Any product job is going to consist of meetings—sometimes, hours and hours of meetings. It’s part of corporate life, but what if you’re a UX Writer juggling multiple features and projects? How can you make your meetings count?
If you’re at a company that doesn’t prioritize UX Writing, it may be hard to book that meeting in the first place. Check out my other posts to share the value of UX Writing, and use the tips below the make the meeting as productive and meaningful as possible.
Create an agenda
Though this doesn’t have to be followed as though it’s written in stone, the person planning the meeting should include an outline of what will be discussed. If it’s the designer or PM who’s requesting the meeting, ask for details before it starts. If you’re the one setting it up, provide the scope.
It sounds like a small thing, but this can prevent the pitfall of focusing on only one string of content instead of the information architecture (or opposite, if that’s the point of the meeting). Being on the same page from the get-go will prevent frustration and wasted time.
Share the goal
How many times have you sat through a meeting and left thinking “that could have been an email”? While an agenda can keep the conversation on track, it won’t feel like a success unless success if defined early on.
Are you trying to finalize the copy? Brainstorm? Simply understand the feature? Make sure everyone’s got the same idea.
Define the constraints
Sometimes the best idea isn’t practical. Constraints are part of life, whether they manifest through deadlines, stakeholders, or unforeseen circumstances. Some of these won’t be known immediately because of their very nature, but share any that you’re aware of.
Also be clear about what the copy you’re discussing should do. What are the nonnegotiables? What does the copy have to accomplish? Define these early on.
…Duh?
Like many of my articles, there’s nothing mindblowing here. It’s a lot of common sense. But setting these parameters as a team can help form company culture, save time, and integrate copy seamlessly into the process.
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