You don’t want to open your sock drawer only to find it full of…. jeans? It’s frustrating to find something in the place you’d least expect it — the same holds true in the digital world —and Information Architects are dedicated to making sure you can find your “socks.”

We now live in a robustly populated digital landscape, making finding what you want, when you want, all the more important as things continue to become increasingly dense information.

Information Architecture, or IA, refers to the system of structuring, organizing, and labeling content. As the Information Architecture Institute puts it: “If you’ve ever tried to use something and thought, ‘where am I supposed to go next?’ or ‘this doesn’t make any sense,’ you are encountering an issue with an information architecture.”

IA establishes the foundation for all other UX development processes, including Content Strategy, User Interface (UI) Design, Visual Design, and more. You can also think of it as the skeleton of a project, ensuring everything is connected intuitively, holding the site together.

UX (or user experience) design refers to any interaction a person has with a product or service, which has become the foundational approach to product development in the digital world. With principles of Design Thinking at its core, user experience is centered as the central theme via a deep understanding of the target user and how they will interact with the product.

Effective IA will keep a user from getting exhausted trying to find what they need. Information Architects have to combine so many seemingly unrelated disciplines like psychology and library science — in addition to design and technical skills — to present something that allows a user to accomplish their goal without a second thought. The best IA is invisible.

Vive le Difference: UX Design + Information Architecture

UX design considers each component that shapes a person’s interaction with a product or service, encompassing a wide array of experience: from how it makes a user feel, to how simple it is for a user to accomplish their desired task, to how the product feels in their hands, to how easy it is to complete a transaction (particularly online). Information Architecture is a much more focused discipline, specifically dedicated to ensuring that users can find what they’re looking for seamlessly and intuitively.

Information Architects focus solely on the organization of information — not visual design or the “feel” of the experience. Sometimes the UX Designer is in charge of IA, but companies are starting to recognize the importance of having someone specifically dedicated to this increasingly important role.

What Does an Information Architect Do?

Information Architects works closely with the UX team to structure the information that the user will encounter. They often act as a bridge between the design and technical teams. Information Architects are integral contributors throughout a project’s development.

User Research
Knowing your users is key to understanding how they will interact with content. Information Architects utilize quantitative and qualitative data to figure out the best methods for organizing and labeling content. One popular process for analyzing user data is building personas, which are profiles of theoretical customers based on your target user base that examines their personality, behaviors, and motivations. Understanding who is interacting with your content and why can tell you how they interpret information and informs how to make the system most intuitive for them.

Defining Goals
Before building anything, the Information Architect needs clarity from both a user and business perspective on what the goals are for a given product. What is the result of successful user interaction? The clearer and more specific these named goals are, the more effectively you will map out the on-site tasks, create the most intuitive navigation, and yield the best results for the business.

Content Audits & Inventory
Developing user-friendly IA requires a content-first approach — building the product to purpose — it is integral to know what kind of content you will be organizing, both now and in the future. Once you know all the necessary components of the product, you can across content areas to help the user navigate those content options.

Systems & Navigation
The heart of IA is building systems of organization that include content hierarchies, labeling schemes, and navigational flows. Most folks approach this process by card sorting, which offers the opportunity to try out different categories and labels to find the best option.

Sitemaps & Wireframes
A sitemap is a visual representation of the content areas on the website and how they will relate to each other for a user navigating the site. Developing further, an Information Architect will put together a clickable wireframe that includes labels, navigation menus, and other system components stripped of visual design elements to ensure the rest of the UX team can work from a strong, working foundation.

Testing & Adapting
Testing ensures that the choices made in development stand up to scrutiny. User difficulties can reveal holes in the IA’s flow. Testing occurs during the prototype phase and again once the product or service is available to consumers. The end-product, over time, will be evaluated and re-evaluated using the same criteria to ensure that users can swiftly and  and easily find what they need. This continued testing ensures that the IA stays relevant, adjusts to changes in the market and user patterns, and addresses potential shifts in business goals and strategies.

