Why Torrey Podmajersky just can’t seem to relax

I interviewed Torrey Podmajersky author of Strategic Writing for UX (and UX writer at Google), about her career so far, and who’s inspired her in the design world.

Can you briefly explain how your career led you to your current role at Google?

I was talked into my first UX writing role at Xbox in 2010, when “UX writer” hadn’t appeared as a title, yet. The writing manager explained that my background as a high-school science teacher was ideal: I already had experience helping teenagers understand abstract concepts in concrete ways, with simple language. He promised that he had a good team, and that I could learn what I needed to know while I was there. He was right.

Since then, I worked in UX writing roles in Windows and in Microsoft Education, and then moved to a startup called OfferUp. I first started at Google on a contract project, which turned into a full-time role.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing those in content disciplines right now?

Content is, in general, about half of any digital design. But most of that content hasn’t been designed. Content folks still need to educate the industry about which problems we can solve, which problems we can’t solve, and which opportunities content can realise.

How do you see the future of content and UX writing evolving?

I see content and UX writing becoming more of a first-class citizen in the toolkit of UX teams. For that to happen, teams need to recognise how much better that half of the design can be, and start to learn principles and guidelines to judge “goodness” of text beyond how the team “feels” about it.

What in the tech industry are people not talking enough about?

As long as we don’t take full responsibility for the text we write, we fail to take responsibility for the social and ethical implications of those designs. People use tech to do their jobs, drive their cars, maintain their health, and connect with each other. Those designs are all built to meet business purposes, and those ulterior motives influence people’s experiences in myriad ways.

Who are your content or design heroes?

I am most impressed with people who model fantastic ways of creating with others. People like Bryce Johnson, the co-inventor of the Xbox Adaptive Controller, who built a team around listening to people, believing them, and working hard to make all of their good ideas happen. There’s also Tina Roth Eisenberg, founder of Creative Mornings and more, who leads from a place of loving possibility. I saw her make the case for wearing our hearts on our sleeves as a business strategy — and dang, does it work well. There’s also Don Knuth, who not only wrote the Art of Computer Programming, but also wrote the very best ever digital typesetting program — TeX. I repeat his maxim frequently: “Do not optimise too early.”

When you’re not writing for Google, how do you like to relax?

In the past year, I’ve come to realise that I need to learn about this thing called “relaxing.” I’ve been optimising (too early) for doing as many things as possible, especially in learning new creative skills. So I’m pretty good at intensive non-work activity like making shoes, jewellery, garments, writing fiction, drawing, designing simple machines, printmaking, and suchlike — but it’s not relaxing. So lately I’ve been engaging in needlepoint and knitting, which has a lot more orderly repetition with fewer decisions.

Content by Design takes place on 6th and 7th July. Tickets are on sale now.

This event is brought to you by Clearleft. Clearleft is a strategic design & innovation consultancy based in Brighton UK. Our team of industry-leading strategists, design thinkers, technologists and innovators work alongside global brands to help design leaders get the most from their products, services & teams.