Rick

Freelance UX Writer

Rick Gardner UX Writing and Creative Services Ltd • ZZP

Sep 2024 - Present • 1 yr 8 mos

Self employed freelance UX Writer.

Content Manager (Contractor)

Homes England • ZZP

Nov 2023 - Aug 2024 • 9 mos

I worked as a contractor for Homes England from 2023-24, responsible for the arms-length body's GOV.UK content. Initially a short-term assignment, my contract was extended twice. I managed content requests from stakeholders, updating existing content on GOV.UK and creating new pages. I used Whitehall Publisher to create content in Markdown, building accessible HTML versions of research and policy papers. I worked on a new Wordpress-based intranet for Homes England staff, auditing, editing, and migrating content from the previous platform. I wrote a report on improvements that could be made to the Homes England homepage and presented it to senior management. My recommendations were agreed upon, and I implemented the changes on GOV.UK.

Content Designer

GOV.UK

Sep 2022 - Nov 2023 • 1 yr 2 mos

I was a Content Designer working on a digital transformation project to digitise paper assessments in UK primary schools. I wrote content for various channels and audiences, using the GDS style guide and worked with subject matter experts to gain context and feedback for the content I produced. Applying user-centred design principles as part of an Agile multidisciplinary team, I collaborated closely with the User Experience Designer to create Figma prototypes that were later coded. The prototypes were then tested in schools, and I iterated on the content based on the user research findings. I wrote and created a digital playbook to introduce digital best practice to stakeholders and engage them with the transformation project. I also wrote a style guide to help stakeholders follow best practice and produce consistent communications.