UX Writing Weekly #212

About that Duo Lingo redesign
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More word-of-the-year news. Merriam-Webster’s WOTY is gaslighting.


While Oxford has decided to let the public vote for its word of the year for 2022. 


The candidates are:

  1. Metaverse

  2. #IStandWith

  3. Goblin mode


They say the smart money is on "goblin mode." 👺😅


WHAT’S INSIDE ✍️


Issue #212 (Nov 30th, 2022)

  • Finding the perfect word message

  • Duo, you’re driving us crazy!

  • From radio to UX

  • Build your portfolio: FREE EVENT

ARTICLES 🗞

🎚 "What are you really trying to say here?" Spotify’s design team wants UX writers to think deeply about that question. Go beyond finding the right word to finding the message. 


Structure your thoughts, create a framework, visualize, and share. 


Finding the Perfect Word Isn’t the Job: Evolve Copy into Language With UX Writing

😭 On a scale of 1 to "Elon Musk takes over Twitter," just how bad is that Duolingo update? Well, if users have to power scroll to navigate the UI, that’s a bad sign.* 


Down the wrong path: the disaster of the latest Duolingo UI update


📻 Radio host and newbie UX writer Filip Han outlines several interesting overlaps between UX writing and working in radio. Voice & tone, keep it simple, and more.


How working in radio prepared me for a UX writing career



MICROCOPY BITE 💬

Google added some "exciting" microcopy to its World Cup scoreboard. Nice touch!

PILLARS OF COMMUNITY 🏛

Community answers to trending topics. Join the conversations below.

UPSKILL: FIGMA COURSE & LIVE EVENT 📚


We’re super excited for this free event with Sarah Doody. There’s never been a better time to breathe some new life into your portfolio. (Dec 8th)


Six ways to improve your UX portfolio: stand out and get hired faster with Sarah Doody


Free Figma lesson:

It’s that time again—time for another Figma Happy hour. Our first two were smashing successes, so sign up now because spaces are limited and fill up fast. See you there! 🍻


Figma happy hour #3 | Free design class for UX writers/Content designers

PORTFOLIO 🖌


Need to have a portfolio ready by yesterday? Have zero time!!


 No worries! Just do what Loredana Lușcan did—whip up a slide deck and save it as a PDF. 


Loredana Lușcan portfolio

JOBS 💼


While N. America and Europe get most of the attention, there are some hot jobs in Asia too!


Shyft, an Indian early-stage global health tech platform, is hiring a content designer/UX writer. (remote)


And we’re so happy to see that UXWA alumna Sherry Samtani is adding a senior associate UX writer to her team at Halodoc in Jakarta. 


More new positions from around the globe are on the job board.

UX COMPENSATION DATABASE 🤑

Add your deets to this anonymous and growing database of UX salaries. Because salary clarity helps us all. 


Global UX Compensation Transparency Database

VOX POPULI 🗣️


Join our online communities, and take part in the discussions and debates that are shaping the field.


Enjoyed UX Writing Weekly? Share it with your UX besties.

See you next week!

*OK, for real though. It took 26 seconds to scroll from unit 1 to unit 174. Why like this, Duo?



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