Our field evolved a ton in 2021! We’ve pulled together the most popular resources for you to enjoy and keep handy in the year ahead. We know you might be thinking, “Another roundup?” Yes, but you’ll want to bookmark this one. Let’s get to it.
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. How Atlassian’s design teams go from idea to execution. Natalie Coy took to Invision’s blog to offer a behind-the-scenes look at Atlassian’s design process. And the team was gracious enough to share their top Confluence templates to help teams like yours. Check it out.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. “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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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. 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.
11. The UX on this small child is terrible. Quite possibly the most relatable post yet? Read on to see Leslie Ylinen’s proposed feedback for creating a more compatible user-centered child experience. More from McSweeney’s.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. 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!
19. 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
