What got us here won’t get us there: Repositioning content design for what’s next

Content design grew by getting very good at a familiar playbook: Define the discipline, advocate for seats at the table, partner closely with product and design, and build career paths that reward craft and collaboration. But in many organizations, that playbook is losing traction. Teams are flatter, expectations are shifting, and AI is reshaping how content work is perceived — often faster than we’ve agreed on what good looks like.

This panel explores what it means to reposition content design for what’s next. We’ll examine the signals that your current strategy isn’t landing the way it used to, and outline practical shifts in how content design shows up. You’ll leave with a clearer lens for deciding what to keep, what to change, and how to move content design forward in a changing landscape.

In this conversation, you’ll learn how to:

• Spot signals that traditional content design positioning and advocacy strategies are losing traction.
• Assess your operating environment — including how AI is being adopted and how “content” is defined — to understand where you’re positioned.
• Shift content design from a craft-focused discipline to a strategic business capability — regardless of environment.
• Reposition your own work or team in a changing landscape.