourselves these days? Roles and responsibilities aside, Kristina Halvorson's blog post gives us the rallying cry to align moving forward.

Let's make content design official. In case you missed it, Lyft is following in several big tech footsteps (think Facebook, Uber, Firefox, and Shopify) to change their team titles from UX Writing to Content Design. Amy Lipner shares how a discipline-wide struggle to find the "right title" mirrors our day-to-day work finding "the right word." Read on to see what this means for their team and the discipline going forward.

So long, portfolio perfectionism. What do hiring managers look for in portfolios? Jonathon Colman answers this million-dollar question in this post from HubSpot. Perhaps the most important reminder of all: There's no such thing as perfect. Read that again. Progress wins over perfection every. single. time. Get your hands on this advice.

Up for a new challenge? Looking for a low-key way to brush up on your convo design skills? Enter the Daily Conversation Design Challenge in collaboration with UXCC course author Hillary Black and the one and only Ryan Farrell. Sign up to get 14 days of free practice! You can add your prompts to your portfolio, share 'em with the LinkedIn group for feedback.

What makes an experience memorable? Delighting the user with clever microcopy has become the norm. To stand out, brands need to find ways to engage on a deeper level. Enter the memorable experience framework! This is a super long read from Audree Lapierre, but it's worth every second. Grab a coffee (or tea, if that's your thing) and get ready to take notes.

UX Content Collective cofounder and CEO Patrick Stafford interviews content designers and UX writers from around the world.

Content Design with Friends is a podcast about UX, content, and the people behind the words.

Edifying conversations with content strategists of all stripes: enterprise, UX design, product, branding, technical, etc.

Demystifying and democratizing AI for content professionals.

A podcast for people who want to learn UX writing, Content Marketing, Content Design and Copywriting. Join Nicole Michaelis and guests to discuss the practice (and art) of all things content.

Join host Kristina Halvorson as she interviews the expert leaders and exciting new voices who are shaping the field of content strategy. From UX to CX, accessibility to content ops, episodes dive deep into topics that inform how we shape digital content … and how it, in turn, shapes us.

Manage copy from design to production.

Frontitude provides a single source for design and product teams to manage their UX content from design to production.

Conduct tests online with real users.

Lokalise is a continuous localization and translation management platform.

The Massive List of Content Design & UX Writing Resources

What are the critical skills that Content Designers use to make business impact? This project researched those skills, surveyed more than 1000 content designers worldwide, and connected those skills to business impact.