I am writing an article (or possibly a series) for Technori.com on differences and overlap in user experience roles, and how roles differ across organizations. The survey is specifically for in-house UX professionals, or for those in staff-augmentation positions. I have also been talking with consultants and recruiters who specialize in filling UX roles, but [...]
Today I went to what I thought was a networking event. Usually I research the people and organizations when I’m going to have a meeting, but this time I didn’t. I’d looked at their website briefly, weeks earlier, when my colleague invited me to attend with her. See? Inconsistent. So, it took me about a [...]
Whether it’s a document edit, a design critique, or a performance review, receiving feedback in a vacuum can be a shock. By “in a vacuum,” I mean without having discussed the objectives and success criteria. What are the metrics? How will the results be used? Without this information, receiving feedback can be like going to [...]
Adam Connor posted yesterday that he doesn’t believe in UX design. Steve Baty responded that much of UX design isn’t design, and pointed me to an article by Jonas Löwgren that contrasts what UX designers do and what “big-D” designers do. I think I understand the contrasts that are being made between UX and “big-D” [...]
I want to learn more about how writing skills can best support the product development life cycle. I’m starting with this survey, which is intended for folks who do not provide technical communication or other writing services as their core offering or job responsibilities. So, I’m hoping to hear from project and product managers, business [...]
“Text instructs, guides, confirms, communicates, connects.”—Kristina Halvorson, Content Strategy for the Web Content strategy isn’t just about web content for your customers. It’s also about learning from your experiences to reduce process loss and plan your next iteration. It was supposed to be simple. I pictured three steps. I sketched a few versions, and ended [...]
Often teams request documentation long after work has begun on the product, leaving just enough time to fill their order, whether or not it’s actually the best type of documentation for the users. This happens to in-house writing teams and outside consultants. How do you avoid this? When is the right time in the project [...]
“what happened in this story and what is this story about?” – Sugar Have you read the Dear Sugar column on The Rumpus? The Rumpus is a literary blog, and Dear Sugar is an advice column by an established author writing anonymously as “Sugar.” On Feb. 14, Sugar will reveal her identity. Whoever she is, [...]
By “encouraged to,” I mean by their employers. And maybe I mean “required to.” I’m talking about having some sort of online communication with readers, customers, or users. Being able to find books by that person, or websites geared towards selling his or her products, or links to academic articles published by other content providers, [...]
For two weeks, I have been riding the train downtown to the Institute of Design at IIT. Last week I had a Creative Suite bootcamp taught by graduate students, and this week I had orientation. Yep, I am going back to school. I am pursuing dual degrees: a Masters in Design and a Masters in [...]
Hi, I’m Kristi Leach.
I’m a writer, content strategist, and designer in Chicago.
I have working knowledge and experience in the following: technical writing, website planning, user experience, and design thinking.
My core skill is all things content. That means I bring a content-centric view to UX roles, and it means I know how to collaborate with folks in all those fields on content projects.
Current obsession: how design and UX roles vary across organizations. Here, take my survey.
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