Using improv to get it right

Content-first design leverages the user’s conversation to promote empathy and inform UI flow and copy. By acting out the conversation, we expose some of the ways users think about their work, the terms they use, and moments of frustration, apprehension, and what delights them.

Try this technique to discover the right conversation and tone to guide users through challenging moments.

1 Identify the plot and characters

Clarify user’s goals and a typical scenario.
Ex: Jacob, a sales manager, wants to invite the 2 prospects, Ashley and Perry, to an initial sales meeting.

2 Assign roles

Ask team members choose a part:

• application

• user

• potential collaborators.

Assign one team member to document the conversation.

3 Run through the script

The person with the application role asks the user what they want to do. Note: actors should use their own words and avoid using techie terms and referencing the application. Imagine that this is a conversation between 2 people and that the work is being done in a black box where the desired results just get delivered.

4 Discuss the conversation — talk about the words and tasks used by the user

Tip: use this as an opportunity to explore alternatives to the nouns we’ve assigned to concepts (aka. “internal company speak”). These nouns can create confusion for users who only know the terms they use to describe their work. Each time a user has to stop and decode our internal speak, the more time and frustration they experience trying to get their work done. Look for opportunities to replace these nouns with verbs (actions) or nouns that are familiar to the user.

5 Discuss moments of friction

Tip: try to identify moments where the order in which users ask the application to do something doesn’t align with the way we’ve designed the experience. Consider changing these experiences to align with the user’s conversation (content first design).

6 Run the script again leveraging your new insights (optional)

7 Design the interface

With the conversation in mind, now the designer can design the UI to match how the user thinks about their work and the order in which they provide information. Focus on the information exchange, don’t sweat specific words yet.

8 Edit the copy

Work with the UX writer to refine the copy and keywords.

9 Test the outcome and iterate