Content Design Apology Tours Must End

UX writers and content strategists need a better way forward.

Most content designers I know work incredibly hard. They are often asked to multi-task, spreading their energy across several teams or projects in an organization. They’re talented and put in the hours to help ensure that the product is clear, the content is concise, and the instructions are useful.

Despite all this, many content designers feel like they’re spinning in place. People always seem to be questioning their value no matter how much work they put in or how much value they bring to the table. They feel unheard, undervalued, and unappreciated.

I’m very happy to report that I do not feel this way, and I haven’t felt this way in a very long time.

It took a long time to unlearn and shed those feelings and start feeling like a competent, worthwhile designer who belongs in the room just as much as everyone else.

Unfortunately, I know I’m in the minority. After having endless conversations with colleagues, speaking at dozens of conferences, and mentoring folks in the field, I know for a fact that many content designers don’t have the same experience that I do. And I want to start helping us all move toward a world where content designers are more valued.

Designing your role

Every time I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing, I recite to myself a little mantra:

“None of this is real. Everything is made up. Adulthood is a scam.”

Now, I’m not saying this to give into my delusions and pretend that everything is fine. To me, it’s simply a solid reminder that a lot of the world is what it is because this is what we imagined and created. Everything from capitalism and Wall Street to nation-states and the concept of race is something, someone, somewhere came up with at some point.

If someone can invent the concept of Dogecoin, then surely, I can have a little bit of say in what content design looks like for me.

Now, there are some fundamentals that one has to know to be grouped under the discipline, but overall everyone’s talents lie in different areas. Some people love solving complex user experiences through journey mapping and workshops. Others can nerd out about typography, taxonomy, or information architecture. Others still can craft a winning narrative and whip up an interactive prototype that gets the CEO to fund a new project.

Every designer is a Frankentein’s monster of Fundamental UX skills and a bunch of other relevant things that they enjoy doing and are good at executing.

Like any designer, content designers must take the time to design and curate their competencies to work for them.

“What am I good at doing?”

“What do I want to do better?”

“Where do I feel comfortable leaning in?”

Sit down and understand yourself. It doesn’t have to be what you think everyone is good at. Some content designers hate creating microcopy (me! It’s me). Others hate strategy, and would rather work on taxonomies or IA. What specifically are you good at?

This is part of being a content designer. You have to know what you like, and then Frankenstein it together into your dream monster of a career. Then (to beat the dead horse of this already mixed-up analogy), you have to bring it to life.

But whatever you do…

Stop Advocating For Content Design

A lot of content designers don’t have a straightforward path like other design disciplines. These winding roads and unconventional paths add a lot of nuance to what we are capable of doing. This can sometimes make our role hard to understand for others.

But there’s a difference between explaining what you do and defending what you do.

If you call a plumber and they show up at your house and pull out a presentation explaining that plumbing is very important, actually! you’d be confused. You’ve already hired them. You don’t need to be convinced of the power of a good plumber.

Yet, many content designers start their jobs like that. Why? Some people believe that going on ‘roadshows’ in their company, creating intricate decks, and individually meeting with teams to personally sell the value of content design to their teammates is a winning strategy. Maybe that’s the case for managers and leadership trying to get headcount in an organization.

But I’d argue it’s a net loss for everyone else. As an individual, these attempts almost always seem to come off as a desperate play to prove value, rather than a practitioner that is well aware of their worth and can be doing more valuable things than convincing people that they’re important.

I made the decision that I would never again ‘advocate for content design’ in any job I’ve been hired to do, ever. No more roadshows ‘proving that content is important.’ No more explaining what content design is to people. No horse-and-pony situations saying, “Look how bad things are when content designers are not involved!”

That ship sailed. I took a look around and realized nobody else felt the need to prove themselves. Nobody but content design. And that felt cheap and demeaning.

But maybe you’re not there yet. Maybe if you just did one more presentation, one more meeting/roadshow/apology tour/plea to help others understand ‘what content design is capable of’ then it will make the difference.

It likely won’t work, but I wish you well.

For everyone else––I’d suggest you stop the apology tour and put your limited energy resources into finding allies for the road ahead.