Stop 04 · Information Architecture & UX StrategyTopics · 5/8

Content Strategy for UX

In short

Designing boxes before knowing what goes in them leads to awkward screens. Start with the content people need, and the layout often designs itself.

Planning what content (text, images, data) a product actually needs and how it should be structured — content decisions shape layout decisions, not the other way around, in a content-first approach.

The jaadu at an editor's desk keeps a neat pile of papers and tosses others into a wastepaper basket.

Think of it like this

The newspaper editor

Each night the editor decides which stories matter most, which go on the front page, which get a photo and which get cut. Only then does the layout team arrange them. Content first, layout second.

Watch it happen

Planning content for a product page

Audit

Prioritise

Structure

Write

Maintain

1/5List everything that could go on the page: photos, price, specs, reviews, delivery date, return policy.

The big ideas

What you need to know

Real content early

Lorem ipsum hides problems. A real product name might be 60 characters and break your card.

Priority guides layout

Once you know what matters most, hierarchy decisions become easy.

Cut what isn't needed

Every extra paragraph competes for attention. Remove content that doesn't help a user decision.

Someone owns it

Content needs owners and updates. A great layout with outdated info still fails users.

Save yourself the pain

Common mistakes

Oops

Designing with 'Lorem ipsum' and fake short names.

Do this instead

Use realistic content, including the longest names and messy real data.

Oops

Adding every piece of info stakeholders ask for.

Do this instead

Prioritise by user needs. Put secondary info lower down or behind a 'More details' link.

Your mission

Content-first redesign

~35 min

Quick check

Why do designers prefer real content over 'Lorem ipsum' in mockups?

Go deeper

1Audit a screen and list every piece of content it needs before designing the layout.
2Learn why designing with real (or realistic) content beats designing with generic lorem ipsum.
3Practice writing placeholder content that reflects realistic length and tone.