Portfolio · Strategic Content Mapping
Content that follows the user, not just the page.
Every design decision I make starts with understanding what a user needs to know, when they need to know it, and what stands in the way. These projects show how I map that thinking before a single screen is built.
What strategic content mapping actually means in my practice
It's not copywriting. It's not information architecture alone. It's the work of tracing the gap between what a user is trying to accomplish and what the product is actually communicating — then designing the path that closes that gap.
The Problem
Users needed more than a product list
Eco-conscious shoppers want to understand what they're buying and why it matters. A standard shop flow wasn't enough — the content had to earn trust before asking for a purchase.
The Mapping
Two personas, two entry points
Gina and Karen each approach the site differently. Mapping their Log-in, Sign-up, and purchase flows revealed where the content needed to reassure, filter, and confirm — not just direct.
The Outcome
A flow that filters by values first
The Vegan Soap purchase flow places product filtering (Vegan / Vegetarian / Non-Veg) before browsing — a content decision that reduces friction and validates the user's values before the transaction.
Mapping Artifacts
User Flow — Log-In / Sign-Up (Gina & Karen)
User Flow — Gina Purchases Vegan Soap
The Problem
Users weren't just looking for diet tips
Research surfaced emotional and social needs — accountability, peer connection, diabetes management — that a standard recipe or coaching app wouldn't address. The content strategy had to meet users where they actually were.
The Mapping
Affinity mapping revealed three distinct user modes
Cards clustered around community-seeking (Brenda), goal-driven task completion (Dajonnaire), and accountability/coaching (Jackelle). Each required a different content entry point and flow structure.
The Outcome
Three flows, one coherent content system
Journey maps for Brenda and Dajonnaire translated research findings into phase-by-phase content needs. User flows mapped exact decision points where the app's content had to guide, filter, or reassure.
Mapping Artifacts
Affinity Map — Keto Me Research
Journey Map — Brenda (Community Focus)
Journey Map — Dajonnaire (Grocery Scenario)
User Flows — Brenda, Dajonnaire, Jackelle
The Problem
Too many choices before the first lesson
Language apps often overwhelm new users with customization before they've experienced any value. The content flow had to sequence decisions — account first, preferences second, learning third.
The Mapping
Entry flow mapped from Open App to learning
The Log-in / Sign-up flow documented three paths — returning user, new registration, and password recovery — with clear decision points and exits. The Learning Dashboard flow then mapped vocabulary customization as a separate task.
The Outcome
Customization deferred until after first success
Mapping revealed that the "Customize Learning Task" decision point was most effective placed after the user had already reached the Learning Dashboard — not before. Content flows informed the sequencing of the entire onboarding experience.
Mapping Artifacts
User Flow — Learning Dashboard & Vocabulary
User Flow — Log-In / Sign-Up / Start Learning
The through-line
"The map is never just for the designer — it's the first act of designing for the user."
Across three projects and three different product types, the same process holds: understand what users need to know, trace where that content lives, and design the path that gets them there without friction.