To: Professor Angelino
From: Natalie Rahrovi
Subject: Interview Report
Date: 02/28/2024
Section 1: Introduction
I conducted an interview with my cousin, Rossana Babakhani to get a clear understanding of
what writing is used in her job. She works in the User Experience (UX) field at a company called
Clinisys, who develops medical software for laboratories. She’s been working there for three
years now. She is a UX Researcher who plans on understanding and improving how people
interact with software, as it consists of two key parts; research and design. Since then, she’s
completed various UX programs and certifications at the UCLA extension. She has no prior
experience in the UX field, but she was a business analyst at Universal Studios and she did
requirements writing.
Section 2: Workplace Writing
The most common type of writing Rossana uses is writing notes when she is conducting
research. This style of writing is usually descriptive and informative, as for every project she
develops a research strategy and plan, and compiles a research findings report based on the data
she collects. She tends to adapt her writing style based on the specific documents and intended
audience. When she conducts research, she engages directly with users through interviews,
surveys, and usability testing to collect data based on their experience and needs. The purpose is
to make sure that her research reports are clear and straightforward and that her research strategy
is comprehensive and detailed. This means that she ensures that her workshop material is
user-centered and engaging for her audience to interact with. She does write notes of what she
plans to focus on in her report, which typically takes about 30 to 40 minutes. There aren’t many
consequences if the writing has mistakes, as there is always room to fix them. However if the
writing is done poorly then they would encourage training through sources that are available
internally.
The most important documents Rossana uses are reports. She uses notes to create her research
finding report. The writing style in these research findings reports is adaptive so it needs to fit the
audience. She ensures that her writing is thorough and concise in her reports, especially when
she’s engaging with a user. She writes these reports that usually take about two weeks. She’s
compiling data and organizing it, as the report contains many things. This means research
proposal plans, such as the goals for the project and the strategy. The purpose of the research
findings report is to inform the application design. In these reports, she works with clients to
know what information they need. It includes what the findings are and what kind of research is
conducted, such as diagrams and prototypes. The research findings report is reviewed by the
Executive Management, so there is no room for mistakes to be made.
The writing environment consists of working from home. She’ll have block off time, so that she
won't have any interruptions. The writing process is often collaborative in order to complete a
project or a task. She shares her research findings report on her company’s SharePoint website,
making it accessible to anyone in their organization. Sharepoint is a site where users collaborate
and contribute their own part. The teams always ask questions and make revisions if they need
to. Based on the feedback she receives, she’ll then update her findings report. Revising and
editing her work is very crucial in her field. She reveals that she goes through 2 to 3 drafts, as
she’ll review her work and make changes if she needs to. The outcome of her research will
influence the development of their software products. To make sure that the work is current and
accurate, she revises her assignments daily.
Rossana completed many certifications and programs, she especially took Computer Science
classes. The combination of analytical skills from her studies and reading allowed her to plan the
research, in order to gather user data, and write up findings in the detailed reports she needs to
deliver. The writing skills that she struggles the most with is writing in a way that involves
confirmation bias. She is planning on not unconsciously favoring information that supports her
beliefs or values. One of the classes that she found to be particularly helpful with her writing
skills was a UX Design program at UCLA extension. The program placed a significant emphasis
on UX writing, which focused on microcopy, content strategy, creating user personas and
scenarios, and crafting detailed design documentation. These skills were very crucial because it
can better translate complex and difficult UX research into insights. This ensured clear
communication across the design and development teams, as well as communicating design
processes in case studies. When discussing writing skills learned outside of school, she reveals
that she’s always been a naturally curious person and loves learning, which made her an avid
reader and it largely improved her writing skills over time.
Section 3: Evaluation
The importance of good writing is significant because it displays clear and effective
communication. Whether this means emails, notes, or reports, it’s a way to convey your thoughts
and feelings. Good writing can immensely help people who are seeking job opportunities and
advancements, as your writing skills can help stand out amongst your peers. In my chosen field
of Business specifically in Marketing, having clear and straightforward writing can help your
peers and your clients understand your message better. This means keeping it simple and short,
but ensuring that your writing captures your audiences’ attention. Learning how to use online
software platforms such as Microsoft, as well as write proper emails and text messages are also
important for students. I would encourage them to also look at business internships and scouting
for job interviews. This is to gain experience, as well as use their knowledge of the writing that
they’ve learned to make them successful in their chosen field. I think students looking to pursue
a career in Business should remember to revise their work and make sure to properly fix any
mistakes they’ve made. They should always plan before they write and think about if their
message is effective and how it can impact others.