Introducing the Digital and Innovation Team: Rob Parker, content designer
Rob tells us about content design at RNID, the projects he’s most proud of and his favourite ice cream flavours
Pronouns
He/him
Social media
Tell us about your role at RNID
I create content for the RNID website and our digital products and services.
I make sure every piece of content meets a user need(s) and is easy to understand and accessible.
This typically involves a lot of writing and editing but also includes:
- mapping user journeys
- analytics
- user research
- building webpages and webforms on the content management system.
I work collaboratively, particularly with user researchers, interaction designers, service designers and product managers, but also with subject matter experts across the charity.
How do we work effectively with a content designer?
A content designer can have the most impact on a project the earlier they’re involved.
Sometimes people might think they should come to a content designer with a fully developed idea of a piece of content (they might even have written a full draft already). They then might expect the content designer to polish the content and publish it on the web.
But it’s actually better for a content designer to be involved much earlier, so they can explore:
- the user need(s) we should address
- what format the content should to take (for example, a webpage; blog post; webform; video)
- what users are searching for online
- what language users use to talk about the subject
- any relevant data, user research or user feedback.
I’m always happy to chat and answer questions — send me a message!
What are you working on at the moment?
- Content for a redesigned volunteering section of the website
- Content for a new service we’re launching for hearing aid users across the UK
- A guide to accessibility features on social media.
Tell us about something you’ve been proud to work on
I’m very proud of our online hearing check. I really enjoyed working on the user journey and writing the instructions for users. It felt really fulfilling to work on a digital product that:
- helps people take care of their hearing
- is free
- only takes 3 minutes to use.
In its first year, over 50,000 people took the check. Read my blog about how we made the hearing check and how we’ll develop the product.
I’m passionate about digital accessibility so I’m also very proud of our guide to accessibility features on video conferencing apps. I look forward to launching a similar guide to accessibility on social media platforms soon.
I previously worked at Blood Cancer UK (formerly known as Bloodwise). I was proud to work on a series of videos for young people with blood cancer.
What’s your superpower as a content designer?
I’m not sure I have any superpowers, even if I do share my surname with Spider-Man.
But I think a crucial skill for a content designer is the ability to explain something in the simplest way possible.
It can take a lot of patience and thought to unpack complex information and translate it into something a user can understand the first time they read it.
But when you crack something, it’s very satisfying and fulfilling. You know you’ve made it easier for people to find information they need or to complete a task easily online.
Where are you working today?
I’m writing this in my flat in South London, with my cat next to me and Glastonbury coverage playing in the background.
What’s your favourite weekend activity?
I enjoy:
- playing the drums
- playing football
- reading and watching films (anything with good characters)
- running
- eating ice cream (as pictured). I’ll usually go for coffee, salted caramel or mint.
