2024 Content Predictions and Plans slides

1. 2024
Content
Predictions
+ Plans

2. Establishing Content Governance Beyond Style Guidelines
In the coming year, I expect we’ll see more enterprise-level Content
Design Systems — guidelines and standards for content that work in
concert with a brand’s UX design system. To date, many Content teams
rely on “style guides,” a format borrowed from Marketing and Editorial
writing. But this guidance is limited. For one, it lives apart from the design
systems that other designers rely on. Words are an integral part of an
experience; they need to complement visuals and interactions. Then,
there’s the shift towards “atomic content” which, like design more
broadly, relies on small, reusable elements. This means that guidelines
need to go beyond grammar and voice and evolve into patterns,
strings, and components.
Alli Mooney
VP of Content Design
Mastercard

3. Establishing Content Governance Beyond Style Guidelines (cont.)
Lastly, this guidance shouldn’t live off on its own (likely gathering dust); it
should sit within the design system itself. While it may be clear why we
need content design systems, what they look like and how they’re
created is still being imagined. But I think the when is 2024. In the coming
year, we’ll see more companies develop and share them externally,
spurring on more innovation in the space and hopefully better tools (I’m
looking at you, Figma). My talented team at Mastercard is hard at work
on one, and I’m excited to see what others come up with as well.
Alli Mooney
VP of Content Design
Mastercard

4. We are in level-up mode. We see a lot of opportunity to fine tune our
offerings, learning from our analytics and layering on the creative
talents of our team. Ultimately, we want to optimize the experience our
audiences have with our content—whether we are sharing public
health knowledge or providing information about our School. Every year
brings new tools and opportunities to learn, experiment, and finesse.
Informed Optimization of Audience Experience
Lymari Morales
Associate Dean
John Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health

5. Our predictions and priorities for 2024 include
thinking about how to harness the power of
disruptive technologies like generative AI while
executing on a vision for enterprise content
governance and standardization. We know AI will
fundamentally change how we read and learn. As
content designers, we have essential skills to lend to
this moment: understanding patterns, predicting
implications, and communicating with precision.
Lauren Whiteman, Colby Phillips, Meredith
Deaver, Jonelle Wilkinson Seitz
AT&T
Laying the Groundwork, with a Focus on the Future

6. In a future where AI is in play, whether generating
raw content for review or reviewing content that
humans create, we believe robust and centralized
content standards, practices, and governance will
be essential to creating and managing content
across large organizations. We’re executing on a
vision we set in motion two years ago for a content
hub with coordinated governance, democratic
participation, and centralized guidelines. Our work
ahead is important and exciting, and getting those
basics right will prepare us for future complex
challenges.
Lauren Whiteman, Colby Phillips, Meredith
Deaver, Jonelle Wilkinson Seitz
AT&T
Laying the Groundwork, with a Focus on the Future (cont.)

7. Forward-thinking organizations will take end-to-end content from a
vague wish to a prioritized initiative. The reasons for end-to-end
content might vary, from orchestrating a start-to-finish CX (customer
experience) to scaling content operations (including AI) to fixing
problems in digital transformation to closing gaps in design thinking to
minimizing risk (such as brand reputation or legal compliance). But the
spirit of the solution will be the same. To borrow from a Mandalorian
phrase, an end-to-end content approach is the only way to sustain
effective content at scale. Colleen Jones
Founder and President
Content Science
The Way: End-to-End Content

8. It will be important to ensure content is instrumented for
measurement (of effectiveness, not just consumption) and that
processes are in place to eliminate content that is ineffective and
prioritize maintenance and expansion of content that is highly
effective, as identified by these metrics and analytics. Quality is always
a priority. But in a world where AI and LLMs are potentially being
trained on our content, we have to double down on ensuring what we
publish is right. To balance accuracy, user trust, and product or
content effectiveness with innovation and velocity, content teams and
leaders must make an effort to implement effective content
governance and measurement strategies.
Ensuring Effectiveness in the AI Age with Metrics Measurement
Toni Mantych
Senior Director
ServiceNow

9. Erica Jorgensen
Content Designer
Chewy
Promoting the Efforts of Content Professionals
In 2024, I plan to continue to promote and celebrate the work of
content strategists and content designers and be very loud in doing
so. This past year, as I promoted my book and conducted workshops,
I’ve had the privilege of meeting content professionals from across the
U.S. and around the world--Portugal, Argentina, Australia, Russia,
England, Japan, and Nigeria. I love and appreciate the creativity, and
tenacity of people who work in content strategy and content design. So
next year, look for more shoutouts, compliments, and just plain
bragging about the impact content professionals are having, whether
it’s by creating brilliant, brand-new customer experiences or from
driving impact for their company’s bottom line.

10. 2024 is sizing up to be another Legend of Sleepy Hollow rerun. With
economic conditions what they are, headless CMS and thoughtful
content planning are one of the most efficient ways to “do more with
less” when it comes to publishing and governing content at scale. The
combination of AI with a headless CMS and a well thought out plan is a
huge opportunity to squeeze efficiency out of workflows that are
clunky and redundant.
Cory Bennett
Director
Sallie Mae
Using Technology to Do More with Less

11. For those of us working in health communication, AI systems can help
with a variety of tasks such as, condensing critical updates so that the
public receives up-to-date information promptly and analyzing user
behavior and preferences, which can inform content creation. But
relying too heavily on AI for health information delivery undermines
human expertise. This is especially true for content that's translated
into other languages— AI may not pick up on idiomatic expressions or
culturally specific phrases.
Juviza Rodriguez
Senior Director
March of Dimes
Weighing the Pros and Cons of AI in Healthcare

12. The result? Content that sounds unnatural or may be completely
misunderstood by the target audience. Imagine an AI tool
recommending culturally inappropriate treatments or reinforcing
dangerous misinformation. The potential for harm is very real,
particularly for vulnerable populations.
AI's knowledge is only as good as the data it's fed. Biases can creep in,
perpetuating harmful stereotypes and exacerbating existing health
disparities. For this reason, we must weigh the pros and cons before
employing AI in our work, especially health
information delivery.
Juviza Rodriguez
Senior Director
March of Dimes
Weighing the Pros and Cons of AI in Healthcare (cont.)

13. Chris Jones
Vice President
Content
Science
Improving Health Outcomes by Improving Content
As trends such as telemedicine and AI make an impact on the health
ecosystem, content becomes crucial. Whether it's easy-to-access
technical guidance for clinicians, a compelling public health awareness
campaign, a story to illustrate an example or establish credibility, or
proactive guidance and reminders for patients, content is becoming
the difference maker in health outcomes. Smart health organizations
will get ahead by forming (or updating) their content strategies and
implementation plans.

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