The Best Kept UX Secret Is … Writers?

Have a look at the talks being given at any major tech conference, and I guarantee you will not see any dedicated to writing for UX. Why? It could be that it’s not sexy like design or so obviously integral like engineering. It could be that writing doesn’t require special training, programs, or equipment. It could be that writing seems easy because it’s something most of us are doing all day, every day. Whatever the reason, writing, particularly as it relates to UX and design, is undervalued by our industry.

But make no mistake: If you’re a tech company that creates user-facing digital things, you need a writer.

Here’s why:

• You want a stellar UX — Any digital product requires a consistent look, feel, and personality. Whether website or app, words are the most direct user touchpoint. They not only guide users through an experience, but also (hopefully) endear them to it along the way. A writer creates a strategy and approach to giving voice to a product, ensuring every piece of copy works toward bringing it to life and connecting with users.
• You need a specialist — So who’s writing user-facing copy? By my scientific estimation, everyone and their mom. UI text by a designer, error messages by devs, onboarding by marketing … chaos reigns! This results in a broken UX, every time. A writer works with and across all teams to ensure a unified experience that puts the user first, while still taking into consideration and solving for business objectives.
• You want continuity — No digital product is an island. Each is accompanied by a ton of content, whether that’s release notes, a product website, a press release, etc. Who better to write that content than the person who built and executed the copy strategy in the first place? A writer provides consistency across channels.

Our industry loves hacking this and optimizing for that, but what if the simplest way to improve the UX of your products is to hire a writer? For now, the idea is still … obscure. How obscure? Last year I set a Google alert for “UX copywriting” and received only one, a terrific @InVisionApp blog post from @johnamwill. Still, I’m optimistic about the future. For more on the topic, you can check out a previous blog post here. Thoughts? I’d love to hear them.