Hello, I'm Anna Andersen.

I’m a creative, collaborative content designer with 10+ years of professional writing and editing experience.


A natural curiosity about people and the world we live in initially drew me to journalism and later turned me on to user experience design. I have a strong product sense and believe that good design starts with research. My approach to UX writing is grounded in empathy, and I enjoy working closely with cross-functional partners to create intuitive, delightful experiences.


Check out my recent content design work or keep reading to learn more about me and some of my past experiences, which have shaped my perspective.

I’m naturally curious and interested in other people.

As a journalist in a full-time or freelance capacity for about a decade, I interviewed countless people, including presidents, politicians, professors, artists, musicians, fashion bloggers, farmers, business owners, entrepreneurs, activists, and your person on the street.

 

My natural curiosity and ability to empathize with all kinds of people is useful in not only journalism, but also UX writing and design. After all, you can’t design for a user you don’t understand.

I thrive in fast-paced, creative environments.

I was formerly the managing editor of a magazine called The Reykjavik Grapevine, and I spent a lot of time in that position thinking about how to engage our diverse group of readers—or users, if you will.

 

I sent close to 60 issues to the printer. For each issue, it was my job to assign articles, receive pitches, edit all content, assign accompanying photography and art, plan the layout, brainstorm cover ideas, and work with a designer to put it all together.

 

It was a challenging, yet rewarding job. I think there are few things more fulfilling than working hard alongside creative people to make something of value for others to enjoy.

I’m also an Icelandic-to-English translator.

Icelandic is my first language. I didn’t speak English until I started preschool and discovered that the kids in Cleveland, Ohio, couldn’t understand me.

 

Through the years, I’ve worked on a wide variety of translation projects, including for the Iceland Design Center, HA design magazine, The Federation of Icelandic Landscape Architects, The Reykjavik City Library, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

 

I don’t do much translating these days, but if you happen to be looking for an Icelandic-to-English translator, contact me.

I once knitted a sweater.

Before leaving Iceland, I spent a semester at Hússtjórnarskólin, a home economics school dating back to the 1940s with a curriculum of knitting, weaving, sewing, cooking, cleaning, crochet, and embroidery.

 

Among my biggest accomplishments: I knitted a wool sweater, sewed a dress, wove the throw on my sofa, and survived the making of slátur, which involves sewing slippery sheep stomach lining into pouches and stuffing said pouches with a mixture of sheep blood, flour, and suet.

 

Sorry, I can’t knit you a sweater! But feel free to be in touch and ask for my resume.

Let's work together!

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