What Journalism Taught Me About UX Design (Or: How to Not Bore Your Users to Death)

From Deadlines to Design Systems: My Unexpected Journey

My career path has been about as linear as a drunk butterfly's flight pattern. Before becoming a UX designer, I spent several years as a journalist, crafting stories and communicating complex ideas to diverse audiences (some of whom were actively trying not to read anything). When I transitioned to UX design, I was surprised to discover how many principles of good journalism directly applied to creating exceptional user experiences.

In this article, I'll share the key lessons from journalism that have profoundly shaped my approach to UX design, or as I like to call it, "How to make interfaces that don't make users want to punch their screens."

1. Know Your Audience (Or: Not Everyone Thinks Like Your Dev Team)

In journalism, understanding your readership is fundamental. Who are they? What do they care about? What's their level of familiarity with the subject? If you're writing for a general audience but using technical jargon only understood by PhD physicists, you're going to have a lot of confused readers reaching for the back button faster than you can say "quantum entanglement."

Both disciplines require empathy and the ability to see the world through someone else's eyes—whether that's a reader or a user. If you can't imagine being a confused first-time visitor to your app, you probably shouldn't be designing it.

Not pictured: The confusion when your aunt tries to use your app for the first time

2. The Inverted Pyramid (Or: Nobody's Reading All That Text)

Journalists are taught to structure stories using the "inverted pyramid" model: put the most important information first, then add details in descending order of importance. This ensures readers get the key points even if they don't read the entire article (which, let's be honest, they won't—people skim more than synchronized swimmers).

This principle translates perfectly to UX design. Users should encounter the most important information or actions first, with secondary details available but not obstructing the primary path. This is why we put critical navigation elements in predictable places and highlight the main call-to-action—so users don't have to embark on a digital treasure hunt.

Both journalism and UX design recognize that people's attention is limited and valuable—we need to respect it by prioritizing what matters most. That's why the unsubscribe button shouldn't require a degree in archeology to unearth.

3. Clear, Concise Communication (Or: Don't Make Me Think More Than I Have To)

Good journalism avoids jargon, uses active voice, and gets to the point faster than a caffeinated cheetah. Editors ruthlessly cut unnecessary words and clarify confusing passages until the text is leaner than a marathon runner.

In UX design, we apply the same principles to interface text, navigation labels, and instructions. Every word should earn its place on the screen like it's competing in the Olympics of relevance.

I often find myself "editing" interfaces just as I once edited articles, asking: Is this clear? Can I say it more simply? Is this word necessary, or is it just hanging around like that party guest who doesn't realize everyone else has gone home?

4. Context and Continuity (Or: Don't Leave Users Lost in Digital Space)

Journalists provide context to help readers understand new information. They create narrative flow, ensuring each paragraph connects logically to those before and after it—not randomly jumping topics like a squirrel after six espressos.

Similarly, good UX design provides users with context—where they are in a process, what will happen next, how their current actions relate to their goals. Navigation breadcrumbs, progress indicators, and consistent interface patterns all help users maintain their sense of place and direction.

Both disciplines recognize that disorientation leads to abandonment, whether of an article or an app. Nobody likes the feeling of being lost, except maybe explorers, and most of your users didn't come to your app for an adventure—they came to get something done.

5. Research and Verification (Or: Your Opinion Isn't As Important As You Think)

Journalists verify facts, check sources, and research thoroughly before publishing. Accuracy is paramount to credibility, and publishing something false is the fastest way to lose trust (besides maybe being caught wearing socks with sandals).

In UX design, we conduct user research, test our assumptions, and validate our designs with real users. We know that our intuitions can be wrong and that only through rigorous testing can we create truly effective interfaces.

Both fields value evidence over opinion and recognize that our work must be grounded in reality, not just our preferences or what looked coolest in our design tool.

6. Storytelling (Or: Making Dry Information Actually Engaging)

Perhaps the most obvious parallel is storytelling itself. Journalists craft narratives that engage readers and help them make sense of information without putting them to sleep.

In UX design, we create user journeys—sequences of interactions that form a coherent experience. We consider the emotional aspects of using a product, not just the functional ones. We recognize that users are protagonists in their own stories, and our designs are simply supporting characters.

Both disciplines understand that humans are storytelling creatures who process the world through narrative, not through disconnected facts or isolated interface elements. A form isn't just a form—it's part of someone's journey toward a goal that matters to them.

Conclusion: Great Design Is Journalism Without Words

The skills I developed as a journalist—audience awareness, clear communication, information hierarchy, contextual thinking, research rigor, and storytelling—have been invaluable in my UX design career. They're like having a secret superpower while everyone else is focused on making things pretty.

This cross-disciplinary perspective has been a competitive advantage, allowing me to approach design problems with a unique lens. It's a reminder that our seemingly unrelated past experiences often contain valuable lessons for our current work.

For those considering a career transition into UX design, I encourage you to reflect on how your current expertise might translate in unexpected ways. And for those already in the field, consider how principles from other disciplines might enrich your approach to creating meaningful user experiences.

After all, the best interfaces tell a story so intuitive that users don't even realize they're reading it.