My Personal Content Strategy to UX/UI Design
As a current DesignLab student, I decided to create a personal content strategy to focus on becoming a UX/UI Designer through planning, creating, delivering, and governance of my personal content to get there. I have struggled so far in balancing school and work, so this has been a helpful way to assess where I am currently, where I am going, and what I need to get there. I am creating this strategy to determine how best to organize the content I need to graduate from UX Academy and get a job as a UX/UI Designer.
I started this process by first creating a roadmap (above) to create a big picture view of where I started this journey, where I am currently at, and what will take place next. I wanted to keep the roadmap simple and use it as a marker that I can quickly glance at and know where I am and prepare for what is next. I have learned through this process that yes, the work I am doing in DesignLab is the core of my journey right now, but UX/UI design goes much beyond the course, and exposing myself to as much information that is accessible is just as important. With the amount of information that is out there, it can get overwhelming and I can easily lose track of the big picture. Having this roadmap supports me in exploring information from resources outside of DesignLab but keeping my priorities organized is at the forefront.
The process of creating the in-depth calendars was a much different process than the roadmap. The focus of the calendars is to break down components of the roadmap in detail. The calendars are the sitemap or low-fidelity wireframes in my UX journey. To create the calendar I needed to do a content audit of what I have and what I still need. From there I needed to take everything, what I have and what I will do, and organize and group that information to create a plan that makes sense. I needed to assess what was needed and where it fits in my journey. The roadmap helps me in understanding the big picture but to get closer to a final product (or completing the journey) I needed to break down where, when, why, and how my larger accomplishments will be completed. A struggle I faced with the calendars was being realistic with myself in regards to how much I would actually be able to complete versus where I thought I would be or where I hoped I would be. In doing the calendars I made my coursework the top priority but included outside work that I see as equally necessary components in my journey (i.e. Figma Skills, brand, etc.).
Below is my content strategy and breakdown of how I will complete the UX journey I am on.
Content Strategy
Goals
- Learn the design process and design thinking
- Have a portfolio I am proud of
- Have confidence in my design & UI skills (i.e. Figma)
- Find a job in the UX/UI field
Audience
- Hiring professionals/recruiters
- UX Academy Mentors
- UX Academy Peers
- Clients
Content Audit
Current Deliverables
- Time to invest in UX Academy and personal research outside the course.
- Resume
- Bachelors Degree in Psychology
Future Deliverables
- Brand
- Figma Skills
- Capstone Projects — Documentation
- Portfolio — What makes me stand out? What do I gravitate towards in UX? What previous experiences connect with design work?
- Website
- Blog
- DesignLab Graduation/Certificate
Voice & Tone
- Creative
- Playful
- Professional
- Adaptable
- Empathetic
- Authentic
- Minimal
- Positive Change
Takeaways
When first embarking on this personal content strategy I wasn’t completely sure how it would be so beneficial. On the first go-around I simply created the roadmap & calendars; wrote down my goals, audience, and voice/tone; and did a content audit. Not until after I revisited my content strategy and my original version of this post did I realize the deeper benefits this content strategy did for me including the way it personalized this part of UX and how it is beneficial to the overall process.
After taking the time to revisit this project I better understood the role a roadmap plays in the UX process, the importance of a content audit, the role of a sitemap and low fidelity wireframe, and the overall importance of setting goals, determining what needs to take place to accomplish those goals, and continuously assessing your plan and editing when seen fit.
My biggest takeaway is the importance of iteration. Iterate, iterate, iterate! I would not be where I am in this UX process without it nor would this post be where it is now without it. In the words of the great Aaliyah “If at first, you don’t succeed, then dust yourself off and try again”.