Writers of Silicon Valley
27 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 31 ratingsThe future is words. More businesses are investing in high quality UX writers and content strategists. Apple, Uber, Shopify, Spotify, Amazon...the list goes on. "UX Writer" is now one of the hottest jobs in tech - and around the world, too. Why? They realise writers embedded in design crews are the great differentiator. This podcast is all about those writers - who they are, where they come from, what they do...and why the work they do is so important. You've heard all about the stories of building computers in garages. Now it's time for the writers to stand up - and take their place.
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Episodes
Introducing: The Interface by UX Content Collective
July 15, 2022 00:03 - 1 minute - 2.48 MBThe Interface—a podcast by content designers, for content designers The Interface is a monthly, can’t-miss group chat for everything happening in content design and UX writing. The Interface has industry updates, deep conversations, and other helpful resources. Listen wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-interface/id1634546118 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IKlWOjHbVJpNbKEs6mNdF Online: https://uxcontent.com/the-interface-podcast/
UX writing in the fintech industry, and how to get out of the customer's way - Yael Ben-David, UX writer at Fundbox
July 21, 2021 05:26 - 50 minutes - 36 MBYael Ben-David is one the most thoughtful UX writers in the industry. She’s written numerous blogs and has spoken at several conferences on how to make sure UX writers and content designers prove the value of their work. Today, we take a look at some of the regulations surrounding the fintech industry which make writing for it so difficult. Plus, we explore the ultimate question: how do you get out of the customer’s way?
How can we make the content design industry...better? - UX Writer, consultant, and archeologist Jane Ruffino
July 21, 2021 05:20 - 50 minutes - 32 MBJane Ruffino is one of the most experienced UX writers in the industry, with an extensive work history. She also teaches a UX writing course and consults to companies on their UX copy. But what makes Jane even more interesting is her studies - she’s currently pursuing a PhD in digital acheology. In this episode we talk about how she bridges that world with the world of content design, and the discussion may surprise you.
Connecting the internal and external product experience - Andrea Drugay, Slack
July 21, 2021 05:15 - 59 minutes - 46.8 MBAndrea Drugay has one of the most experienced resumes in the content design industry. Now she works at Slack, one of the most coveted roles in all of design. In this episode, we talk about Andrea’s background, what makes Slack’s copy so special - but most importantly, how to make sure UX writers and content designers bridge the experience that’s outside the product, and the experience inside the product as well.
How software will help UX writers democratize the design process - Jasper Platz, CEO of Strings
March 23, 2021 04:26 - 40 minutes - 92.7 MBLast month, I spoke wth Chris Baty from Figma - and we talked about how Figma is helping UX writers enter the design process. This month we continue that conversation with the creator of a copy management system. Jasper Platz is NOT a UX writer or content designer. He says that straight up. However, he quickly discovered a love for content design when building other products. So much so, that he decided UX writers need software of their own to manage the copy process. We talk about tha...
How Figma's Principal UX Writer (Chris Baty) is helping build design software that UX writers love
February 08, 2021 07:42 - 38 minutes - 87.9 MBOne of the biggest challenges for UX writers is figuring out how to embed themselves within the design process. Tools like Figma are making that easier. After all, being able to edit a design without any specific software makes it harder not to give writers access. Which means it’s easier for us to do our job. Chris Baty is the Principal UX Writer at Figma, and was previously the head of UX writing at Dropbox. He’s also the founder of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). He’s a busy...
What we learned at the Button Conference, with Yael Ben-David, Vicki Siolos, and Duaa Osman
December 08, 2020 22:07 - 40 minutes - 93.8 MBOriginally, the UX writing and content strategy community was meant to descend on Seattle for the Button conference. That didn’t happen (obviously). What happened instead was even better. It’s crazy that digital conferences haven’t been a thing until now, but COVID really thrust this one upon us. Today, I’m speaking with some fantastic UX writers and content strategists: Duaa Osman from Google, Yael Ben-David from Fundbox, and Vicki Siolos from Kickstarter. The one thing we have in commo...
From technical to UX writing, working at Apple, and UX writing for electric trucks - Christie Fremon (Rivian)
November 25, 2020 08:36 - 33 minutes - 77.1 MBIf you want an anecdote about Steve Jobs and UX writing, then this episode is for you. But that's just the beginning. Christie Fremon is probably one of the most experienced UX writers in the industry. She started as a technical writer, working through companies like Yahoo and Cloud.com in the 2000s, before moving to Apple as a UI writer on iTunes, and then at Google. Now, she's writing for electric vehicles. Weird, right? Except UX writing for the digital aspects of owning an electri...
