At the end of the day, the exact figures aren’t important. Yes, most people in the field have strong writing backgrounds or UX experience. But even if you don’t, you can still make a career switch to UX writing/content design like countless others have.
What’s the best background for UX writers and content designers?
Trick question—there is no single best background. But let’s examine a few to see what each brings to that proverbial product team table.
Writing & editing
Survey results included: technical writer, proofreader, knowledge base writer, proposal writer, scriptwriter, and more.
Clearly, the wordsmiths have an advantage when it comes to general writing skills and making sure product copy is grammatically correct. They also benefit from editorial skills (make it shorter!) and typographical knowledge.
Marketing & copywriting
Survey results included: copywriter, marketing specialist or manager, social media coordinator, campaign manager, and more.
Marketers and copywriters know the importance of understanding and appealing to a target audience. They also have experience creating fun, witty, attention-grabbing copy. That’s not job #1 in UX, but it’s occasionally beneficial.
Education
Survey results included: creator of educational test preparation material, English professor, teacher assistant, eLearning specialist, and more.
We hear from many teachers who are interested in UX writing, and they often fail to see just how relevant their experience is. Educators have a knack for avoiding the curse of knowledge, i.e. they recognize that others don’t necessarily know what they know. This is crucial when guiding users through a complex interface.
Combine that with patience and empathy, and it’s no wonder teachers make for great UXers.
Journalism
Survey results included: journalist, chief editor, news publisher, and more.
Gratuitous factoid: “journalism” comes from the french word “journal,” which means “newspaper.” Journalists know how to cut the fluff and keep it short and simple—just like in UX.
Content roles
Survey results included: content analyst, content developer, content manager, content producer, content lead, content strategist, and more.
Ever get the feeling that you can just slap any ol’ word on after “content” and make a new tech role? Content synergist, content impresario, content transmogrifier. Where does it end?
Content roles are generally under marketing, so the same advantages typically apply (see above).