Principles of Effective Information Architecture

Pioneering Information Architect Dan Brown laid out his 8 Principles for Information Architecture:

1. Principle of Objects — Not all content is created equal, and it is not always static. Treat it as if it is a living thing with unique lifecycles, behaviors, and interactivities.
2. Principle of Choices — Offer the user choices that are meaningful and focused. You do not want to present them with so much information that the most straightforward option would be to leave your site!
3. Principle of Disclosure — Give your user the information they need at that moment that will guide them to the next step. Be comprehensive, but don’t just dump it all at once. Again, the goal is not to overwhelm.
4. Principle of Exemplars — Describe content categories by giving examples of what they will find in that category, providing a good sense of what they will encounter, even if someone does not know precisely what they may be looking for themselves.
5. Principle of Front Doors — About half of users will hop onto a website directly to some page other than the home page. They may be heading to your site from a browser search or a social media link. Ensure these people can navigate the site from any page they drop in on, not just from the homepage.
6. Principle of Multiple Classifications — Provide users various classification schemes with which to browse a site’s content.
7. Principle of Focused Navigation — Navigational menus should be sorted by content — and it is easier for users if you break things down into multiple menus rather than one extensive, complex navigational system.
8. Principle of Growth — Never assume that what you’re working on is the end product. It will almost certainly grow and change, and an IA built with that in mind will be much less of a headache to try and fix later on.

You Need These Attributes and Characteristics to Succeed at Being an Information Architect

Successful Information Architects have a knack for systems-oriented thinking. Equally important is a user-centered approach to the development process. Understanding how people think and process information is necessary to turn content and other data into comprehensive IA.

Inquisitive minds that readily apply what they learn are ideal in this kind of position.

As the field of content strategy is expanding to cover more specializations and responsibilities, companies are looking for folks with:

• Empathy
• Creative problem-solving skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Curiosity

Additionally, strong collaborative and communication skills make you a valuable contributor to any digital design team.

Qualifications

Data drives IA, so the ability to conduct testing and research and analyze and apply the information is necessary to succeed in this role. An Information Architect also needs a diverse understanding of industry standards for creating, storing, accessing, and presenting digital information.

There are many resources and courses available for folks interested in diving into the field of IA. If you think it might be for you, check this out to learn more.

Salary

The average salary for an Information Architect varies by experience, sector, and location. Information Architects typically make between $84,940 and $112,588. As of April 2021, the average salary in the United States was $98,320.

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About the author.

An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.

UX (or user experience) design refers to any interaction a person has with a product or service and has become the foundational approach to product development in the digital world. With Design Thinking principles at its core, user experience is positioned as the central theme via a deep understanding of the target user.

Among the many roles on a UX digital design team is the Content Strategist. Since content is at the core of any UX, it is essential to clearly and intentionally plan out how users will interact with it. The most commonly used definition of content strategy comes from Kristina Halvorson’s book, Content Strategy for the Web. She defines content strategy as “planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content.” This simple definition sums up an extremely wide-reaching, interdisciplinary skill set that combines market and user insights with brand style and design.

Brain Traffic has developed the “Content Strategy Quad,” which breaks down the main content strategy components. The two main buckets are content design and systems design.

Content design includes:

• Editorial strategy — Brand story, tone, and point of view
• Experience design — How a user navigates the content

Systems design encompasses:

• Structure or content engineering — Making content findable for the target audience
• Process design — How this strategy will be maintained and future decisions made

Content Strategy & UX Writing: Work in Concert

UX writers create content that leads the user on their journey through the product to achieve their goal. They want to make you think as little as possible — using straightforward, conversational language to craft an intuitive experience. To inform those choices and create effective microcopy, UX writers turn to content strategy.

Content strategists supply insights into the user base, define tone and style for a brand or product, and clarify audience interactions with the content. These are critical pieces of information for UX writers to craft the language for a seamless experience.

Asking the Right Questions

The core of a content strategist’s role is to ask questions and then make content-related decisions based on that information.

+      Why Create Content?
There are two main intentions behind any given piece of content: fulfilling user needs and achieving business goals.

• How does this content enhance your customer’s relationship with the brand or product?
• How are you helping your user accomplish their goals?

Clearly defining the content vision is the starting point for developing content that serves the business and audience.

+      What Kind of Content?
There are so many different content types: blog posts, newsletters, long-form articles, videos, images. It’s important to ask what kind of content package is most usable and intuitive to accomplish the goals laid out. Do you need some form of visual content to best showcase a product? If you’re sharing information, what format makes it most clear and digestible? Is this content that needs to stay up permanently or only for a short period of time? The format a content strategist chooses creates the frame through which the user engages, and different structures work better to serve differing end goals.

