From zero to UX writing hero: Where to start as a first-ever UX writer at your new workplace
When you’re the first UX editor in a company, it can be difficult to know where to start. But don’t worry! These five steps can help you hit the ground running and make a lasting impact.
Get in touch with stakeholders
The first thing you need to do is find the key people who understand the product and its goals. This may include the product owner, designer, analyst, researcher, or anyone else who is involved in creating communications. It’s important to also identify any stakeholders who are interested in the product, such as marketers, support managers, or even lawyers. They will play an important role in the future.
Explain your role
Before you start, make sure the team understands what your role is. Many people may think the UX editor is just there to correct text, but there’s much more to the job. Take some time to make a short presentation and explain how you will build communication with the user. This will help you get off to a good start.
Study the product
To get a good understanding of the product, you need to immerse yourself in it. This may mean becoming a user yourself, reviewing research and marketing reports, or asking the designer to explain the layout. You should also look at competitors’ products to see what they’re doing. This research will give you a good foundation to build on.
Prioritize problems
Once you’ve got a good understanding of the product, it’s time to start prioritizing problems. Focus on the urgent and important problems first and then move on to the non-urgent and important ones. For problems that are urgent but not important, delegate to someone else. And for problems that are neither urgent nor important, don’t bother with them at all. In the beginning, you can rely on the designer or product owner’s prioritization, but as you become more credible, you’ll have more influence.
Start systematizing
To make your life easier, start systematizing the problems you encounter. Collect recurring problems and categorize them, along with your solutions. This collection can grow into a content design system, or it can remain a set of examples that you can use in presentations. Either way, having a system in place will save you time and make your job easier.
Wrapping up
Starting as a UX editor in a company can be challenging, but with these five steps, you’ll be able to make a lasting impact. Find the stakeholders, explain your role, study the product, prioritize problems, and start systematizing. Remember to keep things simple, focus on the important things, and you’ll be successful. Good luck!
Hi there! Thanks for stopping by 😉
I happen to be a UX writer/editor myself, and beyond that, have lots of experience helping teams get their digital products off the ground using words that matter.
So, if you ever need someone like me, you know where to look!
