Published on | Prototyping: From UX to Front End — Medium Yuval Keshtcher “I was elated to learn I could actually help build products — not just market them.”

Hi everyone! I’m Tiffany Lee, currently a UX Writer for Google Maps, focusing on public transit user journeys and Maps for India. I’m a Los Angeles native, but spent the first decade of life in Youngstown, Ohio (plus a stint in Switzerland during 5th grade).

Not a huge secret, but I can be found in the background of a Britney Spears music video. Just something that happens when you live in LA!

In one single word what does microcopy mean to you?

Assistance

How did you get into UX writing?

I’ve been a creative writer all my life, then pursued journalism and copywriting through most of my career.

I sort of fell into UX writing at my last job, where I was a marketing copywriter and the only writer of any kind in the entire company.

The UX team approached me to help with some UI text, and it was through actual work experience that I learned this new skill. I haven’t turned back since.

Before that, I had no idea UX could be a career path for me. So I was elated to learn I could actually help build products — not just market them.

Where do you find inspiration for the projects you are working on?

Stylistically, I generally look to other Google products for writing inspiration. Another company’s products can have a smart layout or clever wording, but they ultimately have different users, different journeys, different brand voices, etc.

My words come from a deep understanding of the folks we help and a holistic understanding of my product and its purpose.

But what inspires me to open my laptop every day are our user stories. They’re the source of my greatest learnings and motivation.

We have incredible researchers who speak directly with people across the globe for all kinds of projects.

I get to hear so many real stories of how our work helps people with everything from saving time to physical safety. Some leave me speechless, even teary-eyed. Our work as UX-ers is so much more important than we perhaps realize.

Tell me about a day in a life of a UX writer from Google?

A large bulk of my time goes into getting sufficient context and validation for each project. No one can write successfully in a vacuum. So I’m constantly interfacing with designers, product managers, engineers, other writers, and researchers before I can type a single word.

UX writers tend to become these centers of knowledge because we’re involved in so many corners of a product.

As a product writer, what is your super power?

Admittedly, I’m a pretty anxious person (writers, amirite?). So it’s in my nature to pick up on the slightest signals and evaluate a situation for every conceivable outcome — usually worst-case scenarios — before taking action. I’m constantly seeking “data” to make decisions and thinking about how my decisions impact those around me. Sound familiar?

It wasn’t until recently that I understood the connection between anxiety and empathy. The ability to empathize and be sensitive to a user’s needs is essential for anyone developing products. Anxiety can be like a “super” version of empathy. Little did I know, I’ve been practicing UX principles my whole life!

So while anxiety makes choosing a restaurant a nightmare, it can thankfully be channeled into my work. I wholeheartedly believe it makes me a better writer.

Do you think that UX writing would allow more writers to enter the tech industry? How?

Absolutely! Most UX writers you meet come from journalism or marketing, so the vast majority are coming from outside the tech industry. I’ve even met screenwriters and novelists who are now UX writers.

But a lot of potential writers still don’t know about this field, and it doesn’t help that companies use different titles for essentially the same role.

A UX Writer at Google is the same as a Content Strategist at Facebook. But how are writers to know?

The field is progressing slowly, but there are still a lot of disconnects on our “narrative” within the tech industry. It’s really up to writers like us to elucidate and evangelize to our networks and workplaces.

3 useful tips for people that want to get into the field of UX writing?

Don’t be intimidated by UX! If you’re a seasoned writer of almost any kind, you already have most of the core skills that UX writing requires.

2. In your portfolio, be sure to convey 3 things: Problem, Approach, Solution. Briefly outline the problem in a “before” sample, then show the solution in an “after” sample. Explain your approach on how you came to a solution (User journey audit? Success metrics?). Seeing the approach is equally as important as seeing the solution.

3. Offer help to the UX-ers at your current job! It’s an easy way to get real UX writing experience and your designers and engineers will appreciate it.

If you had a list of ‘best-kept secrets’ [websites, books, coaches] you’d recommend, which would you include and why?

For those who aren’t sure UX writing is the path for them, try taking a UX design workshop at General Assembly. UX writers follow the same principles as UX designers, so a workshop will give you a good overview of what to expect in a single evening.

General Assembly has locations all over the world and has online courses as well. Lots of top companies send their employees there for further education. It’s not cheap, but worth the investment if you can’t get off the fence.

Just for fun, give us your fave microcopy example?

The tip confirmation screen in the Lyft app always makes me smile. It’s just a simple line that celebrates both the user and the driver. Goes to show how a little delight in an overlooked space can make an app more enjoyable.

Check out the more parts of the series

That’s it for today!

Don’t forget to join Microcopy & UX Writing, the largest UX writing community in the world.

If this article was helpful to you, share so others could enjoy it too, And don’t forget to follow Yuval Keshtcher for more UX goodies👏👏👏.

<a href="https://medium.com/media/b85dfbb5286d8a25cf2e754b9462cf45/href">https://medium.com/media/b85dfbb5286d8a25cf2e754b9462cf45/href</a>

Interview With A UX Writer From Google was originally published in Prototypr on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Interview With A UX Writer From Google

Cool stuff, every week

More Articles