Who says designers don’t write?
Katie, a Product Designer at FutureLearn, talks to some of the Design and UX team to find out a bit more about their writing habits.
“Many designers have the ability to write, but don’t.” Graphic Designer Anna Burdick said this in 1993, and it’s still just as relevant today. As designers and researchers at FutureLearn, we write to communicate with our colleagues, learners and university partners. But not every designer enjoys writing — words can feel intimidating. I wanted to find out how the design and research team at FutureLearn feel about writing — so I asked the team one simple question: why do you write?
“I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.”
These aren’t my words. They are the words of the author Flannery O’Connor, but they articulate why I write better than I ever could.
Thoughts, ideas and opinions exist in my head. I often believe I fully understand them until I try to put them into words. At this point my thoughts become untethered and float away, ideas can fall flat on their face and opinions reveal themselves to be half-formed and confused. Writing can be a way for me to make sense of this mess.
Thoughts are ephemeral but words on a page are tangible and therefore feel like a commitment. The process of committing words to a page forces me to slow down, contemplate what I’m really trying to say and try to communicate it clearly. When I write I try to imagine the reader — would they understand, how might they respond, what questions might they ask?
In the end I might be the only person to read what I’ve written. But for Flannery O’Connor, that could be the main point.
- Kieran, Designer
“I write to gain clarity”
I write so that I can tell a story or find an approach to solving a problem. I write so that I can share what I’ve found and bring others along for the ride. I write because sometimes ideas are stronger written down. I write to analyse, uncover and explore — to translate unwieldy concepts into accessible knowledge. I write for different audiences; I ask who is reading this? What do they need to learn? Am I helping them? Words are powerful and I write to be kind, to make understanding easier — words can be user-friendly just like design.
- Katie, Designer
“When I write I usually do it for myself.”
I do it to be able to remember ideas and thoughts I have during the day. For me to write is a way to make thoughts become physical and memorable and not get lost in the way. Also, I write to be able to get my ideas out of my head and become a more tangible and reasonable thought, product or idea. For me there is no correct form or element to write on. From paper to digital to post-its to your own body, the only meaningful thing is to be able to register it and be able come back to it.
- Juan, Designer
“I write to make things real”
I write in order not to speak. Difficult conversations are not my forte.
I write to experiment. Playing with words, shapes and ideas.
I write to keep in touch. Far away friends and busy lives.
I write so that I don’t worry. To pin down the swirl of thoughts in my brain.
I write to remember. I’ve learnt the hard way that my memory isn’t as good as I think it is.
I write to clarify. To shape my ideas and formulate my thinking.
I write to vent. I do not always share these writings.
I write to show emotion. Affection is easier to show on paper.
I write to arrange. Dinners with friends, holidays with family.
I write to feel the pen in my hand. The pressure of the nib. The flow of the ink.
I write to hear the clack of the keyboard. The tap of my fingers. The swoosh of the email.
But mostly, I read.
- Sandra, Designer
“I write because it’s a great way of dealing with emotion and stress.”
One can get lost in the nuances of grammar and entangled in the unique quirks of the English language, in a way that focusses the mind and calms the ego. The act of putting thought to paper is similar to the practice of meditation for me. A singular focus, within specific constraints that enables one to become lost in time until a sudden moment of reflection occurs. That or extraneous, distracting factors.
It is an indulgent way to spend time (when time allows), to reflect on ideas, occurrences or more often than not, topics relating to design and UX. Writing is a brilliant tool that helps with critical thinking and problem solving. Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on how you look at these things) I more often than not find myself re-writing past work, as never is a piece of prose perfect!
Over time, I’ve come to believe more and more so, writing is very closely related to design. Storytelling, the art of how words fall together, how they look on a page and how each paragraph, passage, page and chapter interrelates with each other, is all an art form. Owned and written by characters, each with individual style, approach, process and reason for why they write.
- Aimée, Creative Director
“I write when necessary”
Usually I write only if it’s necessary, for example when I have to make a note of something I don’t want to forget, when my work requires it and when I have to write as a communication tool. I like to write short and clear messages, but generally I don’t like to write. I always prefer to speak than putting together words on paper. I don’t like writing text messages as a communication tool, but unfortunately sometimes you can’t escape from that.
- Romina, Designer
“I write for clarity, to release, detangle, untie, make sense of my thoughts.”
Words form patterns that I otherwise can not see and places them in an order that I can understand. Writing forces me to underline my words, use quotations, exclamation and question marks, which all serve to animate my ideas and desires, and make them sing. I write so that what is abstract can be understood. I write so that what I feel and think becomes valid and concrete, to me at least. I write to preserve my memories, to capture moments so I can look back and see the changes… and the things that have not changed. I write to capture a part of me that people would otherwise not see. I write to be heard and I write to be seen. When speaking fails me… I write.
- Tracey, User Experience Researcher
“Why I write? I don’t.”
Well not very often and I will avoid it if at all possible.
Why? Because I find it very difficult and time consuming. Spelling, typos, poor reading ability and a very short attention span all work against me.
Recently I took an adult dyslexia test and recorded a score of 49.00 — which translates to showing signs consistent with mild dyslexia. Maybe this is the root cause.
I’m forcing myself to read books in a hope that I can improve both my reading and writing.
One of my objectives this year was to write three or more blog posts. I’ve managed two so far. I need to hurry up and start the third so it will be finished before the New Year.
- Dereck, UX Lead
