Designing websites without knowing what content is going into it is like buying a tuxedo without getting your measurements taken.
It’s just not going to fit correctly if you’re lucky. If you’re not, it’s going to make you look worse.
Take this gent for example: I’m certain he got his measurements taken before looking this dapper.
Now, when I sit down to work on a design I take some time to ask the questions that matter for content first. Like Ahava Leibtag puts it,
“We need to think about the types of content that exist BEFORE we create the design.”
Questions that matter to me:
- What is the primary function of the site?
- Who is going to be the primary user demographic of the site?
- What kind of content will the site be displaying?
- What kind of content is primary, secondary and tertiary?
- How will that content be accessible (archives, search, etc)?
Following the primary questions are a series of secondary questions which are perhaps more what you would expect from a designer involving color, style, integration, etc. These are just as important but need to be secondary because you can’t make informed choices for a bespoke tuxedo without knowing who is wearing it, where they are going in it, and what kind of impression they are looking to make.
So next time you’re looking for a website design or redesign, think of it like a fitting at a tailor for a new tuxedo, or dress, and ask the right questions first or let us ask them for you with our content centered design process.