the three sees of content design
just, like, my opinion man
V. Sri, Content Designer
Principles
Targets
Start with the story
Look for patterns
Respect the user
Solve the real problem
Consistent
Cohesive
Clear
Principles are different
Principles are like lane markers on the highway. They keep you from veering off road. They guide you when visibility is low. Though their power is largely symbolic, principles have a real impact on how we drive—and how we design.
But principles are not the same as your destination.
Targets
The three sees are
Targets answer questions about where the design is headed.
Questions like: "What counts as good content design?" And "How do we know if we've succeeded?" And "What is the purpose of content design?"
Clear
Cohesive
Consistent
These are our targets
The purpose of content design is to ensure experiences are consistent, cohesive, and clear.
Clear
Cohesive
Consistent
You aim for them in a specific order
Because they build on one another. They are not three different targets, but they are all aiming at one thing.
The ultimate goal is clarity
First, you make the experience consistent, then you make it cohesive, and only then can you make it clear.
Clear
Cohesive
Consistent
How to find clarity
Keep things consistent
The content designer's first job is to ensure the experience is consistent.
Look for patterns
Don't repeat yourself. Remove errors rely on patterns to make the experience predictable.
When you simplify the process of designing content you automatically simplify the user experience.
Then, make things cohesive
The next step is to turn consistent experiences in cohesive experiences.This is where content design becomes more than just "linting."
Find the through line
You started by figuring out what everything was, now you have to line things up into a story and remove anything that doesn't fit.
This is storytelling
Because stories are easy to follow and it's how people think. Well-designed experiences lead users some place meaningful.
Finally, be clear
The self-actualization part of content design.
Clarity is emergent
It happens only after you've made the experience consistent and cohesive.
It's hard to do
Most software will become bloated and awkward instead.
Clarity is the ultimate goal
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