+      Who is Being Targeted?
Time to get to know your user base deeply. How have your audiences engaged with your product in the past? How do they engage with competitors? What do you need to give them so that they will actively engage? User research is an integral part of a content strategist’s arsenal to speak to their audience in a way that resonates with them.

+      Where Should the Content be Pulished?
With so many available platforms, where will the content be most easily found by the target audience? The most effective content strategy takes on an omnichannel publication approach, optimizing content across all possible access channels. Users interact with content differently on desktop webpages, mobile, and social media — so content strategists need to adapt to these differences and beyond.

+      When Should it be Shared?
Timing is everything. From long-term content and marketing strategy to gleaning fine-detailed insights from a single-user interaction — timing can determine whether a piece of content is valuable and welcome or intrusive and turns the user off. In addition to creating editorial calendars that stipulate the release of content over time, content strategists track the user flow through a product or experience and determine at what point to include specific information or calls to action. You don’t want to ask too much at once; this can be intimidating, causing users to abandon their engagement.

+      How Should it be Crafted?
Content strategists are critical contributors to defining a brand’s tone and style. Even if not creating the content themselves, content strategists work to ensure a product’s voice is consistent across platforms and media. They need to fully understand the voice and style to effectively share it with the content creators in the organization, typically by compiling a style guide informed by research and content assessments.

Content Strategy in Practice

These are all big questions — so how do you find the answers? To get the right content to the right people in the right place at the right time, content strategists rely on research, data, and planning.

User Research & User Testing
Knowing your users is key to understanding how they will interact with content. Content strategists utilize quantitative and qualitative data to figure out the best processes for creating and distributing content. One popular method of analyzing user data is building personas or theoretical customers’ profiles based on your target user base that explores their personality, behaviors, and motivations—and lends understanding to who is interacting with your content and why.

Content Audits & Evaluations
Once content is published, and users interact with it, content strategists will look at how effectively any given piece of the inventory (a catalog of active content) is accomplishing its defined goals. These content evaluations will inform ongoing strategy and whether specific approaches need to be changed or if replicated. Good content strategy is adaptive and data-driven, using analytics and statistics on their defined KPIs (key performance indicators) to determine their outputs’ success.

Content Mapping & Style Guides
With information from user research and content evaluations, content strategists can determine what elements engage their audience and build their plans from there. Working closely with other UX team members, content strategists create a narrative voice, visual language, and an editorial calendar for a brand that allows for consistent content creation, even among different creators. Content strategists can also be responsible for putting into place a process for developing and building content to align with the named goals.

These are the attributions and characteristics you need to succeed at being a content strategist

Successful content strategists will have an eye for detail balanced with long-term vision. Equally important is a user-centered approach to the design process.

Understanding how people think and process information is necessary to turn data into a comprehensive content strategy. Inquisitive minds that readily apply what they learn are ideal in this kind of position.

As the field of content strategy is expanding to cover more specializations and responsibilities, companies are looking for folks with:

• Empathy
• Creative problem-solving skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Curiosity

Additionally, strong communication and collaborative skills will make you a valuable contributor to any digital design team.

Qualifications

Data drives content strategists — so the ability to conduct testing and research and analyze and apply the information — is necessary to succeed in this role.

Knowledge of — and experience with — the many elements of the digital design and implementation processes makes a strong candidate. Content strategy is a highly collaborative role that works with so many different departments, from programming to marketing to product design.

There are many resources and courses available for folks interested in diving into the field of content strategy. If you think it might be for you, check this out to learn more.

Salary

The average salary for a UX Content Strategist varies across the United States; in NYC, according to data gathered by Creative Circle, it ranges from $51,214 on the low end to $136,572 on the high end, whereas in San Francisco, the range is from $58,890 to $157,040.

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About the author.

An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.

Bicycles. Sofas. Lawnmowers. Smartphones. Electric cars. Trampolines. What Do All of These Have in Common?

All were designed by industrial designers. Emerging as a professional vocation in 1919 (or perhaps as early as 1909), industrial design is directly linked to the industrial revolution and transition from smaller-scale craft to mass production.

