It’s a delight when software, websites or apps make it easy to get something done. That quiet joy is often made possible in part by skilled user experience (UX) writers, who produce the language that helps people use digital products to accomplish their objectives.
High-tech UX teams need talented writers to collaborate with researchers and designers, according to Torrey Podmajersky, a guest lecturer at UW’s Information School who runs her own UX content firm, Catbird Content. Torrey got her start as a UX writer for Microsoft’s Xbox, and went on to literally write the book on how to succeed in UX writing — Strategic Writing for UX (2019).
She’s also a former instructor for Foundations of UX Writing, a course offered by UW Professional & Continuing Education. We talked to Torrey about the role of UX writers in today’s tech industry and why it’s still a great time to move into this creative, collaborative field.
User experience is one of the most dynamic fields in high tech. What’s the specific role of a UX writer?
User experience teams translate business and customer goals into sets of steps that move people forward. UX writers focus on content — human-centered copy that guides users in the right voice and tone.
We use words in a structured, strategic way to have a conversation with the user. It is about saying, “What is the thing you’re here to do? How can I help you get there?”
UX writers distill what information is important to users and present that information when it’s necessary. Sometimes it’s microcopy — those small words or phrases on buttons or titles — or just extremely consistent information, so people feel like they already know what to do next.
How do UX writers work with user research and design?
UX writers get involved with user research at the very beginning. We pay attention to who the users are going to be, and what they already understand. We need to hear the words people are already using about the concepts involved, and the words that we have to avoid.
A lot of my interaction design partners will start by designing buttons and screen layouts and pen-and-pencil wireframes. UX writers might also start their design process with wireframes, or literal chat bubbles, and then write out, “Here’s the conversation I would expect to have. Now, here’s how we would translate that to a design.”
When UX writing is great, it’s clear and simple. If people are saying it’s intuitive, the content is speaking to their hindbrain — they never feel like they’re reading. This is where it really helps to deeply pay attention to user research, who the users are going to be, and what they already understand.
There was a big boom in hiring UX writers and content designers about five years ago. What does hiring look like for these jobs today?
There are companies that have hired UX writers for years, like Microsoft and Nordstrom. Companies like Meta, Google and Amazon followed that lead. During the widespread layoffs of 2022 and 2023, many companies reduced investment in these roles, so there were fewer jobs. Finally, here at the end of 2024, we're starting to see hiring pick up again as customers demand better products and digital experiences.
You’ve taken a few twists in your own career path. How did you get into UX writing, and what keeps you motivated?
I have known UX writers who come from journalism, design and technical writing. I moved from teaching high school into this high-tech user experience world. In my first shipping cycle for Xbox, I wrote words that over 30 million people used on the first day to clear up account issues and play their games. Playing games is essential for human health and happiness — we all have to play.
My why for the design consulting work I do is to get closer and closer to the basic needs people have. How do I use the things I’m working on to make the most of their precious time on the planet? If I can make it a little bit faster or easier for you to do what you came there to do, that’s a huge privilege.
The other half of my professional life, besides consulting, is teaching, training and mentorship. I get to work with people from all around the planet, and here at the UW iSchool, to build skills that can help even more people gain the understanding required to use digital tools, play games and otherwise understand their world.
You cover some tools, frameworks and processes in your book. What additional insights will students gain in the Foundations of UX Writing course?
They’ll bring UX writing to life off the page and engage with problems. It has been hard for people to get into interaction design. The discipline grew out of graphic design and visual design, so people who didn’t have a strong sense of color or layout have felt underwater. Teaching UX writing as a separate set of skills should open up UX careers for more people, and make people already working in UX even better at what they do.
What can we expect for the future of UX writing?
Humans are weird and inventive, and the problems people are trying to solve with technology seem to be never-ending. Interstellar travel and exploration will require clear, easy-to-understand experiences and language to get there. The sky is not the limit.