Going global: UX writing and content strategy outside the United States, with Mario Ferrer
October 27, 2020 11:58 - 37 minutes - 85.7 MBWhen I named this podcast, I chose to focus the title on “Silicon Valley”. Why? I don’t even live there. It comes down to bias. Today’s episode is about breaking that bias. Mario Ferrer was a senior UX writer at King Games, now he’s a senior UX writer at Skyscanner. He’s also one of the cofounders of the UX Writers Meetup in Barcelona - and he’s perfectly placed to help us understand the UX writing community outside the United States. Why do we focus so much on Silicon Valley? For a good...
Think bigger: how UX writers can embrace content strategy, with Kristina Halvorson
October 10, 2020 05:06 - 36 minutes - 82.9 MBFirst thing’s first: listeners to the podcast can get 15% of tickets to Button! Use the code “UXWC” at checkout to get 15% off: www.buttonconf.com. Kristina Halvorson is the CEO and founder of Brain Traffic, the coauthor of Content Strategy for the Web, the founder of Confab Events, and the host of The Content Strategy Podcast. Her seminal article, The Discipline of Content Strategy, was published in 2008 by A List Apart, the world’s most popular online magazine for web professionals. ...
What UX writing and content strategy get wrong (and how to get better), with Scott Kubie
September 20, 2020 04:56 - 44 minutes - 101 MBSo many of the conversations on this podcast have been focused on the relationships between UX writing and content strategy. My guest today wants to help clear that up a little bit. Scott Kubie is one of the most well-regarded voices in content strategy. Currently a free agent on contract at Mailchimp, Scott's worked previously as the Lead Content Strategist at Brain Traffic (alongside content strategy expert Kristina Halvorson). Before that, he worked as a content strategist and interf...
Ditto: the two Stanford grads creating UX writing software
August 05, 2020 23:14 - 41 minutes - 94.8 MB“Text might be its own vertical in the product stack.” I don’t think I’ve ever been so impressed by people so young. I’m 33, so I’m allowed to say that now. For a while, guests on the podcast have asked me: is there a way to manage our copy end-to-end? For a long time, the best answer I’ve had to give is something like Airtable. But now, Jessica Ouyang and Jolena Ma have created Ditto - and it’s the answer to a lot of prayers. In this episode, I speak with Jessica and Jolena about thei...
12 essential pieces of UX writing wisdom
June 21, 2020 22:33 - 31 minutes - 71.6 MBPlease donate to these national organisations in the United States advocating for racial justice: The Bail Project National Bail Fund Network Act Blue (Donation split between 39 community bail funds) Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law NAACP Legal Defence Fund ACLU LGBTQ Freedom Fund ------------------------------------------------------------------ It's been just over a year since I started Writers of Silicon Valley. In that time I've interviewed 12 expert UX writers...
Accessibility and diversity in UX writing, with Google's Shayla Byrd
May 06, 2020 09:18 - 39 minutes - 91.4 MBEver wondered what it’s like to work at Google? Sure you have. In today’s episode, I speak with Shayla Byrd, a UX writer at Google, about what it’s like there - and so much more. This might be one of the most illuminating conversations I’ve had in a long time. Shayla has an extensive history, ranging from poetry to journalism. Shayla Byrd is a New York-based writer who works at Google as a content strategist and UX writer. Before working in tech, she used her words to tell stories (Peop...
How to be a successful UX writer at Netflix (and anywhere), with Ben Barone-Nugent
March 03, 2020 09:19 - 39 minutes - 90.7 MBEarly Bird tickets for the UX Writing + Content Design Summit are now on sale! Buy now and save $100. Don’t miss out! Visit www.uxwcdsummit.com ————————————————————————- Streaming media is the big war right now in tech. Apple wants a piece, Amazon wants it, Disney is hitting out in a big way. But Netflix was there first, and so I was fascinated to have this conversation with Ben Barone-Nugent about the design challenges there. Specifically, the design challenges associated with wor...
#11: The essential book on UX Writing, with Andy Welfle and Michael J Metts
January 22, 2020 22:16 - 26 minutes - 61.3 MBThere have been a few books on UX writing published, all of them very good, but I think this one might take the cake. Andy Welfle and Michael J Metts have written "Writing is Designing". I think it advances the conversation as it approaches writing as a design tool, and builds on the great work that has already been published by other UX writers. Listen to our conversation and you'll see why. A few things: 1. Buy Writing is Designing from Rosenfeld Media 2. Andy and Michael are h...
Episode #10 - How to get hired as a UX writer in 2020, with Gordon MacRea
January 05, 2020 04:05 - 44 minutes - 39.5 MBAre you looking for a job as a UX writer in 2020? Then no hyperbole: you need to listen to this podcast. Gordon MacRae is an instructional designer, product manager, UX writer, and more. He started the UX Writing Jobs newsletter in 2018 to collate all the opportunities for UX writers around the world, and he's learned more along the way about the market than just about anyone else. After all, you don't talk with hiring managers and read job ads every month without understanding a thing...
