Here are five helpful resources about UX (user experience) design and copywriting. These are a great place for a beginner to start. If you’re already in marketing, you’re probably less of a beginner than you may think, if you’ve been paying attention. Pay attention all the time, especially when you’re the user. You know what feels good. Start to ask why that site is easy to use, and look for patterns. Screenshot landing pages and exit overlays that work or shopping carts that usher you along the purchase path. Research the design process of products that make everyday life easier.
Chemex coffeemaker – flawless blending of design and function. Photo credit: Karl Fredrickson
The classic paperback rhetoric for writers, some copywriting tips, and these podcasts about design should prove informative for designers and marketers of various levels:
- Simple and Direct by Jacques Barzun. In high school, my dad gave me this book to help me write more concisely, and I’ve kept the same copy at my desk ever since. It’s very University of Chicago, and it’s worth reviewing every couple years, especially if you write copy that users or customers are forced to read. Simplify.
“Principle 1. Have a point and make it by means of the best word.” - Design for the Human Brain
UX and UI design tips based on how our brains process information. Cognitive psychology is paramount to user centered design. Reduce cognitive load. - 10 UX Copywriting Tips for Designers
John Williams gets copywriting and design. “Be ruthless with your copy.” Cut cut cut. - 3 Fundamental User Onboarding Lessons from Classic Nintendo Games
How to create good onboarding flow and inspire users to progress. Place emphasis on the naive user and value of external testing. Tetris “presents a world of perpetual uncompleted tasks” which stick in your memory, bugging your brain to finish. It’s the best example of the Zeigarnik Effect, or the “need to complete.” - 14 Design Podcasts to Put in Your Ears
99% Invisible, Design Matters, and more. Tip: I like to listen to podcasts with the free Stitcher app. It gets smarter with use.