Straddling the line between art and engineering, industrial design was originally more focused on pure aesthetics and form, but today’s field has shifted. Instead of focusing solely on how a product looks or functions, today’s industrial designer considers a more dynamic range of inputs from ergonomics, end-user benefit, materiality, and corporate branding. From developing concepts for manufactured products and creating physical prototypes, industrial designers also examine materials and production requirements to determine manufacturing costs while presenting the designs and prototype to clients for approval.

Today, industrial designers design products for people of all ages, ethnicities, races, abilities, gender identities, economic statuses—and pets. While they don’t usually design motors, electrical or microchip circuits, or components that make machines move, their work may impact these more technical aspects. Typically, they work with engineers who focus on the functional, mechanical elements of a product and marketers who specialize in identifying customer needs and expectations—but how do they go about doing that?

What Does an Industrial Designer Do?

In a nutshell: industrial designers develop concepts for manufactured products at the intersection of art, business, and engineering.  And these manufactured products are born from a design process that can take many forms. It can be led by an individual or by a team, including professionals with varied expertise—from industrial designers, engineers, graphic designers, marketing, sales, branding, and more.

Factors like materials, production processes, cost, business strategy influence the industrial design process—and take into account prevailing social, aesthetic, and commercial attitudes. As an applied art, industrial design focuses on combining aesthetics with more user-centered considerations and often aims to provide solutions for problems of form, function, ergonomics, sustainability, brand development, marketing, and sales.

While most designers may work primarily in offices (home or otherwise), they may also travel to design centers, testing facilities, users’ homes, exhibit sites, and production facilities. Industrial design is part of many different worlds—here are some of the top practice areas:

• Consumer electronics
• Furniture
• Housewares and appliances
• Automotive and transportation
• Medical and healthcare
• Toys
• Commercial and industrial
• Sports and recreation
• Lifestyle

Vive le Difference: What is the Difference Between an Industrial and Product Designer?

Both industrial and product designers are part of the commercial design process. Product design is about designing solutions—industrial design is about the mass manufacturing of those solutions.

Product design is the complete end-to-end design of a product, from initial concept to market research to sketches, prototypes, and final design. On the other hand, industrial design relates explicitly to the design of products intended to be manufactured at an industrial scale, using industrial processes.

A successful multi-functional team will have both product and industrial designers, who together have an awareness of the whole product lifecycle and the same goal: to create or refine a given product.

As technology changes design thinking and processes, however, product and industrial design have increasingly overlapped in the digital realms of UX and UI design, information design, and interactive design.

What’s the Process of Industrial Design?

Companies are rapidly adopting the Design Thinking approach to developing products, centering the user experience by creating a deep understanding of the target user. The Design Thinking process opens up the opportunity for creativity and innovative approaches to users’ problems.

The initial step in the industrial design process is to define the problem that needs solving—and coming up with a solution. Perhaps inspiration comes from your own experience or that of those around you. Maybe a product you use doesn’t function the way you think it should. After identifying and defining the problem, industrial designers assess these fundamental questions:

• Are there similar products currently on the market?
• Who is the target market for the product?
• Is this a single-use, multi-use, or legacy product?
• What kind of use trends will impact sales?

The answers to these questions will inform how your idea takes shape. Here is a map of the industrial design journey.

Diagram by Angus Donald Campbell

You Need These Attributes and Characteristics to Succeed at Being an Industrial Designer

So, what makes for an excellent industrial designer? One of the hallmarks of a successful industrial designer is their ability to be empathetic and “walk in someone else’s shoes” to understand how to create a design solution that solves a problem in the most beneficial manner.

A diverse set of skills is needed to build a career as an Industrial Designer. You want to be comfortable navigating research, conceptual design, visualizing user journeys, creating prototypes, and assessing business implications of design choices and other processes and technical skills. However, the role includes making many high-level strategic decisions—interpersonal, communication, and people management skills are also vital.

Here are some of the most critical skills that go into industrial design:

Analytical skills—Logic and reasoning skills are foundational for industrial designers as they study consumers and recognize the need for new products.

Artistic ability—Industrial designers sketch their initial design concepts and express their ideas through illustration, which are then used to create prototypes.

Computer skills—Computer-aided design software is central to industrial design to develop ideas and create prototypes.

Creativity—Ideas and innovation are the heart of industrial design.

Interpersonal skills—Industrial designers interface with cross-functional teams; therefore, developing good working relationships with clients and colleagues who specialize in related disciplines is essential.

