Dan
@dandoescontent.bsky.social
Content design, systems & structure. // Advocate of a lighter, more efficient & more accessible internet.
Nothing more triggering than an internal comms message stating that "our team have created a dedicated web page for [thing]". Shudder.
Wish you were equally dedicated to maintaining it. 😩
Wish you were equally dedicated to maintaining it. 😩
Create a dedicated page for the committee reports on the intranet. Make sure none of the links work.
February 5, 2026 at 6:09 PM
Nothing more triggering than an internal comms message stating that "our team have created a dedicated web page for [thing]". Shudder.
Wish you were equally dedicated to maintaining it. 😩
Wish you were equally dedicated to maintaining it. 😩
Struggling to think of many things I care less about than "Moltbook". 🤷♂️
#1000Monkeys1000Typewriters
#1000Monkeys1000Typewriters
February 2, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Struggling to think of many things I care less about than "Moltbook". 🤷♂️
#1000Monkeys1000Typewriters
#1000Monkeys1000Typewriters
Oh, this is good. 👌
Who got taxpayers’ money?
The Government of Cyprus is doing an excellent job at increasing transparency for service design and development.
For the 28 services that are compliant with their #ServiceStandard so far, you can see who made them – PWC, EY, in-house:
dsf.dmrid.gov.cy/service-stan...
The Government of Cyprus is doing an excellent job at increasing transparency for service design and development.
For the 28 services that are compliant with their #ServiceStandard so far, you can see who made them – PWC, EY, in-house:
dsf.dmrid.gov.cy/service-stan...
January 31, 2026 at 2:04 PM
Oh, this is good. 👌
The "AI Skills Hub" aggregated courses that a) it had no permission to use, and b) were written for US audiences, giving advice based on US law. 😬
grahamlovelace.substack.com/p/exclusive-...
grahamlovelace.substack.com/p/exclusive-...
EXCLUSIVE: UK government is embroiled in controversy over flagship AI training hub
Course not for UK used 'without permission' says e-learning firm
grahamlovelace.substack.com
January 29, 2026 at 9:40 AM
The "AI Skills Hub" aggregated courses that a) it had no permission to use, and b) were written for US audiences, giving advice based on US law. 😬
grahamlovelace.substack.com/p/exclusive-...
grahamlovelace.substack.com/p/exclusive-...
Funny that orgs always have time and money for dozens of data protection roles and hours of mandatory training for everyone, but never for accessibility roles and training. 🤷♂️
Orgs and their employees have equal legal compliance obligations to both. Yet accessibility is never resourced.
Orgs and their employees have equal legal compliance obligations to both. Yet accessibility is never resourced.
January 23, 2026 at 12:27 PM
Funny that orgs always have time and money for dozens of data protection roles and hours of mandatory training for everyone, but never for accessibility roles and training. 🤷♂️
Orgs and their employees have equal legal compliance obligations to both. Yet accessibility is never resourced.
Orgs and their employees have equal legal compliance obligations to both. Yet accessibility is never resourced.
Interesting. And very good.
Given the evolving digital landscape, it's more important than ever to move beyond the concept of "pages" and start structurally modelling *things* in your operating domain.
Given the evolving digital landscape, it's more important than ever to move beyond the concept of "pages" and start structurally modelling *things* in your operating domain.
January 20, 2026 at 9:08 PM
Interesting. And very good.
Given the evolving digital landscape, it's more important than ever to move beyond the concept of "pages" and start structurally modelling *things* in your operating domain.
Given the evolving digital landscape, it's more important than ever to move beyond the concept of "pages" and start structurally modelling *things* in your operating domain.
Reposted by Dan
If your anticipated users only get involved at the pixel stage, it is already too late
November 30, 2025 at 3:18 PM
If your anticipated users only get involved at the pixel stage, it is already too late
Reposted by Dan
Oft-repeated hypothesis: 90% - maybe a little less, but not much less - of a website’s usability is determined by the shape of its data model. Therefore, the type of people who might want to use / be forced to use your website should be involved in the design of its data model
November 30, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Oft-repeated hypothesis: 90% - maybe a little less, but not much less - of a website’s usability is determined by the shape of its data model. Therefore, the type of people who might want to use / be forced to use your website should be involved in the design of its data model
"Orgs need a common taxonomy for describing services, including products, capabilities, outcomes and how each relates to the other.
If teams aren’t clear on the language they are using to describe the same things, they can talk at cross purposes..."
Yes! And yes again.
If teams aren’t clear on the language they are using to describe the same things, they can talk at cross purposes..."
Yes! And yes again.
⭐ New blog: I've been doing some writing about Service Design recently... In this post, I explain how importance of the shift from product to a "service mindset" …
Thanks to Mica Moore (not on BSky) who contributed to this and provided feedback.
benholliday.com/2025/11/18/f...
#ServiceDesign
Thanks to Mica Moore (not on BSky) who contributed to this and provided feedback.
benholliday.com/2025/11/18/f...
