Our 5 Cs of Content Design

By Fopé Jegede, UX Writer

Creating a framework for a new discipline in a scaling tech company felt like a daunting task.

So I decided to tackle it like a content design / UX writing challenge. How can I translate a complex concept into helpful, engaging content that serves the user?

In this case, the user is anyone who wants to learn about how we do content design at Motorway.

The end result is a list of five key principles that reflect industry best practice as well as our specific values as a company.

1.CLEAR

• Is it easy to understand: are we reducing cognitive load?
• Is it jargon-free: are we speaking the way users speak?
• Is it free from ambiguity: are we being direct and transparent?

2. CONSISTENT

• Is it in line with our brand: are we speaking in the appropriate voice and tone?
• Is it in line with our style: are we following grammar, punctuation, and spelling standards?
• Is it predictable/intuitive: are we creating repeatable content patterns?

3. CONCISE

• Is every word intentional: are we being strategic with our language choices?
• Is it necessary: are we using text when images, graphs or videos might be more helpful?
• Is the info hierarchy serving the user: are we giving the user the right info at the right time?

4. COMPELLING

• Is it value-focused: are we leading with the benefit for the user?
• Is it desirable: are we using data and research to give the user what they actually need and want, rather than what we assume?

5. CALL-TO-ACTION

• Is it action-oriented: are we pointing the user to their next action?
• Is it empowering: are we helping the user understand how to take that action?
• Is it accessible: are we making the action as simple and as inclusive as possible?

If you’re interested in working for Motorway it’s always worth checking out our careers page.