The Challenge
Content design was growing within my organization, yet many cross-functional partners still viewed it primarily as writing UI copy late in the design process. Product teams weren't always sure what content designers did or when to involve us. Some didn't understand the difference between content design, UX/UI design and UX research. Because of that, opportunities to incorporate content strategy early in the design process were often missed.
I wanted to help teams better understand the role of content design. That meant creating a shared language around the discipline and encouraging earlier, more effective collaboration throughout the product lifecycle.
My Approach
I created a content design education initiative designed to increase awareness, strengthen cross-functional partnerships, and demonstrate how content design contributes throughout product development—not just at the end.
To support those conversations, I developed two educational frameworks:
Content Across the Product Lifecycle
I created a visual model illustrating where content designers add value from early discovery through delivery, helping teams understand how content strategy supports product decisions well before final UI copy is written.
Four Pillars of Content Design
I also developed a high-level framework that organized the discipline into four foundational areas, making it easier for product partners to understand how content designers contribute to strategy, experience design, collaboration and continuous improvement. The framework became a simple way to explain both the breadth of the role and the value content design brings throughout a project.
To better understand where teams needed support, I created a department-wide survey that was distributed across different product teams. Rather than assuming what people wanted to learn, I used the results to identify knowledge gaps and prioritize topics for a planned workshop series focused on the areas teams found most valuable.
What Changed
- Created a shared understanding of what content design is and how it supports product development.
- Helped product teams understand when and how to engage content designers in the product lifecycle.
- Developed reusable educational frameworks that made the discipline easier to understand across teams.
- Gathered insights from multiple product teams to shape future education around real business needs.
- Created a roadmap for a workshop series designed to strengthen collaboration across disciplines.
The Result
The initiative gave product teams and leadership a clearer understanding of the role of content design and established a common language for discussing how content contributes to successful product experiences.
The survey also provided a data-informed roadmap for future education, allowing me to prioritize the topics teams wanted to explore most. Although my layoff prevented the workshop series from launching, the work laid a strong foundation for improving content maturity across the organization and strengthening cross-functional collaboration.
Ultimately, great content design isn't just better writing, it's better product thinking. By helping teams understand when and how to engage content designers, we create opportunities to solve problems earlier, reduce rework and build experiences that better serve both users and the business.