Bringing user insight into the WordPress editor
How we made user needs part of the content workflow for The Data City
We recently restructured The Data City’s website around six core user archetypes, giving users clearer paths to the information they need. But the work went beyond templates and navigation.
We wanted the insight from the workshops - archetypes, empathy maps, journey goals - to shape the tools the marketing team uses every day.
So we brought that thinking into the CMS.
Design for editors, not just users
Using WordPress’ default content feature for custom post types, we created guided starting points for editors. When the team clicks “Add new” on a case study or product, they don’t see a blank screen. They see a pre-populated layout with the right blocks already in place.
And those blocks aren’t just empty. Each one includes placeholder content that explains the purpose of the block, what kind of content it’s there to support, and how it connects to broader user needs.
This isn’t abstract guidance or generic tips. It’s grounded in the work the team did during the UX phase, brought into the right place at the right time.
Less friction, better decisions
The goal isn’t to lock people into a rigid template. Editors can still add, remove or reorder blocks as needed. The aim is simply to remove friction and avoid the “where do I start?” problem.
It makes writing for the audience easier. Each block includes enough context to help an editor make decisions without needing to dig through slide decks or find a persona PDF on a shared drive. They don’t need to remember what an archetype cares about. The prompt is right there, in context.
This is UX too
This kind of thing often gets overlooked. It’s not visible to users. It’s not the part anyone screenshots and shares online. But it’s part of good UX.
It helps the internal team keep creating with purpose. And it helps the external user by keeping their needs in focus - even months after the last workshop.
It’s a small shift. But it means the insight from all that research doesn’t get left behind. It becomes part of how the site runs.
That’s the point.