Even the best training content can fall flat. The problem isn’t what you create, it’s how you plan it.

Organizations invest heavily in training and customer education, yet much of it falls short. Guides look polished, videos cover the details, but learners disengage, and outcomes don’t follow.

Why?

Often, the problem isn’t the content itself, but the planning behind it.

Topic-First vs. Need-First Approaches

When designing content, teams often start with the topic:

• “We need a guide on this feature.”

• “We should explain this process.”

The topic-first approach feels natural: it’s easy to focus on what the company wants to say. But while the content may be accurate, it often fails to resonate with the audience.

A more effective approach starts with the need. Instead of asking, “What do we want to say?” ask, “What outcome are we trying to drive?”

Anchor Your Content: 3 Key Questions

Shifting from a topic-first to a need-first approach requires a change in perspective. At SaaS & Strategy, we encourage clients to begin by answering three key questions:

1. What outcome are we trying to drive?

Every piece of training or customer education content should serve a measurable purpose. Are you aiming to increase product adoption, improve retention, or reduce support tickets? Clear outcomes shape both the content and how success will be measured.

2. What’s the audience context?

Understanding your learners’ goals, experience level, and challenges is essential. A new customer onboarding program will differ significantly from advanced feature training for long-term users. Without context, even the most well-designed content risks missing the mark.

3. How will this content actually reach them?

Even the strongest content fails if the delivery method doesn’t match how your audience engages. Should it be a self-paced article, a video walkthrough, or a live session? Timing and accessibility matter—content delivered too early or too late can lose its effectiveness.

The Overlooked Power of Planning

When content feels like it “should” work but doesn’t, the issue is rarely design flaws or missing information. More often, it’s a planning problem. Without clearly defining the outcome, audience, and delivery method upfront, even beautifully executed content can fail to connect.

Think of content development like building a house. Starting with the topic is like choosing furniture before laying the foundation. Without a solid structure anchored in purpose and context, the end result simply won’t hold up.

Putting the Approach Into Practice

To make this shift practical, here are three steps teams can take:

1. Start with alignment. Before creating content, involve stakeholders to define success metrics. What business outcome will this content support?

2. Develop learner personas. Even a light version of persona work can clarify audience context and prevent mismatched training.

3. Design with delivery in mind. Plan the format and channel early. A video might seem engaging, but if your learners prefer quick-reference PDFs, the effort may not pay off.

Final Thoughts

Training and customer education content can transform the customer experience—but only when built on the right foundation. By moving away from a topic-first mindset and focusing on outcomes, audience context, and delivery, organizations can create resources that truly resonate and drive measurable impact.

Before planning a new guide, course, or resource, pause and ask: “What do our learners need, and what outcome are we trying to achieve?” The answers can be the difference between content that falls flat and content that leaves a lasting impact.

Capture Attention with Story                         

Ever stopped scrolling because something felt confusing or flat? Visual storytelling goes beyond aesthetics—it guides your audience through a clear, engaging experience that communicates instantly. Intentional visuals create moments that stick; without them, content is easily forgotten.

Why Story Matters in Visual Design

Every visual choice—images, colors, fonts, and layout—should advance the story you want your audience to experience. 

Strong visual storytelling can:

• Communicate ideas quickly and clearly

• Spark trust, curiosity, or excitement

• Guide attention to what matters most

• Keep your brand consistent across touchpoints

How the Visual Storytelling Worksheet Helps

The Design For Impact: Visual Storytelling Worksheet helps you transform ideas into visuals that connect—whether building something new or refining existing content. 

It enables you to:

• Clarify the story your visuals need to tell

• Make intentional design choices for clarity and impact

• Structure content so messages and calls to action stand out

Pro Tip: Test Your Story

Strong visuals aren’t enough. Test with a fresh viewer, refine, and let storytelling turn design into experience that engages and drives action.

Download the full worksheet to get the prompts 

I use with teams and design with purpose.

Not all content resonates with its audience. 

Even well-researched articles or social posts can fall flat if they don’t consider how people will see, read, and interact with them. 

By focusing on the right format, channel, tone, and language, you can turn content from overlooked to impactful. 

Use these four tips to guide your choices and make every piece of content count. 

Make Your Content More Effective

1. Choose the Right Format. 

Different formats work for different learners. Videos, quick reference guides, interactive quizzes, podcasts, and infographics all serve unique purposes.

💡 Tip: Mix formats to reach diverse preferences and reinforce learning across multiple channels.

