You see having a shared understanding is not really about a specific process or tool or whether everyone can code or design. Having a shared understanding is about getting everyone to walk in the other person’s shoes a little.
Building a Shared Understanding - 52 Weeks of UX
This is something I really believe in.
I’m a copywriter at a design company, but that only tells a small part of the story. The truth is, if I’m working on a website, as the person responsible for the site’s content, I’m the starting point for the design process.
I speak to the client and carry out research to understand who they are and what they do. Then I create information architecture (and usually wireframes) that reflects their organisation and, importantly, what they want to say to their audience.
It’s only when this process is complete do I start to work with a designer and programmer. Content very much comes first.
However, the reason I think the quoted article is so important is because I can only be this starting point if I have an understanding of what comes next.
To spec out web content, I need to know how both a designer and programmer will interpret my work. I need to know what’s possible, which is why I’ve always been willing to ask questions about other people’s jobs. It’s to try and get that shared understanding.
Because as I said elsewhere recently, there’s more to copywriting than simply the words.
