Yogyakarta, 3 Agustus 2020—Center for Digital Society (CfDS) had just held the 29th digital discussion with the topic of UX Writing last Monday. In this session, CfDS collaborated with Rizqie Aulia, an expert that works for UX Writer Halodoc. The speaker talked about UX writing to at least 200 participants that already signed up. The discussion that was moderated by Made Agus Bayu as a representative of CfDS started with an interactive discussion which then was continued with a presentation from Rizqie about the basics of UX Writing.
UX Writing, which stands for User Experience Writing, is one of the most important elements in UX design. As a part of a society, we are always connected to digital technology. UX writing can be seen in the structure of words that makes it easier for us to use an application or a digital product. In another word, UX writing is an art of structuring texts that lives inside of a digital interface and a product. What needs to be paid attention to in the output of UX writing is the wordings of a product. Meanwhile, UI Design – which is a part of UX Design – focuses on the visualization of a product.
As an important element of UX Design, a UX writer is expected to help users solve a problem. For example, an e-commerce application user wants to buy a product. This is where a UX writer is expected to be a mediator who can help users solve their problem through the application. Rizqie then elaborated two goals on how to help users solve their problems; the “must have qualities” and the “nice to have qualities”. In the must have qualities, a UX writer has to have problem solving skills, design concept, understanding of the user, and a collaborative mindset.
Additionally, there are a couple “nice to have qualities” which include the skill to operate design tools, understanding of business, a degree in literature or design, and a basic research skill. Rizque also said that as a UX writer, obstacles are inevitable, especially those that are related to rapid product development cycle (how the update release cycle of one company is different from one another), switching context (the challenge for a UX writer to jump from one project to another), and experience versus business (the dilemma on whether to focus on selling a product or making a comfortable experience for the user). Considering these problems, the creative process in creating the wordings is different to each UX Writer.
For Rizqie, a common creative process used by UX writers are context grasping to understand what problems need to be solved, research to understand the best industry practice to take, drafting, peer review by other writers or designers, iteration, final copy approval, and design sign off which is when the copy is given to a designer to be implemented in a design. Despite all these complexities, Rifqie explained that the salary for a UX writer is quite big. In Indonesia alone, UX writers who work in unicorn companies may have salaries that start from 120 million per year.
The discussion lasted for two hours and ended with Rizqie saying that to be a UX writer, the first habit that one has to master is to write. Other than that, aspiring UX writers need to pay attention to copies and designs of a digital application that are widely used. The least one can do is to see their screens and figure out what needs to be improved. UX writers also need to widen their perspective by searching for inspirational UX writers in LinkedIn as well as joining webinars about UX writing.”Last but not least, don’t forget that the world of design is fun and every day there are new questions, so it will not be boring at all!” Rizqie said.