Deliverables & Documentation in UX Writing

A content mockup is a draft version of a webpage or app that includes actual text, images, and elements in their intended layout. Unlike wireframes, which are basic outlines, mockups are more detailed, showing how the final design will look and feel.

Using content mockups allows teams to draft and place real content directly onto the layout using tools like Balsamiq, Figma, and Sketch. This approach ensures that the design and content align well, highlights any space constraints, and minimizes later adjustments by testing how the copy and visuals work together early in the process.

Your job as a UX writer does not just end with writing copy, a vital next step is to note down why you have written things a particular way, or what was the deciding factor in each case. Defining the style and brand voice that you used acts as evidence that your UX copy is not random and arbitrary and that it is instead based on research, reasoning, and solid guidelines.

An important part of the documentation process is noting down the keywords involved in defining your product's brand voice and tone. Your notes can also include a list of terms not to use. These notes on style and brand voice will make writing easier and quicker in the future. A product that is specific in its brand voice and tone also has a better chance of appealing to its target audience.

For every line that you write, supporting it with in-usage examples from your previous work or a competitor’s work can have several benefits:

• It serves as clear and tangible proof of what works on design and what does not.
• It offers a straightforward frame of reference for designers when mockups cannot be created.
• It helps clarify your line of thought to your team more effectively and can be instrumental in getting them on board with your ideas.

It’s easy to think of UX writing as writing all the prominent texts like headlines and CTAs that lead to desirable user actions. Sure, UX writing includes that too, but it also involves writing small and hidden copy, such as error messages, and confirmation messages buried deep within the product.

These often-overlooked elements of UX writing may look insignificant at first glance, but they are immensely powerful, to the extent that they can make or break the user experience. Naturally, they must be included in the documentation process. The best way to make sure that you do not skip over them is to build a content inventory or make use of an existing one.

Much of UX writing’s impact is shaped during the research stage. When done well, it lays a strong foundation for an effective user experience. However, once published, this content can be repurposed for various future needs.

Organizing UX writing under clear categories like “About the Product” or “About the Team” allows for easy access when new opportunities, like investor pitches, arise. Having an inventory of reusable content also supports future product writing.

To make your copy reusable:

• Use consistent terminology and language.
• Maintain brand voice consistency.
• Follow your style guide closely.^[1]

Whenever possible, include clear explanations in your documentation about the rationale behind your UX writing approach. This should cover essential background information, such as user demographics, needs, goals, frustrations, beliefs, and attitudes.

By documenting these insights, you help ensure that anyone reading or assessing the copy can understand it from the users' perspective. This approach minimizes personal biases, aligning evaluations with actual user needs rather than individual opinions. A well-documented rationale can guide consistent, user-centered decisions across teams, improving the effectiveness and clarity of your UX writing.

Feedback is essential to every process and this is not any different for UX writing either. But the important thing to ask yourself is: where this feedback is coming from and what is it based on, simply because it is impossible to act on every suggestion that you receive.

The rule of thumb is that if it comes from a user or key decision-maker based on actual experience or user research, it may be feedback that is worth exploring. In case you decide to act on any feedback, make sure that you document the feedback verbatim, who it came from, and the data that it was based on so that your decisions make complete sense to you and your team at all times.

In UX writing, as with any documentation, the sooner it's done, the better. Memories fade, so the best approach is to document continuously, noting down details as they happen. For instance, if you're writing copy for a homepage, aim to document each part immediately or even as you’re drafting. This practice ensures no important insight gets lost and keeps your documentation organized and accessible. Delaying this process often results in a chaotic, hard-to-navigate system that’s challenging to update or reference later.

The core purpose of documentation is for key members of your team like designers, developers, and key decision-makers to easily access the deliverables and insights. With simple cloud-based collaborative documents like Google Docs and full-fledged project management tools like Trello and Notion, it is now possible to share information quickly and easily.

Today, time and security are crucial. Sharing documentation on these platforms protects both by offering flexible access options, from read-only to full ownership, allowing you to control who can view, comment, or edit the content. This ensures that essential information remains accessible and secure for all team members.