Forget tone - embrace systems thinking (Dave Connis)

Writers of Silicon Valley

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Content design has some growing up to do. Whether it's the things we talk about at conferences, or even the aspects of our job that we *think* are important (but really aren't), we need to see some change.

Dave Connis, Lead Content Designer at OutSystems, has embraced systems thinking and he wants you to as well. Go beyond the deliverables we're used to (tone, style guides, etc) and start thinking about how to connect the elements of your product in a bigger picture.

Dave brings a refreshing, no-nonsense approach to content design. From his experience working with developers to his cutting-edge ideas about content ecosystems, this conversation is packed with actionable insights and (yes) spicy takes. If you’re tired of surface-level debates about microcopy and want to get into the heart of what makes content design impactful, this one’s for you.

What we talked about:

• Why content designers need to stop sweating the small stuff (looking at you, Oxford comma)
• How systems thinking can revolutionize content design
• The overlooked value of string files and content architecture
• Why tone isn’t everything — and what actually drives user success
• How to think about the “jobs” your content is doing
• The intersection of technical writing and UX writing: what each discipline can learn from the other
• Why content design needs to push for industry-wide innovation

Notable Quotes:

“Stop arguing about sentence case and start building better systems.” — Dave Connis “Tone isn’t the goal. Getting the user to their goal is.” — Dave Connis “Every piece of content in your UI has a job. Figure out what it is.” — Dave Connis

Where to Find Dave:

• LinkedIn: Dave Connis
• Instagram
• Website