http://www.andrewschmidt.net/in-another-life daily 0.75 2017-11-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510621897809-HPW145D4V5D1PB0OBZPX/1432668473738.jpeg In another life... - Stefan Ishizaki Won’t Go Home For decades, this Swedish midfielder was haunted by one, recurring chant from the crowds: “Ishi längtar hem till A-I-K.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510621897809-HPW145D4V5D1PB0OBZPX/1432668473738.jpeg In another life... - Stefan Ishizaki Won’t Go Home For decades, this Swedish midfielder was haunted by one, recurring chant from the crowds: “Ishi längtar hem till A-I-K.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510622231880-X0XCJ0CP1FSDCVLZR27G/49_Nikki+Listening.png In another life... - Never Set in Seattle, “Never” is a heartbreaking study of a modern friendship. I produced this feature-length indie. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510622498473-18ETE0WA5ZMCN73AYGAI/visit-thumb.jpg In another life... - The Best Time to Jump the Gun The best reasons to own a smartwatch are years away. So why didn’t Apple wait? http://www.andrewschmidt.net/writing-with-flavor daily 0.75 2019-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510604551827-O3TXNYMQVVHE8H1QUHO4/Shared+channels+coachmark.png Writing with flavor - First impressions Introducing shared channels was a tricky thing. They break our users' mental model: up until now, channels were always private to your company. Shared channels change that. It took several thousand words worth of drafts to settle on this approach. It tells a story — a tiny one — and focuses on the value as opposed to the feature. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510604551827-O3TXNYMQVVHE8H1QUHO4/Shared+channels+coachmark.png Writing with flavor - First impressions Introducing shared channels was a tricky thing. They break our users' mental model: up until now, channels were always private to your company. Shared channels change that. It took several thousand words worth of drafts to settle on this approach. It tells a story — a tiny one — and focuses on the value as opposed to the feature. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510613281676-CEXCS9XSP4Z5A41955MP/Shared+Channels+full+onboarding+3.png Writing with flavor - Making an impression Feature introductions are tough — there’s just a lot to get across. Putting the value up front let us pique interest before getting into the nitty-gritty details. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510618232440-7W1TTOLZAWJ2S81QDOOP/All+Unreads+empty+states.png Writing with flavor - Having a moment When done right, little dashes of empathy can be delightful. The trick is to find places where the user's already having a moment, and be a part of it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510612584518-CRU3AH6PS36D3DLXUM18/Onboarding+emails.png Writing with flavor - Starting from scratch For brand new users, it helps to skip the what and go directly to the why. Instead of what a product is, put the focus on why it’s useful. http://www.andrewschmidt.net/writing-for-interfaces daily 0.75 2018-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510619694587-XXF0DLF3NGKX7Y4X6R4X/Perfecting+a+flow.png Writing for interfaces - Streamlining a flow This two-screen user flow looks simple enough — but getting there took lots of work. After whittling down requests from stakeholders, we were left with just the essentials. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510619694587-XXF0DLF3NGKX7Y4X6R4X/Perfecting+a+flow.png Writing for interfaces - Streamlining a flow This two-screen user flow looks simple enough — but getting there took lots of work. After whittling down requests from stakeholders, we were left with just the essentials. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510619752340-1J9EQ4VGNOEIV5CPVINS/Explaining+an+algorithm.png Writing for interfaces - Explaining an algorithm We applied machine-learning smarts to surface important unread messages. Giving some insight into why a particular message made the cut helped build trust with skeptical users. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510619660870-QQ3GULH06AJO2QUIU27S/Teaching+in-context.png Writing for interfaces - Teaching in context Again and again, user research has taught us that in-context education is stickier than traditional onboarding. Here I managed to sneak a little explanation into the button itself. http://www.andrewschmidt.net/speaking-blogging daily 0.75 2021-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1570746255190-AGQ6SZY4R97BT5Y8X0WR/design+matters+2019+-+andrew+schmidt+-+slack_2.jpg Speaking & blogging - Designing like a writer It’s not hard to do good UI writing — so if you’re struggling, you might have a bigger UX problem. This talk explores all the ways language can improve our work. Given at Design Matters in Copenhagen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1570746255190-AGQ6SZY4R97BT5Y8X0WR/design+matters+2019+-+andrew+schmidt+-+slack_2.jpg Speaking & blogging - Designing like a writer It’s not hard to do good UI writing — so if you’re struggling, you might have a bigger UX problem. This talk explores all the ways language can improve our work. Given at Design Matters in Copenhagen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1527658243662-9J01K59P2Q99X7MITPXP/1*xZ_FBBzP9xsr8HB3vVxBLg.jpeg Speaking & blogging - Stop searching for the perfect word What do you do, as a UX writer, when the English language has failed you? This is a quick look at my three go-to strategies, written for the Slack Design blog. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1527658891210-SPOAO3AJY2VA6Q37UXT3/Writing+for+Buttons.jpeg Speaking & blogging - Writing for buttons Inspired by Ray and Charles Eames’ “Powers of Ten,” this top-to-toes study of UX writing starts with the most basic, atomic particle — microcopy — then zooms out. Given at Confab in 2018. http://www.andrewschmidt.net/posts daily 0.75 2023-05-21 http://www.andrewschmidt.net/posts/love-to-be-wrong monthly 0.5 2023-05-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1684697459066-BMQOY7LD3JEZDYF0B9HX/vr62.png Posts - Love to be wrong: Four guesses about the Apple headset - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. http://www.andrewschmidt.net/posts/the-conviction-were-missing monthly 0.5 2023-03-11 http://www.andrewschmidt.net/posts/should-interfaces-look-good monthly 0.5 2023-03-11 http://www.andrewschmidt.net/test daily 1.0 2021-11-20 http://www.andrewschmidt.net/about daily 0.75 2021-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/555bedc9e4b0db4a78d50615/1510620973629-VT0BQF0ZPC9ZZZBWUZKC/IMG_6152.JPG About