I'm an engineer. How do I show my skills as a Conversation Designer?
I'm currently an NLP Engineer at a startup but I've mainly worn the Conversation Design hat over the years and had less to do with tech and engineering (before I even knew that CD was a thing!). I'm wanting to transition to a CD role full time but I'm having a hard time because I don't have much experience on the writing/copy writing front. I mainly handed off designs to our writing team and beyond that all I've written is fanfiction and some small interactive games in my free time.
How would I be able to build up or show off my writing skills so that I'm not just perceived as an engineer when going for CD roles?
I think this question applies to anyone who wants to move into a conversation design role, whether you’re coming from engineering, marketing, user research, etc. How does one show they have conversation design skills—if they haven’t been a conversation designer?
I don’t think there is one simple answer, but above all: practice.
Writing prompts—what the bot/voice assistant/phone system says to the user—is deceptively hard. Writing dialog can seem simple. For example, what will be the difference in user behavior with these three similar-looking prompts?
I can make or cancel a reservation, or tell you today’s specials. Which would you like?
Which would you like? I can make or cancel a reservation, or tell you today’s specials.
Would you like to cancel or make a reservation, or hear today’s specials?
In the second case, users will often start talking right after the first question, missing the rest of the prompt.
In the third case, some users will reply “yes”. Which option did they mean?
The first case is most likely to generate responses your system can handle.
How to build this skill? Write a lot of sample dialogs. Read them out loud. Read them out loud with other people. Create prototypes. See what works and what doesn’t. You can also study how humans have conversations (see previous question, “Who should guide the conversation?” for some recommended reading).
You mentioned writing fanfiction and interactive games which will come in handy!
So that’s the first part: ways to build up your writing skill as a CxD. Now the second: how to demonstrate this to others, whether you’re trying to switch to a new role in your organization, or apply for one elsewhere.
For internal switches, I recommend befriended your writing partners and offering to help. Do they have some prompts they don’t have time to write? Can you review or shadow any of their work? Invite them to (virtual?) coffee and ask specific questions. If you can find someone willing to be a mentor, that’s a great option too. For example, you could meet once a month and show them your latest sample dialogs and see if they have comments.
For applying to new roles, a portfolio can be very helpful, even if you have not formally held a CxD role. Highlight your writing, even if it’s just in prototypes. If you have a prototype you’ve had a few friends and family test, even better! This will show your process. Make sure your portfolio highlights the skills for the role you want.
Look for example conversation design portfolios to get some inspiration. In this article, Hillary Black and Brielle Nickoloff review some existing ones and give pro tips.
Sometimes the path to becoming a conversation designer is a bit of a zig zag. For example, you may land a job initially as a content strategist, honing your writing skills before moving into CxD. I’ve seen people start out as linguists, TTS engineers, and lots of other roles before they land on CxD. Having flexibility in where you work can be helpful, too—sometimes it’s easier to get a role as a new CxD in a different company than the one you’re in.
Best of luck, and happy writing!