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Michelle Jackson-Blackwell


UX Content Designer. Certified UX Writer.

I design with words.
I simplify the complex.
I support the user journey.




Two Words: Creative, Analytical



I'm a Certified UX Writer & Content Designer with 5+ years experience in UX content design, plus a foundation of 10+ years experience in information architecture, interaction design, UX strategy, and UX research. I have a deep respect for user-centered design.

That foundation in user-centered design has given me a system thinking approach to content design. I help digital product teams simplify, improve, and optimize the conversation that needs to happen between the product and the user, throughout the end-to-end customer journey.




"...Smart people respect simple language not because simple words are easy, but because expressing interesting ideas in small words takes a lot of work..."


-- The Atlantic (Why Simple Is Smart)






What I Do


UX Writing & Content Design


I craft UI language, user-centered interaction design, & systems thinking for UX content to simplify the user experience, help users complete tasks, and support the conversation between the product & the user. I respect the alliance of user needs & business goals. My goal is to craft clear, concise, easy to understand, brand-specific UI language, so that the customer journey is contextual, conversational, cohesive, simple & usable.


I design, write, edit, test, & improve product content & microcopy for mobile app, mweb, desktop, & enterprise UX. I partner with cross-functional teams to analyze UI flows, pain points, user needs, & business goals. I work with globalization teams to incorporate localization of world languages, global customs, & the impact of content translation on comprehension, text expansion, and even the transcreation of UI content when needed.


I speak the language of user-centered design with product teams and business stakeholders, as we improve the user experience and iterate on design solutions based on data-driven insights. I value UX research & user testing to validate design solutions, understand the target audience, and improve the quality of the content design & user experience.





"...Writing UX text is iterative, starting with less-than-perfect words, then replacing those words with slightly better words, and repeating until you find the best words..."


-- Strategic Writing for UX







Why I Like What I Do


I'm both creative & analytical


Always have been, and this is why I am genuinely energized by functional + emotional content, UX strategy, & design thinking. I consider myself fortunate to have built a career in a profession I enjoy. Making the user experience 'look & feel' easy is actually not easy at all, and I enjoy the process. My years of experience in UX architecture, plus a lifelong love for words and natural affinity for editing, led me on an interesting "happy path" to content design.

To learn more, check out my article on Medium.



I'm all about collaboration


Product design, content design, and UX research must work collaboratively with product management teams to create usable and engaging digital experiences that meet business goals AND user needs. I communicate across organizational levels -- from users to executives -- with a proven track record of successfully completing projects individually, collaboratively, and with remote and global teams.





"Companies that effectively incorporate good design have higher revenue growth and higher returns to shareholders." [5-year Study: The Business Value of Design]


-- McKinsey & Company





Education


Master of Science

Information Design and Technical Communication

Southern Polytechnic State University


Bachelor of Science

Management of Business and Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology




Certifications


Certified UX Writer

UX Content Collective



Certified Usability Analyst (CUA)

Human Factors International






"...emotional design is how a digital product makes users feel. It can drastically impact the success of an app or website, and hence directly impact an enterprise's bottom line."


-- Forbes




Working With Me



Michelle is a rare find. She's incredibly smart, kind, and dedicated to UX. Her years of UX work help her bring a well-rounded perspective to content design projects. She makes space for her content strategy, welcomes feedback to create the best product possible, and her love of UX and writing shows. Her dedication to her craft has elevated our team.

Raine M.
Director of Content Design (Context Logic)




I had the pleasure to meet and work with Michelle [and] not only [is she] an amazing content designer, she's a very strategic thinker. It was always great to partner with her during the UX development phase to get her insights on overall flows. Collaborating with her always resulted in a more polished, elevated final result.


Michelle is also an amazing and empathetic person to connect with on a personal level. I can't recommend her enough, and would be very happy to work with her again in the future!

Murilo F.
Sr. Product Designer (Context Logic)





Goals & Things


I'm an author, or my alter ego is... my intuition says I'm overdue for writing a book. I still remember my grade school literature teacher keeping me after class to say she moved me to Advanced Placement (AP) Literature after turning in a poetry assignment.



I love HTML. It's actually kind of relaxing. I built, hand-code, & update the super simple website you're looking at now. Sure I could use a templated platform, but coding reminds me what's behind the UI curtain and provides context for working with developers and engineers.



Fun fact about me. I find the human brain fascinating! There's still so much we don't know or understand about how the brain works. On the path not taken, I might have studied neuroscience.




Get in contact with Michelle

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