Content as UX: Building a More Human Web

Content is a vital part of the user experience. After all, every user journey, whatever its goal, ultimately involves a user getting to content, or adding their own. That content may be text, like this article, or it may be imagery, video, audio—you name it. But whatever it is, it’s the point of the user’s interaction with every site or product.

Yet traditionally (and all too often still) when we design websites or make products, we design visually, and the content spaces are left blank. If you’re doing things as most do, you’re probably going to show the wireframes or mockups to someone internal—maybe even your founder—and ask them to fill the spaces.

Ugh. At least, that’s what your colleague is probably thinking at this point. Now they have the burden and responsibility of filling the literal and metaphorical blank page—but a blank page that already has a goal or direction they’ve had no part in choosing.

Here I’m going to suggest an alternative way to consider content, where content is UX.