Mechanical skills—Understanding how products are engineered and how systems work is integral to industrial design.

Problem-solving skills—Identifying and solving complex design problems like the materiality, size, and cost of a product, anticipate production issues, develop alternatives, evaluate options, and implement solutions is core to the practice of industrial design.

Industrial designers take big-picture concepts and abstract ideas and turn them into actionable direction for the development team. A strong understanding of how businesses work and an interest in tracking market trends are vital — but the most essential trait for an Industrial Designer is an avid interest in finding problems and working (alone or with a team) to solve them.

Qualifications + Education

Industrial designers mostly hold a bachelor’s degree in industrial design, product design, graphic design, or other related fields.

Ideas take shape (literally) — with a blend of 2D drawing, 3D digital modeling, and prototyping. Standard digital modeling tools include AutoDesk AutoCAD, Dassault Systèmes, SolidWorks. As such, employers prefer to hire candidates with solid illustration, graphic design skills, sketching, CADD (computer-aided design and drafting), and 3D modeling and rendering, and an understanding of materiality, finishes, and fabrication processes.

Along with having a well-rounded design background with experience solving challenging and complex problems, companies want industrial designers who can lead a team, are business-minded, and be a good culture fit.

Job Opportunities

In 2019, 42,200 industrial designers were working in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. California and Michigan have the highest concentration of employed industrial designers per capita.

Salary

The average salary for an Industrial Designer varies by experience, sector, and location. Industrial Designers make an average of $66,000 per year in the United States. Location can impact salary—Idaho, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington provide the highest industrial designer salaries.

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About the author.
An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.

Finding cool, talented people in your workplace or broader industry that share your values and work ethic and, better yet, might be connected to other opportunities you’re interested in is a really rewarding part of working.

And yet, networking can feel like such a drag — especially if you’re more on the introverted side.

Networking can conjure up rather cynical images of folks talking over each other just to be the center of the conversation or competing to collect the most business cards. In other words, an introvert’s nightmare. Connecting with people in general can be hard; connecting with folks for the express purpose of advancing your career can feel downright icky. But it’s just as important to understand what networking actually means as it is to network as it is both necessary (one survey found 85% of jobs are obtained through networking) and actually pretty natural if you take the right approach.

Let’s Talk Introverts!

But before we get into that, let’s talk introverts because there are a few misconceptions about what makes someone introverted. First of all, introverts are not just shy! Sure, there are plenty of introverts who are also shy, but not only are there plenty of introverts who are outgoing and social, but even extroverts can be shy.

It’s not that introverts are nervous or afraid of being around lots of other people, it’s that being around lots of people is draining for introverts. While extroverts find their energy through social interaction, introverts are the opposite — they use up their energy in social interactions, finding themselves in need of a break or retreat to spend time alone. However, introverts do prefer hanging out in more intimate settings with close friends as opposed to large groups of new folks. In fact, bustling social situations or busy situations in general can stress out and overwhelm introverts.

Other introvert characteristics include:

• Preferring to work alone
• Being introspective and self-aware
• Learning by observing before jumping in
• Preferring written communication rather than speaking
• Having a small, close group of friends
• Preferring to interact with others one-on-one

Needless to say, meeting new people in general is not exactly at the top of introverts’ to-do lists, which can make networking a rather daunting challenge. But much like introverts, there are myths and misconceptions when it comes to networking.

Demystifying networking

The first big myth is that it’s about quantity over quality, that is, the more contacts, the better. While having connections in diverse industries is nice, simply being connected to a bunch of people isn’t as valuable as being connected to fewer people who actually know you; given that introverts are all about having a smaller circle, this actually works to their advantage a bit.

Another big myth about networking is that it’s all schmoozing and trying to impress people. Here’s the thing: chances are, you’re most likely already pretty impressive, so it’s less about inflating yourself and more about being your authentic self. Networking is about building real relationships with people, not overinflated resumes.

Networking isn’t about making one big impression on folks. It’s about building genuine connections, and it takes time and work to build that. In fact, plenty of experts will tell you that networking is not actually about getting what you want. Whether or not you realize it, it’s just as much about helping others get what they need. You don’t always have to be on the lookout for jobs for others, but challenge yourself to take the first step to support other people — even if it’s literally asking “How can I support you?”

