Lunch and learn Remote Content Design Helping from afar 1 

Housekeeping • Mute your microphone and camera • This presentation is being recorded • Recording included in the next content community newsletter • Use the chat box to ask questions • The presentation should last 45 minutes 

Laura Parker Content Designer Service experience design team API Platform @LauraParkerUX 

What I’ll talk about • Content design at home • Tips for working better remotely • How to stay productive wherever you work 

Q1 How do you feel right now? 

Content design at home The challenge • Content design is collaborative • Isolation is a creativity killer • Thinking is harder to do • Tech gets in the way of conversations • Video calls are exhausting 6 

Tips for working better remotely 

Get to know your team (again) • Have a look at your roles and responsibilities • Identify new areas you can help others • Review working methods/order of things • Be aware of roughly how long it takes others to work through a project • Schedule 1 to 1 chats 

Have empathy Collaboration starts with empathy • It’s easy to ask questions, it’s harder to listen • “Can you explain your perspective to help me to understand?” • You might not be the cause of someone’s frustration, even if you’re the recipient of it • Self reflection is a good idea • You’re wrong sometimes 

Write better meeting invites • Call your meetings a decision making session instead • Tell your invitees what the plan is • Make it clear that your meeting will end in a decision • Use the user story to guide the conversation • It’s ok to decline meetings to avoid burnout 

Three amigos call • 3 people with opposing views join a call • The meeting organiser spends 2 minutes laying out the problem • The problem is discussed and the group attempt to reach a decision • The meeting should be no longer than 15 minutes • Notes are taken and shared with the wider team 

Fika! Take a break • Fika is a Swedish word meaning “to have a break” • 15 to 30 minute conversation • No work talk allowed • Usually includes coffee/tea and biscuits • Host a Fika in the morning 

Bored of quizzes? Try something different • Through the keyhole • What’s on the bookshelf • Hangman (works better with fewer people) • Name the movie quote • Lightening talks 

Ways to collaborate better Thanks to Mia O’Donoghue • Demo smaller things - don't wait for the big reveal • Keep sessions to the minimum number of team members - share the output with the wider team • Keep presentations short and to time - use props to keep on track • Use GoToMeeting for card sorts - you can hand control of the mouse to participants • Use Google Docs for individual feedback - you can refer back to comments after you 'delete' them 

Q2 Share a remote working tip 

How to be productive anywhere 

Be productive anywhere • Recognise when you work best • Use flexible scheduling to your advantage • A/B test different productivity methods • Track your activity and productivity • Try time blocking and colour code your diary • Have a bottle of water nearby and a designated snack jar 

Be productive anywhere How does a user researcher stay productive? • Regularly change your workspace • Accept that there are some things you can't change • Have a goal that's unrelated to work • Remember to be silly and have fun • Exercise and eat a healthy diet 

And remember • Inaction is a roadblock for remote collaboration • Don’t worry about whether you’re doing it right or not • Design is a journey, remote work is ‘work in progress’ • Respect your team and have empathy • Stay professional and get dressed 

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Q3 Recommend any book/ website/podcast 

Thank you Any questions for me? 

• https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/collaboration-begins-with-empathy/ • https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/mastering-remote-ux-workshops • https://everythingsweden.com/what-is-fika/ • https://theblog.adobe.com/wfh-101-tips-to-stay-productive-wherever-you-work/ • https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/remote-work-problems-solutions/ • https://twitter.com/trishgreenhalgh/status/1260642836921401348?s=20 • http://www.tomatotimers.com • https://www.agilealliance.org/glossary/three-amigos/ • https://zapier.com/blog/productive-remote-work/#test