The problem

Cloze tests are a quick and cheap way to check if something is easy to understand. Imagine taking a piece of writing and removing every fifth or sixth word, then asking people to fill in the blanks. This helps us see if the writing is clear or if it might confuse readers. For more details, you can read my full blog post about it.

The strategy

We want to see things from the reader’s point of view.
We check if long pieces of writing are tough or confusing for readers or if they find them easy to follow.

Why you should care

Reading long texts, like terms and conditions or privacy policies, can sometimes be annoying or hard to get through.

That’s why Content Designers use Cloze tests. It helps us make sure our writing is easy for everyone to understand, even the short bits like Micro-Copy.
In short, Cloze tests help us write in a way that’s simple and clear for everyone.

The problem

I am studying towards a Professional Certificate in Content Design with the UX Design Institute.

As part of the course, I need to complete projects in order to sit the exam.

Project #02 involved conversation mining. This is scouring the web to identify real conversations that your target audience is having. The Case Study was based around a fictional app, called PawsAbode.

We needed to mine conversations from social media, forums and help pages to find the shared language that we can give life to our hypothetical pet siting app, Paws Abode.

The strategy

The goal is to get into the mind of your audience and understand how they think and talk about the area you’re designing for. For a deep dive, please see the blog post “What is conversation mining. Its role in content design.“

The digital method was using Miro, the online whiteboard, and screengrabs.

Why you should care

As a content designer, content mining plays a critical role in app design because it allows us to uncover and utilise the language and messaging that resonates best with our target audience.

Through the process of analysing and extracting key pieces of content from various sources, we can create a user experience that’s not only engaging but also incredibly relevant and personalised. It’s about diving deep into the sea of available content to find those golden nuggets of information that can inform and enhance our design decisions.

Ultimately, content mining helps ensure our app speaks the language of our users, making the experience more intuitive and satisfying.

The problem

I am studying towards a Professional Certificate in Content Design with the UX Design Institute.

As part of the course, I need to complete projects in order to sit the exam.

Project #01 allowed me to assess a piece of content against the six principles of good content design.

The strategy

I began to understand how to communicate these principles with others, which will help me in my future work as a Content Designer.

The digital method was using Miro, the online whiteboard, and screengrabs.

Why you should care

I will have the relevant training and I will be able to help, and to work, as a Content Designer.

The problem

Harrogate Community Radio faced the challenge of uninspiring empty state pages, particularly the 404 error page, which could potentially deter visitor engagement.

Recognising the importance of maintaining a positive user experience even in the face of navigation errors, the radio station aimed to redesign these pages to reflect its brand identity and ethos effectively.

The strategy

Drawing on the beauty of Harrogate and the local area, a photo of a local destination within Harrogate was decided upon as the backdrop by stakeholders at the station. This was on brand with the vision of the local station.

The content was designed to empathise with visitors, using a friendly and reassuring tone, while also encouraging exploration of the site through engaging links and suggestions.

Visual elements were carefully selected to align with the brand’s identity, ensuring consistency across the user experience. Collaboration with the stakeholders and the freelance developers (and thorough testing) ensured the design’s seamless implementation.

Why you should care

This case study underscores the significance of thoughtful content design in enhancing user experience, even in less favourable circumstances like encountering a 404 page. By turning a potential point of frustration into an opportunity for engagement, Harrogate Community Radio not only upheld its brand identity but also strengthened its community connections. For businesses and content designers alike, this project illustrates the value of aligning design and content strategy with brand ethos, showcasing how creative solutions can positively impact user interaction and brand perception.

The problem

In my other role, as a freelance web designer, and as a Content Designer, I have quite a few past clients. And, I figure when I am out of site, I am out of mind – so I stay in-sight with a weekly newsletter to my past clients.

When I write my newsletter, I am combining both content design and my work as a freelance web designer. The email newsletter is from “Andrew Backhouse” as opposed to being from one of my twin businesses.

The strategy

I place onboarding sign-ups throughout my work websites. This enables people to sign up to my email newsletter and I do not break the rules of GDPR.
I schedule a weekly newsletter for delivery on every Friday at 9am – so it arrives as my client starts work.

Why you should care

As a web designer, my business comes from word-of-mouth. I need to be on the tip of their tongues for easy referral.

The newsletters I send out are also a good way if keeping people abreast with what I have been doing. But, this is not the main motive; remaining in the forefront of their mind is the main aim of the email newsletters.

In short, my newsletter is to remind people I exist; that I have not built them a website and then abandoned them to it.

The problem

Harrogate Community Radio (HCR) is a passion project for me. I am one of the founders of the station and I am the CTO (Chief Technical Officer) for the station, too.

I have written a few blog posts for the station’s website and I would like to share them for you here.

Some of the blog articles I have written for the station are relevant to my portfolio.

But, the blog posts in my portfolio (herein) were necessary to hammer home the Brand ID for the station.

It is through the copy on the station’s website that the radio station hopes to engage with it’s audience. It is down to the station’s website’s copy to tie the shows and broadcasters all in together, in to one coherent package.

The strategy

The station’s website is a WordPress website and I had access to the back end. I had free reign to blog how I seemed fit. Other hosts wrote some of the successful blog posts on their site. I have linked to the blog posts I have written, below, in this article

Why you should care

The radio station now has 117 pages / posts that rank No1 on Google for their desired Keyword. This is according to Google.