One method is keeping in “loose touch,” which, as Karen Wickre explains, is essentially checking in on folks without “obligation to follow up or see each other in person.” You can send people a DM from time to time, share a tweet or story relevant to what they do, or a video that made you think of them — without putting pressure to start an actual conversation. Just a small nudge or tap or something that’s a step above a Facebook poke, if anyone even remembers those which, you know what, sorry for even bringing that up.

Wicker writes:

“The effect of loose touch is to put you into someone’s consciousness for a few minutes, and vice versa. These moments serve as connective tissue (‘we have this in common’) and a marker of your ongoing relationship. In cultivating loose-touch connections, know that your network won’t appear all at once; it takes steady, continuous work.”

This kind of goes against the introvert’s preference for cultivating deeper connections (we’ll get to that), but it’s still an important part of the process, and better yet, it doesn’t take a lot of social energy.

On the other end of the spectrum, networking is a great opportunity to deepen your connection to people and really get to know them beyond their profile. After all, introverts are really good at fostering deeper interactions when they do decide to let people in, so it’s all about striking the balance of friendship and a work relationship.

Net-work it!

Networking is all about being yourself. I know, I know, it’s cliché, and seeing as introverts are the self-aware type, that probably makes it even more painfully cliché. But sometimes, part of the difficulty with networking is trying to figure out who or what people are looking for — which can translate to figuring out who people want you to be. So before you have a crisis about what you’re not, just know that it’s so much easier for everyone to come as you are.

Do you need to be comfortable talking about the cool things you’ve done? Absolutely. If something you’ve accomplished is a big deal, should you be ready to treat it as such? Yes! Prepping yourself to have these conversations and practicing is important, especially if talking about yourself isn’t your strong suit. But at the end of the day, it really comes down to knowing and being yourself.

Introverts, Networking, and COVID

In a post-COVID world, networking events are no longer the overwhelming in-person events that some of us have grown to dread. While Zoom and other platforms come with some awkwardness built in, and plenty of us have hit Zoom fatigue after a year of doing it, there are parts that introverts can use to their advantage.

Seeing as many introverts prefer writing over talking, use the chat feature to your advantage and add to the conversation that way if the event if you’re not into speaking! Do your best to stay focused and engaged. Message folks individually, and don’t be afraid of setting up one-on-ones — it can be a bit of a relief to have a chat with someone without ever leaving the comfort of your home.

Networking is an essential part of working. Especially in light of the pandemic, in which so many people have unfortunately lost work, it’s more important than ever before to connect with others, offer support, and put yourself out there together, regardless of if you’re more introverted or extroverted. After all, if anything, networking is a great reminder that we really are all in this together.

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About the author.
Sam Mani writes about work, creativity, wellness, and equity — when she’s not cooking, binging television, or annoying her cat.

When times are uncertain, it can be difficult to know how to pivot your business strategy. But this isn’t the first time that business owners have faced threats to livelihood or threats to health. It just so happens that it’s all shown up at once.

I’m a copywriter who created a content writing service, and if you, like our clients, are struggling to find ways to change up your copy in the context of the new normal, this is your guide. Below I’ll show you how to create pandemic-proof copy that keeps you on top and moving with the times.

Employ sensitivity and compassion

The pandemic has affected individuals, families, and businesses globally and most have been scrambling, trying to forecast for an uncertain future. Appearing exploitative is a sure-fire way to turn off potential clients.

Try this instead: Be sensitive and compassionate in your copy. Talk about the elephant in the room. Business owners are more human than ever, stripped of their security and needing a breath of fresh air. Be that for them. Talk about what’s happening mentally, emotionally, and financially, and then position yourself as an ally. Be authentic and consistent with your brand’s messaging and be willing to meet your audience where they are. For example, Dove is a brand that has stood out from the crowd, choosing authenticity in their marketing, and appealing to all the folks out there looking to be acknowledged. And guess what? It’s worked.

Double-check your facts

The era of misinformation is alive and well. Most people don’t even know what news source or article to believe anymore. Don’t add to the noise.

Try this instead: Deliver your message with strong, credible citations that link back to authoritative websites. If your intention is to help others, displaying inaccurate, unchecked information will steer your audience away from you. Why? Because they won’t be able to trust you. Use globally trusted resources, like the World Health Organization’s website, along with your local Department of Public Health website when addressing the pandemic.

