Content Co

A content design consultancy that helps teams make their content clear, usable and sustainable.

What I Do

Content design is not about writing nicer words.

It is about designing content so people can understand complex information, make decisions, and complete tasks — especially in high-risk or regulated environments.

When content is treated as an afterthought, digital experiences fail quietly and expensively.

Content design brings structure, clarity, and intent to the system.

My work sits at the intersection of content strategy, content design, governance, and digital experience. I specialise in helping teams make deliberate, defensible decisions about their content: what should exist, how it should be structured, and how it can be sustained over time.

Who I work with

Much of my work is in government and public-sector contexts, but I also work with purpose-driven organisations and in-house digital teams facing similar challenges.

I work best with organisations where content is:

  • complex or technical

  • high-risk or highly scrutinised

  • spread across large websites or systems

  • owned by many people, but stewarded by few.

  • I help organisations make clear, strategic decisions about their content — grounded in user needs, organisational goals, and operational reality.

    This includes:

    • content strategy and roadmaps

    • content principles and decision frameworks

    • governance models, roles, and responsibilities

    • content lifecycle planning

    • reducing duplication and unmanaged growth.

    The focus is always on clarity, sustainability, and accountability.

  • I design and write content that supports real user tasks, particularly where accuracy, accessibility, and clarity are non-negotiable.

    This includes:

    • content audits and gap analysis

    • structured content reviews and feedback

    • rewriting and restructuring content

    • plain-language transformation

    • accessibility-aligned content design

    • large-scale content consolidation.

    My specialty is content that must hold up under scrutiny: legally, ethically, and operationally.

  • I facilitate practical workshops that help teams make better decisions about content and digital experience.

    Common focus areas include:

    • content design fundamentals

    • defining user tasks and journeys

    • page purpose and scope

    • information architecture and navigation

    • designing for accessibility and inclusion.

    These sessions are designed to create shared understanding and clear next steps, not abstract theory.

  • I support targeted research to inform content and IA decisions.

    This includes:

    • user interviews and synthesis

    • task analysis

    • content-focused research planning

    • translating insights into actionable recommendations.

    The emphasis is on research that leads to decisions, not research as a deliverable.

  • I help organisations untangle complex content structures and design information architectures that make sense to users.

    This includes:

    • IA reviews and recommendations

    • navigation and grouping logic

    • category and section design

    • support for content consolidation programs.

    My IA work is grounded in content reality, user behaviour, and organisational constraints.

  • I work with individuals and teams to build capability and confidence in content design.

    This includes:

    • one-on-one coaching for content and digital leaders

    • training for content designers, communicators, and subject-matter experts

    • mentoring for people stepping into senior or specialist content roles.

    This work is particularly valuable for teams building content maturity over time.

Why Content design matters

Content design is not copywriting.

It is the discipline of designing content so people can find what they need, understand it, and act on it — across complex systems, channels, and constraints.

Poorly designed content creates:

  • confusion and rework

  • increased call volumes and complaints

  • accessibility failures

  • policy and compliance risk

  • content sprawl that no one can maintain.

Well-designed content:

  • supports real user tasks

  • reduces friction and demand on services

  • makes policy and rules easier to comply with

  • improves accessibility and inclusion

  • creates content that can be governed and sustained over time.

Content design sits alongside user experience, service design, and technology — but focuses specifically on meaning, structure, and decision-making.

It answers questions like:

  • What content should exist — and what should not?

  • What does a user need to know at this point?

  • How should information be structured so it can be reused and maintained?

  • How do we make complex or regulated information understandable without losing accuracy?

This is why content design is not a finishing step.

It is foundational to good digital experiences.

Why trust me? (credentials)

My track record is leading whole-of-government digital consolidation for the ACT Government — high-stakes environments where content must be accessible, plain-language, and adoption-driven.

I specialise in bridging the gap most organisations miss: turning complex, high-risk information into content people can actually use — clear for users, compliant by design, and sustainable for teams.

    • Government-wide scaled transformation: Decommissioned 60 websites — 50% of all ACT Government sites (excl. schools) — consolidating them into act.gov.au.

    • Delivered measurable impact: 90% content reduction; cutting average call time from 7 to 4 minutes. Delivered replicable process.

    • System-level leadership: Directed digital content reforms across 7 of 9 directorates (departments), and integrated whole-of-government campaigns (Built for CBR) into act.gov.au.

    • Specialist edge: Bridging UX, compliance, and communication design — reducing risk, ensuring legislative alignment, and driving adoption where others miss it.

Is this the right fit?

I am a good fit if you need:

  • clear thinking and strong judgement

  • defensible recommendations

  • content that can be maintained, not just launched.

If that sounds useful, we should talk.

How I work

My approach is:

  • strategic, but practical

  • calm, direct, and evidence-based

  • focused on long-term improvement

I bring deep experience in:

  • government and public-sector environments

  • content governance and standards

  • accessibility and inclusive design

  • large-scale websites and complex ecosystems.

I can work as a short-term advisor, on discrete pieces of work, or embedded with teams over longer periods.

Let’s work together.

Most teams start with a 30-minute discovery call.

Fill in and submit the form.

Or send an email to ellenharveyau@gmail.com.