Episode #9 - UX Writing at Spotify, with Tamara Hilmes
November 26, 2019 10:37 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MBSpotify! Do you use it? Probably. Remember when we owned CDs? Crazy. Actually, you know what’s crazy? Paying for stuff I don’t have in my hands. I’m 32, so I still want to read that lyrics sheet damn it. No, streaming is better. And Tamara Hilmes is one of the people making it better. She’s a UX Writing Manager at Spotify, and she and I spent some time talking about her background, what makes working at Spotify so great, and the skills she needs to succeed at a major company there - and ho...
How does UX writing work at Dropbox? With Angela Gorden.
September 04, 2019 21:24 - 36 minutes - 82.9 MBDropbox is one of those fascinating companies. Steve Jobs wanted to buy it at one point. Now it's huge. HUGE. With that growth comes a need for UX writing, and that's why Angela Gorden is here today. Angela Gorden is all about making big ideas easy to absorb. Currently a UX writer and manager at Dropbox, she studied design thinking at Stanford University and creative writing at the University of Iowa. Angela blogs about product, design, and writing on Medium. Angela is a big thinker in ...
BONUS: Be a better UX writer, think like a journalist
August 05, 2019 11:36 - 29 minutes - 68.4 MBYep, I get it. You signed up to listen to other UX writers, not me. In that case I say, skip! Delete! Burn! Destroy your phone, even. Last week I gave a presentation to Content Melbourne, at General Assembly. I spoke about how journalism skills can help you as a UX writer. It’s just a piece of bonus content, so I hope you enjoy it. Resources mentioned in this episode: - Elements of Style - Strategic Writing for UX
Episode #6 - Good UX writing is boring, with Ryan Farrell
July 20, 2019 22:54 - 45 minutes - 104 MBWe spend so much time and effort thinking about UX writing that’s “delightful” we often miss the point: form over function. Good UX writing should be…pretty boring, actually. That’s what i discuss in today’s episode with Ryan Farrell. Ryan is a content strategist at GoodRx, but you might very well know him as the creator of the Daily UX Writing Challenge. As of the time this episode went live, the free course had over 2200 students. That’s crazy. Crazy good. In today’s episode, we talk a...
Episode #5 - UX writing in the fashion industry, with Annie Adams
May 26, 2019 09:52 - 35 minutes - 80.2 MBI am terrible at fashion. Well, maybe not too terrible. I can dress myself. I look nice on occasion. But I definitely don’t know the ins and outs, let alone from a UX writing context. That’s why I enjoyed my conversation with Annie Adams so much. At the time we spoke. Annie was working as a UX writer in the fashion industry (she’s still a UX writer, just in a different industry now). Our conversation covered so much - best practices for testing copy, the nuances of the fashion industry, ...
Episode #4 - How to create chatbots that people actually use, with Hillary Black
April 20, 2019 03:25 - 49 minutes - 112 MBYo, chatbots. They’re all the rage, but are they actually going to be a necessary tool for UX writers and content strategists in the future? How essential are they to your arsenal? If they are, what skills do you need to learn? That’s the crux of today’s interview with Hillary Black, VP of Strategy & Conversation Design at Black Ops. Her company has created multiple chatbots for clients in the insurance, finance, and retail industries. She brings a wealth of knowledge to the podcast abou...
Episode #3 - Kathryn Strauss, Senior UX Writer - Square
April 06, 2019 05:03 - 46 minutes - 107 MBKathryn Strauss is currently a Senior UX Writer at Square, but her background extends far beyond that with roles at Wells Fargo, US Bank, WebEx, Glassdoor and Weebly. It would take hours to speak about everything she’s done at those roles, so I tried to keep our conversation high level. We spoke about how writers can participate in UX research, the future of the industry, and the types of skills it takes to be a really, really good UX Writer and Content Strategist. Stuff we mentioned: T...
Episode #2 - Sophie Tahran, UX Writer - Invision
March 23, 2019 03:17 - 53 minutes - 123 MBWorking remotely is something most people dream of. For Sophie Tahran at Invision, it's a lifestyle. I spoke to her about what it's like to work for a fully remote company, how her time at Lyft impacted her design sensibilities, and what it's like to work for one of the biggest software companies in UX. We also spoke about what it's like to create governance and style guidelines for an entire company. If UX writing governance and guidelines is your thing - then this interview is for you....
Episode #1 - Roy West, Design Director UX Writing - Uber
March 10, 2019 06:48 - 47 minutes - 110 MBWelcome to Writers of Silicon Valley! This podcast interviews UX writers and content strategists about their craft. This first episode features Roy West, design director of UX Writing at Uber. We speak about his history at Uber, Google and even at Next during the early 1990s. Writers of Silicon Valley is hosted by Patrick Stafford, senior digital copywriter at MYOB. He's the co-founder and chief marketing officer at the UX Writers Collective. WOSC listeners can get 20% off the UX Writing F...