2. Deliver Through the Right Channels.

Even the best content falls flat if people can’t access it when they need it. Whether it lives in a learning system, communication tool, or workflow app, make sure delivery matches the context.

💡 Tip: Map content to real tasks or moments of need—not just platforms.

3. Match Style and Tone to Your Audience. 

Your content should feel made for them. Tailor your voice to the audience’s role, expectations, and setting—formal and data-driven or casual and concise.

💡 Example: Frontline teams may want short, jargon-free tips, while executives may prefer polished insights backed by metrics.

4. Use Clear, Consistent Language. 

Avoid jargon and confusing terms. Stick to familiar words and reinforce key ideas consistently.

💡 Tip: Shared language builds trust, improves retention, and makes scaling learning easier.

By applying these principles, your content won’t just share information—it will engage, inspire, and drive action.

Even the best training content can fall flat. The problem isn’t what you create—it’s how you plan it.

Organizations invest heavily in training and customer education, yet much of it falls short. Guides look polished, videos cover the details—but learners disengage, and outcomes don’t follow. Why? Often, the problem isn’t the content itself, but the planning behind it.

Topic-First vs. Need-First Approaches

When designing content, teams often start with the topic:

• “We need a guide on this feature.”

• "We should explain this process.”

This topic-first approach feels natural—it’s easy to focus on what the company wants to say. But while the content may be accurate, it often fails to resonate with the audience.

A more effective approach starts with the need. Instead of asking, “What do we want to say?” ask, “What outcome are we trying to drive?”

Anchor Your Content: 3 Key Questions

Shifting from a topic-first to a need-first approach requires a change in perspective. At SaaS & Strategy, we encourage clients to begin by answering three key questions:

1. What outcome are we trying to drive?

Every piece of training or customer education content should serve a measurable purpose. Are you aiming to increase product adoption, improve retention, or reduce support tickets? Clear outcomes shape both the content and how success will be measured.

2. What’s the audience context?

Understanding your learners’ goals, experience level, and challenges is essential. A new customer onboarding program will differ significantly from advanced feature training for long-term users. Without context, even the most well-designed content risks missing the mark.

3. How will this content actually reach them?

Even the strongest content fails if the delivery method doesn’t match how your audience engages. Should it be a self-paced article, a video walkthrough, or a live session? Timing and accessibility matter—content delivered too early or too late can lose its effectiveness.

The Overlooked Power of Planning

When content feels like it “should” work but doesn’t, the issue is rarely design flaws or missing information. More often, it’s a planning problem. Without clearly defining the outcome, audience, and delivery method upfront, even beautifully executed content can fail to connect.

Think of content development like building a house. Starting with the topic is like choosing furniture before laying the foundation. Without a solid structure anchored in purpose and context, the end result simply won’t hold up.

Putting the Approach Into Practice

To make this shift practical, here are three steps teams can take:

1. Start with alignment. Before creating content, involve stakeholders to define success metrics. What business outcome will this content support?

2. Develop learner personas. Even a light version of persona work can clarify audience context and prevent mismatched training.

3. Design with delivery in mind. Plan the format and channel early. A video might seem engaging, but if your learners prefer quick-reference PDFs, the effort may not pay off.

Final Thoughts

Training and customer education content can transform the customer experience—but only when built on the right foundation. By moving away from a topic-first mindset and focusing on outcomes, audience context, and delivery, organizations can create resources that truly resonate and drive measurable impact.

Before planning a new guide, course, or resource, pause and ask: “What do our learners need, and what outcome are we trying to achieve?” The answers can be the difference between content that falls flat and content that leaves a lasting impact.

What is a Design Brief?                                     

A design brief is a short document outlining a project’s purpose, goals, audience, and key considerations. It keeps everyone aligned and decisions purposeful. Without it, projects can drift and require extra revisions.

Why it Matters

Content design isn’t just about looking good—it’s about working effectively.

A design brief ensures:

• • • Clear, shared goals

    • Feedback tied to objectives

    • Efficient use of time and budget

How this Worksheet Helps

Content design isn’t just about looking good—it’s about working effectively

It helps you:

• Define goals and outcomes

• Identify your audience

• Set tone and style

• Clarify where content will appear and the desired action

Answering these questions upfront gives your team a clear foundation for creating content that engages and delivers results.

Pro Tip: Keep It Close

A brief isn’t a checkbox—it’s a compass. Refer to it often to stay aligned and on track.

Download the full worksheet to get the prompts 

I use with teams and design with purpose.