Modify your existing offers

Surely, all your offers make sense when the economy is doing well and COVID-19 isn’t knocking on everyone’s doors. But if you’re not allowing for modifications, you’re missing out on business. Most people are in fight/flight/freeze mode and aren’t receptive to offers that are only available for a limited time. They just don’t care at this point because other, more important events have overtaken their lives.

Try this instead: Review your messaging and alter words that display urgency — instead, use words that sound neutral, connected with the times, and caring. For example, change offers that read “Only available for a limited time. Don’t miss out!” to “We have your back. Find out how.” Then, lead through to your extended offer, the discount you’re offering with all things considered, and make that sale.

Keep it consistent

You may have automated emails and newsletters meant for holidays and birthdays that don’t include pandemic-proof copy. If you don’t alter all your messaging, the inconsistency is sure to come off confusing and off-putting.

Try this instead: Double-check your copy, shift it as necessary to ensure you are adding value, being informative, and tuning into your audience’s needs. Remove any words that sound insensitive for the times and remove any urgency tactics that don’t bode well during the pandemic. And don’t be afraid to include something off-topic in your copy. A favorite book excerpt that brought you peace can do the same for your audience.

Deliver a softer pitch

You may have done well with a hard pitch, but this is not the time for that. Anxiety is high and there’s a whole lot of uncertainty and vulnerability in the air. Nobody needs added pressure to their lives, especially with their decision making.

Try this instead: Dial your tone down. Sprinkle words of kindness into your pitch, acknowledge where your audience is, and bring the spotlight back to yourself as the ultimate support during these trying times. Be the go-to your audience finds refuge in.

Offer greater value

This pandemic has taught many businesses they can’t rely on a static location. Even if located on a busy street with a steady flow of foot traffic, restrictions have heavily affected incoming revenue.

Try this instead: Move content into a digital format with a landing page that provides a freebie your audience can’t do without. A week of yoga classes. An e-book full of healthy recipes. Guided meditations to ease the stress everyone is feeling. Whatever you create, make it relevant. Gather as many email addresses as possible and diversify your offerings. Therapists are offering telehealth services, yoga instructors and gym owners are offering online classes, and even artists have created online stores, advertising on free platforms like TikTok to garner large audiences and keep income streams moving. The digital world is limitless.

Be a source of comfort

Health and lives are being threatened. People are in survival mode. They’re looking for what they need, not what they want. Irrelevant offers are overlooked.

Try this instead: Even products like makeup become a need when a bright red lip brings comfort, and a new eye serum brings confidence. Reddit hosts a long thread of personal stories that highlight just how impactful beauty products are when it comes to getting through tough times and improving mental health. Position services and products as needs that bring comfort, serenity, sanity, and help keep your audience moving forward during the toughest moments.

Address doubts head-on

Of course, you know to study objections in preparation for a sales call. But you may not even make it to those calls if your copy is being coy.

Try this instead: Address those objections in your copy; let your audience feel seen and understood from the moment they browse your website, landing page, or newsletter. You’re on their side. Make that clear for them.

Prospects may be having a hard time seeing the opportunities right in front of them. Be the guide they need to discover just how much of life there is to explore and enjoy. When you’re in the dark, you’ll follow the one with the flashlight. So, go on, light their way.

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About the author.
Scott Stevens is the founder and CEO of a managed content writing service, The Content Panel. Connect with them on Facebook or Twitter.

Think about ALL of the digital products that you use: Spotify, Netflix, your web browser, and all those apps on your phone. Think about the function each one serves in your life. Then, think about the problems or inconveniences you’d run into if you didn’t have these digital products.

That’s where UI product designers start. They identify problems or gaps in offerings that exist in the digital landscape, then develop an app or other user interface to fill those gaps or solve those problems.

Developing a new digital product is a complex process that involves many different disciplines to craft the best user experience and overall final offering. Product designers are at the helm, which means they need to have a solid understanding of everything that goes into that process, from creating wireframes to branding and marketing.

VIVE LE DIFFERENCE: UX DESIGN + PRODUCT DESIGN

UX design refers to any interaction a person has with a product or service; it considers each and every component that shapes a person’s interaction with a product or service, encompassing a wide array of experience: from how it makes a user feel to how simple it is for a user to accomplish their desired task to how the product feels in their hands to how easy it is to complete a transaction (particularly online).

