As a content designer, your role extends beyond writing and editing. To create user-centred content that effectively meets both user and business needs, it’s essential to develop skills in persuasion, active listening, and resilience.
Persuasion
Advocating for content design involves:
- Demonstrating the value of user-centred content to stakeholders.
- Explaining the importance of content testing to ensure effectiveness.
- Using data to validate content decisions.
It’s crucial to understand stakeholders’ contexts and priorities, articulating how your recommendations align with their goals.
Active Listening
Effective content design requires a deep understanding of colleagues, clients, and users. This is achieved through active listening, which involves:
- Being fully present in conversations.
- Avoiding assumptions and truly hearing what is and isn’t said.
- Engaging in user research sessions and team discussions with curiosity.
Active listening enhances knowledge and fosters stronger relationships.
Resilience
Challenges in content design may include:
- Not being included in key meetings.
- Facing misconceptions about the role’s scope.
- Navigating resistance to user-centred approaches.
Building resilience involves:
- Setting and maintaining professional boundaries.
- Seeking support from communities to share experiences and advice.
- Developing strategies to handle difficult situations constructively.
Here’s are some resources I wish I’d known about sooner
- You’re not listening by Kate Murphy, a great book about what great listening looks like and how to do it.
- 10 ways to have a better conversation, a TED Talk by Celeste Headlee. It includes tips for improving conversations that you can put into practice right away.
By cultivating these skills, content designers can effectively advocate for their discipline, collaborate with diverse teams, and create content that truly serves users’ needs.
Cover photo by Andraz Lazic on Unsplash