#ServiceDesign
From product to a service mindset
Exploring the need for a service mindset in product-focused organisations.
benholliday.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:18 AM
"Orgs need a common taxonomy for describing services, including products, capabilities, outcomes and how each relates to the other.
If teams aren’t clear on the language they are using to describe the same things, they can talk at cross purposes..."
Yes! And yes again.
If teams aren’t clear on the language they are using to describe the same things, they can talk at cross purposes..."
Yes! And yes again.
👇👇
average cms demo: "Our customizable workflow engine moves your content from idea to launch!"
average enterprise process: "okay, for two months all content lives in a set of dropbox folders, then moves to Teams Chat; 45 minutes before launch, someone sends a fax to Dave…"
average enterprise process: "okay, for two months all content lives in a set of dropbox folders, then moves to Teams Chat; 45 minutes before launch, someone sends a fax to Dave…"
November 13, 2025 at 6:14 PM
👇👇
"Sometimes when we join an organisation we find that, beyond hiring you, it has made absolutely no other changes to allow you to actually do the work it expects you to do."
Literally 90% of my career, tbh. 😆😭
Literally 90% of my career, tbh. 😆😭
We've written about the 5 things that are needed in any scenario to create an organisation that can design and deliver services well
This is for all the people stepping into leading service design, whether it's in their title or not.
good.services/writing/comm...
This is for all the people stepping into leading service design, whether it's in their title or not.
good.services/writing/comm...
November 7, 2025 at 11:56 AM
"Sometimes when we join an organisation we find that, beyond hiring you, it has made absolutely no other changes to allow you to actually do the work it expects you to do."
Literally 90% of my career, tbh. 😆😭
Literally 90% of my career, tbh. 😆😭
Another year has passed with neither a content or interaction designer coming within touching distance of HMRC's online self-assessment service. 😔
November 6, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Another year has passed with neither a content or interaction designer coming within touching distance of HMRC's online self-assessment service. 😔
95% of orgs are not prepared for (or even aware of) the future web landscape.
They're still thinking of, and creating, websites like it's 2005. Despite the very obvious fact that "websites" will become less and less of a thing.
Browsers without address bars? They're already here.
They're still thinking of, and creating, websites like it's 2005. Despite the very obvious fact that "websites" will become less and less of a thing.
Browsers without address bars? They're already here.
AI browsers are shifting mental models for search from "where do I go?" to "what do I want?".
So does that mean UX might be building AI features backwards?
How might user-centred and ethical design help meet human needs (safely) in the intent-driven search era?
uxdesign.cc/what-perplex...
So does that mean UX might be building AI features backwards?
How might user-centred and ethical design help meet human needs (safely) in the intent-driven search era?
uxdesign.cc/what-perplex...
What Perplexity’s AI browser reveals about UX’s future
I stopped typing URLs after 3 days.
uxdesign.cc
November 3, 2025 at 10:27 AM
95% of orgs are not prepared for (or even aware of) the future web landscape.
They're still thinking of, and creating, websites like it's 2005. Despite the very obvious fact that "websites" will become less and less of a thing.
Browsers without address bars? They're already here.
They're still thinking of, and creating, websites like it's 2005. Despite the very obvious fact that "websites" will become less and less of a thing.
Browsers without address bars? They're already here.
Is Digital ID the same as GOV.UK One Login? Which is both a cross-service system and a native phone app.
Is it the same as the "GOV.UK ID Check" app? Which itself is neither of the "GOV.UK One Login", "GOV.UK" or "UKVI ID Document Check" apps.
Is it Government Gateway? Is it your NI number? 🤷♂️😵💫
Is it the same as the "GOV.UK ID Check" app? Which itself is neither of the "GOV.UK One Login", "GOV.UK" or "UKVI ID Document Check" apps.
Is it Government Gateway? Is it your NI number? 🤷♂️😵💫
September 25, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Is Digital ID the same as GOV.UK One Login? Which is both a cross-service system and a native phone app.
Is it the same as the "GOV.UK ID Check" app? Which itself is neither of the "GOV.UK One Login", "GOV.UK" or "UKVI ID Document Check" apps.
Is it Government Gateway? Is it your NI number? 🤷♂️😵💫
Is it the same as the "GOV.UK ID Check" app? Which itself is neither of the "GOV.UK One Login", "GOV.UK" or "UKVI ID Document Check" apps.
Is it Government Gateway? Is it your NI number? 🤷♂️😵💫
I enjoy pointing out to SEO folk that the introduction of the alt attribute (HTML 1.2, June 1993) predates the introduction of the first modern search engine (JumpStation, December 1993).
It was always designed and intended as an accessibility feature.
It was always designed and intended as an accessibility feature.
Do not cram alt text with keywords just to improve search engine optimization. This will hinder alt text’s true purpose: improving accessibility. Focus on describing the photo's content. Search engine optimization should not be the goal for writing good alt text.
September 19, 2025 at 3:55 PM
I enjoy pointing out to SEO folk that the introduction of the alt attribute (HTML 1.2, June 1993) predates the introduction of the first modern search engine (JumpStation, December 1993).
It was always designed and intended as an accessibility feature.
It was always designed and intended as an accessibility feature.
