How to talk to UX writers

Yes, I held a writing workshop last weekend, for an audience of predominantly designers.

And yes, the workshop was titled: “Lorem ipsum: Dolor sit amet”.

As you know, I am quite partial to Design Critique. From daily design support back in the early days of Techcombank PXD, to our own self-run peer reviews later on in the transitional period, Design Critique has been the one thing that would bring our team together to uphold and elevate our shared standard of design.

The sad truth is, critique is too often confused with mindless criticism or haphazard commenting. Writing, as a function, is especially susceptible to this. After all, it’s just words, and since everybody can write and speak, everybody believes they’ve got something to say.

It might be worth noting that effective critique only works if the recipient openly listens, which only happens if the critique itself is conducted with thought and care. There are boundaries to be drawn as to what counts as constructive. This calls for a kind of critique etiquette (a bit of a mouthful, I know).

So here’s a cheat sheet taken straight from my workshop last weekend that hopefully will give you a rough idea of how to effectively communicate with UX Writers. Because honestly, we are a little bored of trying to come up with words that dazzle, but also must fit in a box of 150 x 150px.

If you’re keen to find out more about critique etiquette, 18F has an incredible section in their Content Guide for gathering feedback (including how to give feedback and receive feedback), which I have not come across elsewhere. You might want to check it out.