Embedded vs cross-squad: is there a ‘right way’ to work as a content designer?

I’ve been thinking lately about how every content design role I’ve had, the set-up has been slightly different. We talk a lot about the ideal models and ways of working, but I’m not entirely convinced there is a ‘right way’.

Some things to note: I’ve never worked in government or for a charity— only the private sector. I’ve also never worked for a consultancy. However, I have worked for a start-up, a bank and a couple of global publicly-listed companies. Whilst different in a lot of ways, all of these businesses have worked in either ‘squads’ or ‘scrum teams’. What I say here is based on those experiences, and I’ll just refer to ‘squads’ for consistency.

I’ve worked in 4 clear models as a content designer in the private sector. And whilst some are favoured more than others in our community, there are pros and cons for all of them. Here’s what I’ve found.

1. Embedded in one squad as the sole designer

Right now, I’m part of one squad, as the dedicated design rep. I meet with my fellow product designers to align and share work, but I’m ultimately responsible for the user experience in my squad’s product space. I’m also the only content designer in my business area. I’m not sure if I’ve seen this model in a place with multiple content designers, but I’d love to hear from you if you work like this!

🙂 Pros: Can deeply understand a problem space. Get to have more ownership over the design, not just the words. Feel like abilities and skills are recognised. Chance to hone UX and product design skills. Works really well if you’ve got a good design system.

🙁 Cons: Usually quite rare as content design isn’t always ‘trusted’ to do this. Don’t have as much time for content strategy or making sure content is consistent across the board. Not as easy if you don’t have a design system or content designers who want to do UX design ‘stuff’.

2. Embedded in one squad with a product design partner

In the past, I’ve worked in one squad alongside a product design ‘partner’. In an ideal world, the product and content design ratio in each squad is 1:1. More often though, squads are prioritised based on content design need, so some go without— or you’ll split your time between 2 or 3 squads.

🙂 Pros: Get to work closely with other design peers and pair a lot. The responsibility is shared. Feel ‘part’ of a design function. Can deeply understand a problem space. Can be great for midweight content designers or those new to a business. Works really well if there are multiple content designers in the business.

🙁 Cons: Usually not realistic due to budget and resourcing. Also don’t get to spend too much time on wider content strategy, like the first model (but this isn’t always a problem, if you’re not interested in it). Can be difficult if your product design partner doesn’t value or understand content design. Can quickly spin into the 3rd model if there aren’t enough content designers.

3. Working cross-squad holistically

For the majority of my content design career, I’ve worked like this across multiple squads and product spaces. This is most common for a lot of content designers and UX writers. You’re responsible for dipping in and out of product spaces, and making sure UX content is consistent across the board. Sometimes you’ll be assigned to a specific project or sprint.

🙂 Pros: Can choose to focus on the bits you enjoy and in the spaces you’re most valued. Learn a lot about prioritisation. Great if you enjoy spotting opportunities for improvement and alignment. Can be an opportunity to lean into a more content strategist-shaped role or a lead role. Can help you get a wider picture of a business. Good for moving between projects.

🙁 Cons: Often leads to burnout due to over-responsibility. Feel like you can’t “control” all the UX content. Requires a lot of advocacy unless your role is clearly defined. Often feel like you’re playing catch-up and context-switching. Can feel lonely if there aren’t any other content designers.

4. Working cross-squad but also consulting squads when needed

I’ve done this occasionally. You’re responsible for the holistic content design, but also spend time diving deeper into one product space when needed, usually alongside their dedicated product designer.

🙂 Pros: Best of both worlds. Can work quite well if you’re new to a business or trying to work out how to set up a content design team. Get the birds-eye view and the detailed view. Can check in to make sure things like content guidelines and being used correctly in-context. Works better in smaller companies.

🙁 Cons: Often leads to burnout and over-responsibility. Requires very strict prioritisation and definition of the role. Usually works best in a mature design team set-up or for seniors, but that isn’t always realistic. Content designers usually aren’t working to their ‘full potential’ due to context-switching and confusing responsibilities.

Reflection

As I reflect on these models, I realise that I’ve equally loved and hated every single one of them at different times.

It depends on the people around you, and what kind of thing you want to focus on at any given moment. For example, sometimes I think I want to transition to content strategy, so working holistically suits that. Other times, I’m want to hone my UX design skills, so being embedded in one squad helps this.

When you’re in a big team of content designers, it makes sense to focus on one squad. It’s nice having your product ‘home’. When you’re the sole content designer, this isn’t always realistic. Depending on the level of trust and flexibility you’re given, you might experiment with the models and see what works best.

Ultimately, each model has its benefits. I think experiencing all of them in some form can help push your career as a content designer — and also define what you love (or hate) most about the job.

What model do you work in? Do you have a favourite? Does it depend on the type of business and the rest of the set-up? I’d love to hear your view. 💗