The unspoken truths of working a hybrid role, unofficially ‘seeking’ your team, understanding the definition of work pillars, creating your processes, and succeeding in your role

Collaborative work

If you’ve followed my journey for some time, you may be aware of my career pivot from medical research to technology, specifically software development. Like most of us, I never went by one true title. I like to consider myself a slashie in my career.

My professional craft was and is a mixed bag of specialising in various facets of digital platform development (both front-end and back-end), moving on to user experience writing and design.

It’s been a journey of discovery, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. Like many, one of the things I’ve discovered is that there’s never just one word that can define my professional craft, and no single job title can encapsulate my multi-faceted experience.

However, if I had to describe my work, I’d say that content design comes closest to what I do. It’s a role that requires a good balance of working with CMS systems, creative technology, applying user psychology, and working with design systems and tools.

Content Design is a field that has been rapidly gaining recognition and significance in both the marketing communications and product interface domains. Through my extensive experience in various hybrid roles, I have come to learn some important takeaways and hard truths that are unique to being a “slashie” in this field.

Content Design Is Different At Every Company

Content design is defined differently at every company. Even though you may have landed a content design role, it doesn’t mean that the job description will be the same as what you’re used to. That’s why it’s important to understand the content design process relative to the company you’re working at. This can be challenging, but there are ways to make it easier.

For example, I find that meeting and talking to various teams helps to break down many uncertainties in the field.

As a content designer, you’ll be at the intersection of many sectors, working collaboratively with product designers, product managers, software engineers, UX researchers, customer experience teams, marketing, and branding teams.

By regularly setting up 1:1 meetings, organizing purposeful team catchups, and learning the functions of each team, you can better understand the main aspects of their work and how it integrates with your own. This way, it’s a smarter way of working, as it informs the way you do research, gather any necessary information for you to use as a reference on how you conduct your work.

Here are some key takeaways and hard truths I’ve discovered as a content design slashie:

1. Content design is an emerging field, and the role is not always well-defined.
2. Different companies have different expectations for content designers, and it’s important to clarify your role early on.
3. To be an effective content designer, you need to be able to collaborate with many different teams, and understand their roles and how they intersect with yours.
4. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to content design, and you’ll need to be flexible and adaptable to different projects and situations.
5. It’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in content design, as the field is constantly evolving.

‘Seeking’ Your Own Team

Being a content designer, you will be constantly collaborating with various teams, and it is essential to find the right people who complement your work style and help you grow.

Companies change and grow every day and you may never know what projects could turn up. As you may be dubbed the ‘UX writer’ or Content Writer on hand, all teams may often come to you, sometimes when there is no other option. Because your role may appear vague, you may be pulled in various projects at once.

So as you start your job in Team ‘XYZ’, you may also find yourself working in other teams, and often be creating your own team.

As a slashie, I have discovered that being part of a supportive and driven team is crucial in achieving success.

In the world of Content Design, everyone can be a potential ally to your work, but here are some profiles that are involved in hands-on-work that as a Content Designer you may be involved with.

• Who defines UI Copy — these are your UI specialists or product designers are responsible for creating the visual appeal and interactive elements of a digital platform. They work closely with other teams, including UX designers and product specialists, to ensure that the interface message is both effective and usable for the user.
• Who defines brand messaging — these extraordinary individuals are the marketers and brand managers who are on a mission to deliver unparalleled value of the product or service to their customers
• Who understand user behavior — these are usually your UX gurus. They study the user journey, conduct research and have a deep understanding of how users interact with the digital platform. They use this knowledge to create more engaging and intuitive user experiences.

It is essential to surround yourself with like-minded individuals who can provide constructive feedback, inspire you to try new things, and help you develop your skills.

It is also essential to have regular team catch-ups to stay aligned on project goals and maintain a clear understanding of each team’s function. One-on-one meetings with team members can help foster positive working relationships, and by working collaboratively, you can ensure that everyone’s input is considered and valuable.

Work Pillars to Drive Successful Work

There are a few key pillars that are crucial in driving successful content design work. These pillars include research, planning, collaboration, and iteration.

Research: To deliver effective content, you need to have a deep understanding of your audience, their needs, and the business goals. Research can help you create content that resonates with your target audience and effectively communicates the brand message.

Planning: With content design, it’s essential to have a plan in place before you start working on the project. Having a well-defined plan can help you stay on track, ensure that you meet project deadlines, and deliver high-quality work.

Collaboration: As a content designer, you will be working with various teams, and effective collaboration is essential to success. By working closely with product designers, software engineers, and other stakeholders, you can ensure that everyone’s input is considered and incorporated into the final product.

Iteration: Content design is an iterative process, and it’s essential to be open to feedback and willing to make changes. Iteration can help you refine your work and ensure that you’re delivering the best possible content to your audience.

Building Your Own Design Processes

As a slashie you have the opportunity to shape your own design processes based on your experiences and preferences. Building your own design processes can help you work more efficiently, create better content, and achieve greater success.

One way to build your own design process is by incorporating design thinking principles. This involves empathising with the user, defining the problem, ideating solutions, prototyping, and testing. Design thinking can help you create content that effectively meets the user’s needs and achieves business goals.

Another effective way that I found to help build my design process is by implementing agile methodologies. Agile methodologies can help you work more efficiently, iterate quickly, and respond to changes in project requirements. By breaking down larger projects into smaller sprints and delivering work incrementally, you can ensure that you’re delivering high-quality work that meets project deadlines.

By seeking out the right team, focusing on key work pillars like research, planning, collaboration, and iteration, and building your own design processes, you can achieve greater success and create content that resonates with your target audience.

So if you relate and resonate as a mixed bag, the realm of content design is a constantly evolving and emerging field. Often times, it feels like we are navigating uncharted waters. But here’s the exciting part that propels me to keep doing what I do: with a touch of flexibility, adaptability, self-learning and making a commitment to staying on top of the latest trends, we have the power to shape this emerging field.

Similar to how I started my journey in tech, I’ve discovered that being a content designer is not about following a predefined path or finding what path works best. It’s about creating our own unique journey. It’s about creatively blending the art of storytelling with the science of user experience, crafting compelling experiences that leave a lasting impact.

Remember, being a mixed bag in this field is not a limitation — it’s our strength.