Advanced content design skills
Course overview
You or your team should have a good understanding of content design and be looking to take your skills to the next level.
Over 2 days you’ll take a closer look at some of the more advanced content design techniques, what it takes to lead a content team and ways to advocate for user-centred content.
Throughout the course you’ll complete exercises so you can practise the techniques and skills you learn and improve your confidence.
Delivery: in person or online
Class size: up to 12 people
Duration: 2 days
Cost: from £4,500 plus VAT per course
What the course covers
Day one
On the first day we’ll take an in-depth look at:
the differences in structuring flat content and multi-page transactional content
the importance keeping microcopy consistent and user focused
the definition of plain language, how to write in plain English and the data behind why you need to
why accessibility is so important and how to make sure your content meets web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG)
designing tests for content to check users’ comprehension
Day two
Day two will focus on leading and influencing skills including:
how to give and receive constructive feedback and techniques to keep responses focused and appropriate
managing a team of content designers, assuring content quality and assessing capability
ways of working in a multidisciplinary team with people in different design and tech roles
creating and managing strategic stakeholder relationships
influencing upwards and advocating for content design within an organisation
building a narrative about your work to show the benefits of user-centred design
What you’ll learn
After completing this course, you’ll be able to:
create content for different formats that is clear, inclusive and accessible
use a variety of tests to evaluate how users interact with and understand your content
coach and lead a team of content designers and work well with other design and tech disciplines
confidently and strategically steer high-level discussions on content design
use storytelling techniques to promote you and your team’s work
We tailor all exercises in the course to make them relevant to you and your organisation.
If you’d like to focus on a particular area, we can adjust the course content to suit your needs. Or we can add elements from other courses, or create something completely bespoke for you. See how our training works.
Your trainer
Christine Cawthorne is an experienced trainer who has been teaching people to write for the web since 2009.
She joined Government Digital Service in 2013 and trained thousands of people how to understand user needs, write in clearer language and use the GOV.UK style guide.
As well as giving training, Christine works as a content strategist helping public sector and non-profits with their content. She mentors content designers at all stages of their careers and runs the Crocstar content community.
Feedback from this course
A terrific session, just how learning sessions should be. Focused, on point, relative to people’s retention capacity. Thank you so much!