49. Unpacking Content Design With Andrew Astleford

But if “Content is King,” why is it so often overlooked?

This week, I got to sit down with Andrew Astleford, Senior Content Designer at Chewy.

We kicked off our conversation by tackling a common issue with UX teams: content is often an afterthought.

Content design is a cornerstone of good UX, working hand-in-hand with visual elements to create a holistic user experience.

In our conversation, we got into the growing trend of specialization within UX, and Andrew shared some invaluable insights.

If you’ve ever considered focusing on content design, this episode will give you a lot to think about. Andrew opened up about his own journey into the field and even shared some tips on the tools and skills that have helped him succeed.

So, if you’re looking to grow in your career, you won’t want to miss this episode!

Topics:
• 02:59 – Andrew’s backstory
• 08:37 – What does a Content Designer do?
• 16:37 – A Content Designer’s role across the product life cycle
• 22:06 – Ensuring consistency across content
• 27:19 – What are some challenges Content Designers face?
• 33:13 – What tools do Content Designers use?
• 44:21 – How to break into Content Design
• 49:55 – What transferrable UX skills would apply to content design
• 51:53 – look for companies that might not know they’re looking for Content Designers
• 55:56 – What does a Content Designer’s portfolio look like?
• 58:31 – Some of Andrew’s favorite resources

Helpful Links:
• Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

Andrew Astleford
Senior Content Designer @ Chewy

About Andrew

For as long as he can remember, Andrew has wanted to write. But he thought his words would be about athletes instead of actions within a user interface, football instead of flows within a digital experience. In 2018, Andrew transitioned to UX writing after nearly a decade in sports journalism. Today, he’s a senior content designer at Chewy. He loves life in Atlanta with his wife, daughter, and dog.

Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn

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