A designer who writes.
What do I tell people who tell me they dream of being a UX writer someday? (You’d be surprised how often I hear it.) Well, here’s what I just told someone who wrote to me: My tippy-top advice when someone tells me they want to be a UX writer someday is to make damn sure … continue
When the overall quality of a digital experience feels low, but I can’t quite put my finger on it, I’ve found that it often stems from one of two secret weaknesses that plague many product teams: lack of confidence and lack of trust. Lack of confidence The kind of confidence I’m talking about is an … continue
Conceptual debt accrues when we take shortcuts in developing the foundational concepts behind our products.
A collection of articles you’ll want to send to someone else.
First, it’s important to know that UX is a big umbrella term that has eaten many other disciplines. Getting “into UX” could mean becoming a researcher, or writer, or designer, or animator, or even a software developer. Companies often have some sort of UX team or department, but not every job where you’d use UX … continue
UX writing is less “writing, but apps” and more “design, but words”. What I mean by that is that UX writing is primarily a UX design specialization. UX writers typically focus on interface copy and language while working collaboratively as part of a design team on a specific product or feature, rather than working solo … continue
As soon as something more formal than conversation starts taking place, many designers feel like they need to ask for a permission slip. You don’t. Never delegate understanding.
A bit jarring to see one of the tools of my trade — customer journey maps — pop up in this article about the 737 Max and Boeing’s efforts to manage customer “anxiety” about their totally safe airplane that’s killed 346 men, women, and children. (So far.) I’ve been trying to imagine how it will … continue
One of the first times I presented on ecosystem mapping, an attendee shared an image of their own map they’d been inspired to create. It was interesting, colorful, and information-rich. But also? It wasn’t what I’d call an ecosystem map. At first I worried about the quality and clarity of my presentation. But others shared … continue
The more you know, the less you carry. Mors Kochanski, wilderness survival expert. Writing and sketching. Card-sorting. Diagrams. Interviews. Spreadsheets. Workshops (structured ideation and synthesis). That’s my toolkit, more or less, for most design problems. The further I get into my career the more affinity I have for simple and sturdy intellectual tools that can … continue
Or you will, if you subscribe. Personal dispatches from the desk of Scott Kubie, a designer who writes.