Content

Start with the person’s question

Identify what someone needs to know at this point in the task. A delivery page may need an arrival estimate, a status explanation and a way to get help. A paragraph describing the company’s mission will not answer those immediate questions.

Separate necessary information from material that is merely available. More content does not automatically make a page more helpful.

Choose the right form

Use the format that makes the information understandable. A short instruction may work better than a video. A diagram can explain a relationship that is awkward to describe in prose.

• Keep labels specific enough to predict the result.
• Use headings that describe the information below them.
• Give important images an appropriate text alternative.
• Make the source and limits of factual claims clear.

Meaning should survive changes in layout and access method. Essential information hidden inside an image can be difficult to search, translate or hear through assistive technology.

Example: explaining a failed upload

“Something went wrong” gives little help. A useful message explains that the file is too large, states the permitted limit and tells the person how to try again. The rest of the form keeps their work.

The message is content, while preserving the form is behavior. They work together: helpful words cannot repair a workflow that repeatedly deletes the user’s effort.

Give content an owner

Decide who checks accuracy and when it needs review. Product details, policies and instructions can become wrong as the service changes. Store important content where it can be maintained consistently.

Avoid publishing sample counts, invented testimonials or placeholder names as real evidence. A truthful empty state is more useful than convincing-looking information that nobody can support.