Is gov.uk/prepare supposed to redirect to gov.uk/alerts?
September 7, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Is gov.uk/prepare supposed to redirect to gov.uk/alerts?
This is why a strong content model and governance are vital.
What are the *things* your users care about? How do you represent and standardise them? What is a service? What is guidance? Why might you create a website for one and not another?
Without that model, you slide into chaos like this.
What are the *things* your users care about? How do you represent and standardise them? What is a service? What is guidance? Why might you create a website for one and not another?
Without that model, you slide into chaos like this.
Should departments only ever publish content on GOV.UK?
What happens when the content they want to publish isn't guidance and doesn't fit the GOV.UK proposition?
What should GDS's position be on departments creating their own websites?
Read my blog post about it
www.tpximpact.com/knowledge-hu...
What happens when the content they want to publish isn't guidance and doesn't fit the GOV.UK proposition?
What should GDS's position be on departments creating their own websites?
Read my blog post about it
www.tpximpact.com/knowledge-hu...
Websites beyond the GOV.UK proposition - TPXimpact
Departments are creating websites outside the main GOV.UK proposition, risking user trust. We explore why new GDS guidance on domains and branding is now essential.
www.tpximpact.com
August 26, 2025 at 11:38 AM
This is why a strong content model and governance are vital.
What are the *things* your users care about? How do you represent and standardise them? What is a service? What is guidance? Why might you create a website for one and not another?
Without that model, you slide into chaos like this.
What are the *things* your users care about? How do you represent and standardise them? What is a service? What is guidance? Why might you create a website for one and not another?
Without that model, you slide into chaos like this.
Are we still giving candidates the "rewrite this source material" task during content design interviews?
This has been a red flag for a long time. Even more so in 2025.
This has been a red flag for a long time. Even more so in 2025.
August 21, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Are we still giving candidates the "rewrite this source material" task during content design interviews?
This has been a red flag for a long time. Even more so in 2025.
This has been a red flag for a long time. Even more so in 2025.
Reposted by Dan
But to add re evolving, #ContentDesign is supposed to be a disruptor, it’s meant to question internal processes, connect silos, create change in an org. Orgs don’t like change. And they do like hierarchy. So it’s very hard for what’s often a lone CD to do much more than a good web editor would…
August 19, 2025 at 10:48 AM
But to add re evolving, #ContentDesign is supposed to be a disruptor, it’s meant to question internal processes, connect silos, create change in an org. Orgs don’t like change. And they do like hierarchy. So it’s very hard for what’s often a lone CD to do much more than a good web editor would…
Do you think that the discipline of content design has evolved beyond it's formative roots? Do you think it is evolving at the required rate? Faster or slower than other UX disciplines?
August 19, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Do you think that the discipline of content design has evolved beyond it's formative roots? Do you think it is evolving at the required rate? Faster or slower than other UX disciplines?
"But we rely on search traffic! What will we do if people don't click our links?!"
Been warning all my employers for the past decade that this was coming, and how to prepare for it. None of them wanted to listen. Sigh.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Been warning all my employers for the past decade that this was coming, and how to prepare for it. None of them wanted to listen. Sigh.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Google launches new 'AI mode' search feature in UK
The new tool marks a significant change for the search giant but raises questions for advertisers.
www.bbc.co.uk
July 29, 2025 at 9:05 AM
"But we rely on search traffic! What will we do if people don't click our links?!"
Been warning all my employers for the past decade that this was coming, and how to prepare for it. None of them wanted to listen. Sigh.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Been warning all my employers for the past decade that this was coming, and how to prepare for it. None of them wanted to listen. Sigh.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Dan
The Content Management industry is doomed to chase flash in the pan feature trends until it recognizes the fact that its job isn’t producing artifacts, but facilitating communication.
Assessing the effectiveness of a message is difficult, so we’re buried in terrible proxy metrics.
Assessing the effectiveness of a message is difficult, so we’re buried in terrible proxy metrics.
July 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The Content Management industry is doomed to chase flash in the pan feature trends until it recognizes the fact that its job isn’t producing artifacts, but facilitating communication.
Assessing the effectiveness of a message is difficult, so we’re buried in terrible proxy metrics.
Assessing the effectiveness of a message is difficult, so we’re buried in terrible proxy metrics.
Why do I need a GOV.UK app? I interact with government a handful of times a year, at the very most.
Am I not the intended audience? Confused.
Am I not the intended audience? Confused.
July 1, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Why do I need a GOV.UK app? I interact with government a handful of times a year, at the very most.
Am I not the intended audience? Confused.
Am I not the intended audience? Confused.
No amount of copy editing will save you if your content ecosystem is structurally broken.
June 6, 2025 at 9:39 AM
No amount of copy editing will save you if your content ecosystem is structurally broken.
Reposted by Dan
Are you "paying attention to detail" or are you "bikeshedding the things that are easy to change to avoid dealing with your fundamentally flawed UX"
June 3, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Are you "paying attention to detail" or are you "bikeshedding the things that are easy to change to avoid dealing with your fundamentally flawed UX"