This week, our lecture focused on Content Strategy and User Personas, key areas for understanding and designing for user needs. We learned how content strategy ensures information is structured with purpose and how user personas help designers empathise with audiences and make informed design choices. We also had a placement talk with Tommy McClean from DailyPay, which was really insightful and gave me more to think about when considering future placement opportunities. It provided me with a broader view of design areas to explore.
Content strategy is the process of planning, creating, and managing content to ensure it aligns with both user needs and business goals. It focuses on delivering the right information, in the right way, to the right audience. Within design, content strategy plays a crucial role in shaping how users interact with and understand a product, encompassing aspects such as tone of voice, messaging, layout, and structure. By developing a clear content strategy, designers can make sure every piece of content serves a purpose, supports accessibility, and creates a consistent user experience across all platforms.
In class, Kyle showed us an example of an effective content strategy using the BMW website as a reference. He highlighted how the site’s layout, visual hierarchy, and structured information work together to create a clear and engaging user experience. The way BMW presents its cars, from detailed descriptions to imagery and navigation, reflects thoughtful planning and a strong understanding of its audience. Kyle explained that studying examples like this can help us recognise what makes content effective and how it supports brand communication. He also encouraged us to explore and analyse other company websites to see how they structure and display content, as this can greatly influence how we approach our own design projects.
Another key area of content we covered in class was the key phases of content strategy, with a focus on content goals, content models, and understanding users. We discussed how clearly defined content goals help ensure that information serves both user needs and business objectives, rather than existing without purpose. Content models were introduced as a way to structure and organise information consistently, making it easier for users to navigate and understand. Most importantly, understanding users was emphasised as the foundation of effective content strategy, as knowing who the content is for directly influences tone, structure, and presentation. This area of learning will help me create more user-focused, intentional designs where content supports usability, clarity, and overall experience.
Towards the end of class, we had another placement opportunity talk, this time with Tommy McClean and Christian, a current placement student from DailyPay. They provided us with an overview of what DailyPay is and how the company operates, with a particular focus on their design process and the role designers play in creating user-friendly financial experiences. Christian shared his personal perspective as a placement student, discussing what his role entails and the kinds of projects he has been able to work on, which provided valuable insight into the real-world experience of working in a professional design environment. I found the talk really intriguing and informative; it was a bit different in terms of design focus compared to other talks, yet still shared similarities with the session we had with Slice. Even so, it was great to hear about another placement pathway and gain more understanding of the variety of design roles available in the industry.
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This week, our lecture focused on Content Strategy and User Personas, two key areas that support designing with clear intent and a strong user focus. We explored how content strategy helps structure information with purpose, ensuring it meets both user and project goals, while user personas enable designers to empathise with their audiences and make more informed design decisions. Alongside this, we had a placement talk from Tommy McClean at DailyPay, which was particularly insightful and offered a broader perspective on design roles within the industry. Overall, the session encouraged me to think more critically about user-centred design and reflect on the different pathways and opportunities available for future placement.
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