Starting a new digital service project is always an exciting moment. The design files are well organized in Figma, user interface components are neatly arranged, and the live design systems are ready to be utilized. Agile boards in Miro and Jira are filled with features and use cases, and everything seems to be on track.

But there's often one crucial element missing at this stage: content. And by content, I mean the texts and images that will actually populate the service.

So, why is content so important? The answer is simple: having content ready and well-prepared from the start saves both time and money, making the entire process smoother and more efficient. In early project meetings, I always recommend starting content creation right away — yes, right now. When teams follow this advice, they often see great results, with fewer delays and a more streamlined workflow.

When content is genuinely ready early, it minimizes the need for redesigns of the user interface and layouts, which can otherwise lead to delays and extra costs. The earlier the content is finalized, the more time and money everyone will save in the long run.

Add some placeholder text here

One of the most common practices in digital projects is designing with dummy text, like the well-known lorem ipsum or some of its variants. While it may make the initial design phase easier, it can lead to issues later on. For example, a design might look perfect with a short placeholder title, but when the actual content—such as a long Finnish word or a complex technical term—is added, it can break the layout entirely. This might necessitate a complete redesign, affecting other components and causing a domino effect of small or significant changes.

Don’t believe me? Try replacing 'Lorem ipsum dolor sit' in a layout with kolmivaihevaihtovirtakilovattituntimittari without all hell breaking loose!

The same problem occurs with images. Designers often use high-quality placeholder images from sites like Pexels or Unsplash, which match the service's color scheme perfectly. But when the real images are finally available, they might not fit the design, or worse, there might be no suitable images at all.

Finally, content isn't just about fitting text and images into a design; it’s about conveying the right message. During the design and development phases, it’s common to use a mix of lorem ipsum, draft text, or even placeholder text written by designers (or even worse, by developers!). This can lead to two main problems: First, content gets rushed and edited under pressure right before launch, which increases the risk of mistakes. Second, in the worst-case scenario, the final product might still contain lorem ipsum or placeholder text, which could be misleading or incorrect.

Tips for better content management

In an ideal world, content would be 100% ready before a single rectangle is drawn in Figma. However, we don’t live in an ideal world. There are, of course, dozens, hundreds, probably thousands of ways and tools to manage content, but here are some basic and practical tips for managing content from my designer toolbox.

First, don’t ignore the importance of content creation: Understand the importance of content from the start. Don’t push it to the backlog, hoping for a better time to address it. This procrastination often leads to the problems mentioned above and, ultimately, to rework that could have been avoided.

Second, hold regular content-focused meetings: Schedule regular meetings that focus solely on content, and nothing else. Review the latest version of the software, assess what content needs updating, determine who is responsible for it, and set deadlines for delivery.

Third, organize, process, and review content coherently: Establish a workflow for managing content. This includes knowing where to find the latest content, who is in charge of each piece, when it will be ready, and how it will be delivered to developers. This doesn’t need to be complex; basic online office tools and clear guidelines will do just fine!

By taking content creation seriously from the beginning and integrating it into the design and development process, you can avoid costly delays and ensure a smoother, more efficient project timeline. Remember, content is not just filler — it’s the core of your digital service. Treat it with the importance it deserves.

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This text was written by Kodan’s senior service designer, Ville Yli-Knuutila.