What drew you to content design over other specialisms?
As part of the user-centred design (UCD) apprenticeship, I have had the opportunity to complete 3-month placements in content design, user research, interaction design, and service design.
I’ve enjoyed each discipline and gained valuable insight into their individual importance and how they work together.
Although each of these disciplines are crucial, I found content design to be particularly rewarding and was drawn to specialise in it for the final 6 months of my apprenticeship.
I’ve always been interested in communication and particularly how written content has the power to make complex information clear and easy to understand.
I think content design is such an important part of digital design and has the capability to make or break a service.
It requires collaboration across different disciplines, and I appreciate how it helps shape the overall user experience while keeping accessibility and inclusivity at the centre.
I like how it involves translating research insights into clear, actionable information and allows working closely with other designers to ensure that language and design can work seamlessly together.
What has been your role within the planning project?
My role in the planning project has been to support the content designer, Claire, by assisting with content design tasks and activities.
This has included writing content, working with our Welsh translator, Catrin, to create the Welsh version, updating content when needed, and responding to user research insights by making improvements.
The project has given me valuable experience in working as part of a team over several months in an Agile, user-focused way.
My UCD apprenticeship experience has also helped me contribute to wider UCD tasks with the team, such as creating hypotheses that align with our project outcome goals and research questions, writing user stories, observing and note-taking both remote and in-person user research testing sessions and analysing user insights.
How have you found specialising in content design within the planning project and do you have any highlights or key takeaways?
Specialising in content design within the planning project has been a valuable learning experience.
It has allowed me to apply and develop my skills in writing clear, accessible content while working collaboratively.
A key takeaway for me has been understanding the importance of simplifying complex information to help users navigate the planning process with confidence.
One of my ‘penny drop’ moments was seeing how small content changes, such as improving structure, reducing jargon, or simply changing one word, can make a significant difference in user’s understanding.
I have also been learning how to meet user needs on this project by allowing users to navigate the service smoothly by providing the right information at the point in time in which they need it.
Claire has been an excellent mentor on this project.
She has shared her expertise, given me helpful feedback, and guided me through best practices to keep content clear and accessible.
A highlight for me has been working closely with the team, including user researchers, designers, project managers, and stakeholders to respond to user insights and continuously improve the service.
It has also been lovely meeting up with the team when we could. Seeing people face-to-face improves communication and collaboration, leading to spontaneous discussions and in-depth brainstorming sessions that are sometimes more effective when done together in person.
This experience has reinforced how content design plays a crucial role in making digital services more inclusive and user-friendly.
Have you found anything challenging or has anything changes your perspective?
One of the main challenges has been to balance the complexity of the project itself. Planning involves detailed processes, legal requirements, certain language terms, and varying approaches across different local planning authorities.
Trying to balance the need for accuracy while ensuring content remains simple and accessible has been a learning experience.
Looking ahead what are you looking forward to and how can you see your skills evolving?
Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue developing my content design skills and applying what I have learned in future projects.
I am particularly looking forward to gaining more independence, taking initiative, and trusting my own judgement when making content decisions.
I also hope to further develop my ability to collaborate across disciplines to continue creating services that meet user needs.
Learn more about the planning project.