Product designers zoom out a bit more and focus on the product as a whole and the context in which it is being built and released. They look at how the final design will exist in the wild, considering business objectives, the overall market, competitors, and profitability. Product designers lead the team, keeping the big picture in mind while also ensuring all details are in place. UX designers primarily serve the user, while product designers serve both the users and the company.

WHAT DOES A UI PRODUCT DESIGNER DO?

Product designers contribute to a product in pretty much every phase of development — from conception to the product launch, to adapting the design to keep up with trends and usage patterns.

User Research
The research phase is where user needs, pain points, behaviors, and goals are mapped — it’s also where a deep understanding of the competitive landscape, industry standards, technical barriers, and opportunities are charted.

Design Thinking & UI
Companies are rapidly adopting the design thinking approach to developing products — centering the user experience by creating a deep understanding of the target user. The design thinking process opens up the opportunity for creativity and innovative approaches to users’ problems. Decisions are made about colors, fonts, motion, animation, and all other UI components that take into account both function and aesthetics. According to the aesthetic-usability effect, it’s vital to have aesthetically-pleasing UI because interfaces with stellar aesthetics are recognized as more “usable” by users.

Prototyping
One of the most effective ways to test out new products, prototyping offers an opportunity to interact with the product, identify problems, and brainstorm solutions. Product designers manage this process and are integral in taking the prototype to the next step by asking the right questions to find avenues to improve the UX.

Business Strategizing
At the end of the day, this product has to go to market. What’s that going to look like? How can it be most successful? How can the company create the best product while also being cost-effective? The product designer has to take all of this into account in their decision making. The UX Collective sums it up like this:

“Design will not be just about users. It will also be about the business. As Product Designers, we must drive product solutions that service the goals of both the users and the company.”

Branding & Marketing
Product designers work closely with the marketing team to ensure the product being developed is identical to the one being advertised. Good marketing helps sell a product; a good product keeps customers coming back. Advertising that overstates and exaggerates functions that the product can’t deliver will steamroll public trust in a brand. The product designer is critical in making sure these elements are in alignment.

Testing & Adapting Design
Testing ensures that the choices made during the design phase stand up to scrutiny and is when user difficulties that were not discernible during design have a chance to be addressed. Other details also have an opportunity to be refined. There are numerous testing methods commonly used, including A/B testing, usability testing, and remote user testing.

The end product, over time, will be evaluated and re-evaluated using the same criteria to ensure that what the business is offering provides the desired experience and solution that the end-user wants. Continuing this cycle of testing ensures the product designer has essential information to keep the design relevant — aligned to changes in the market, user patterns, trends, and technology — all of which keeps the product meaningful to its audience.

In short, a UI product designer has an extensive range of responsibilities and connects many different departments to make their vision of the product come to life.

YOU NEED THESE ATTRIBUTES AND CHARACTERISTICS TO SUCCEED AT BEING A UI PRODUCT DESIGNER

A diverse set of skills is needed to build a career as a UI product designer. Yes, you need to be comfortable navigating user research, visualizing user journeys, and other UI-specific processes and technical skills — but the role includes making a lot of high-level strategic decisions, so interpersonal, communication, and people management skills.

Product designers take large concepts and abstract ideas and turn them into actionable directions for the development team. A strong understanding of how businesses work and an interest in tracking market trends are vital — but the most essential trait of all for a UI product designer is an avid interest in finding problems and working with a team to solve them.

QUALIFICATIONS

As well as having a well-rounded design background with experience solving complex and challenging problems, companies want candidates who can lead a team, are business-minded, and will be a good culture add.

Communication skills are critical, as is fluency in design programs like the Adobe Creative Suite (XD in particular), Sketch, Figma, and Framer. Companies want to see your wealth of experience and a diverse group of projects in your portfolio to see how you solve problems and a sense of your visual and aesthetic language. Demonstrating that you have a user-centric approach to solving problems via user research and testing will help set you apart in an interview.

If you want to learn more about UI product design to see if a career in this growing field might be right for you, check this out.

SALARY

The average salary for a product designer varies by experience, sector, and location. Product designers typically make between $50k – $128k. In 2020, the average salary in the US was $82,583 based on data provided by Glassdoor, Indeed, and PayScale.

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About the author.
An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist — Karina writes, edits, and produces compelling content across multiple platforms — including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties.