Why UX Designers Dominate in Conversational Design — and Can Content Compete
In a previous article, A Chat About UX Content Design vs. Conversational Design, I concluded that the two roles of conversational design and content design are very similar - like siblings.
Think of it this way. Content design creates a perfect self-help book, while conversational design develops a really smart friend who’s always ready to chat about the book. Now, let’s add content strategy to the analogy. UX content strategy helps guide the overall publishing strategy, should it be a book or a series of guides and manages the content ecosystem.
As conversational design roles take off, will people who have a background be overlooked in favor of designers? Maybe not. Companies could begin to recognize the integral role content plays in user experiences and conversations. Or if you’re part of the content discipline, you could take steps now to be seen as a potential candidate.
Is the industry ready to recognize UX content designers as key players?
It’s not just about skill — it’s also about perception. Employers still tend to frame conversational design as a UX function, emphasizing skills like interaction mapping, prototyping, and design thinking. While content designers bring deep expertise in tone, messaging, and microcopy, they still have to prove their value in this space.
Let’s look at the situation from the hiring leader’s point of view and think about it logically.
Why UX Designers Have the Upper Hand
UX and Interaction Come Naturally
Designers are trained to think about the full user experience, from visuals to interactions to functionality. Since conversational design revolves around structuring interactions, it plays right into their strengths.
Prototyping Tools Are in Their Toolkit
Most designers are already using tools like Figma, Adobe XD, and other prototyping software — some of which are used for conversational UI prototyping, too.
Human-Centered Design Is Their Thing
Designers are all about understanding user needs, mapping flows, and iterating based on feedback — core skills in conversational design.
Why UX Content Designers Have a Better Shot Than Content Strategists
UX Content Design Bridges the Gap
Unlike traditional content strategists, content designers are already focused on microcopy, UX writing, and error messaging — key components of conversational experiences. That shift makes content designers a much better fit than content strategists who mainly focus on long-form or marketing content. UX content designers specifically solve the problems that conversational design presents.
Shared Skillsets with Conversational Design
Both conversational designers and content designers are all about clarity, tone, and guiding users. If you’re a content designer specializing in in-product messaging, you’re already halfway there.
The Perception Problem
Conversational Design Still Falls Under “Design”
Another reason designers have an edge is that many hiring decisions at the leadership level are made by UX managers or executives with a background in design. This naturally influences how roles are framed and which skill sets are prioritized. Many hiring managers, but not all, still see conversational design as part of the larger UX design world, prioritizing wireframes and prototypes over content expertise.
Content Designers Are Closer, but Not Quite There Yet
While content designers are better positioned than content strategists, they still need to prove they can go beyond microcopy and build structured conversational interactions.
How Content Designers Can Get Noticed
If you’re a content designer eyeing a conversational design role, there’s a few things you can do.
Build on What You Know:
Boost Your UX and Interaction Skills: Learn about conversational flow mapping, wireframing tools, and voice interface principles.
Hone your Writing Skills for Dialogue: Master writing concise, clear, and engaging messages that sound human. Practice adapting tone and voice to different platforms (e.g., a customer service chatbot vs. a voice assistant).
Reframe Your Work: Highlight your expertise in tone, voice, and microcopy as crucial for shaping user interactions in conversations.
Level Up Your Skills:
Build a Conversational Portfolio: Showcase projects involving chatbots, voice assistants, or other interactive content experiences.
Refine Your Skills for Conversational Design: Practice mapping conversation flows using tools like Miro, Lucidchart, or Voiceflow. Understand how users interact with chatbots, voice assistants, and IVR systems. Focus on seamless, frictionless, and empathetic conversations.
Learn the Basics of AI and NLP: Understand machine learning, entity recognition, intent matching, and context retention to create more personalized interactions.
Adopt New Design Frameworks: Study concepts like turn-taking and context management. Explore frameworks like the Cooperative Principle and Grice’s Maxims (clarity, brevity, relevance, and truthfulness) to design natural, effective dialogue.
Wrapping It Up
With the shift from content strategy to content design, content professionals have a better shot at breaking into conversational design. But the challenge remains: the industry still favors designers with interaction and prototyping skills. The good news? If you’re a content designer, you’re already in a stronger position — you just need to make sure you’re telling the right story about your skills.
So, if you’re in content design and aiming for conversational design, you’re on the right track. Just take that extra step to showcase your interaction chops, and you’ll be in a great spot.
