RSA: Rebuilding Cities of Learning from the content up
The challenge
The RSA’s Cities of Learning website promoted local learning opportunities and digital credentials across UK cities. But the site was content-heavy, inconsistent, and difficult to navigate. There was no prioritisation of information, no scalable structure to support growth, and minimal capability to maintain content after launch. Without intervention, expansion risked compounding the same issues.
My role
Brought in via Content Design London, I was the lead content designer responsible end-to-end: discovery, strategy, stakeholder engagement, information architecture, UX writing, CMS build, and handover. I also coordinated inputs from Studio Texture (visual design) and Netcel (development), aligning RSA’s stakeholders around a content-first approach.
My approach
Defined and prioritised user needs using analytics, search queries, and stakeholder interviews.
Facilitated workshops, playbacks, and crits to align cross-agency teams and manage shifting requirements.
Audited content and mapped user journeys to identify duplication, dead ends, and readability issues.
Created reusable templates and structures for scalable publishing.
Rewrote content, reducing average reading grade from 12 down to 7.
Implemented content directly in Episerver CMS and produced a redirect plan for legacy URLs.
Maintained transparency through week notes and open communication with all stakeholders.
The outcome
User impact
Clearer, simpler content written at a 7th grade reading age.
Every page included a clear CTA, eliminating dead ends and improving navigation.
Scalable structures made information easier to find and follow.
Business impact
Delivered a content-first redesign on time and in full, despite scope changes and CMS access challenges.
Established a scalable site structure and tone of voice that could evolve with the programme.
Restored stakeholder confidence in content design.
RSA’s leadership praised the clarity of the platform and commissioned follow-up work.
What I learned
This project reinforced the value of content-first thinking not just in writing, but in structure, collaboration, and delivery. It also underlined how clear communication and open process are critical for keeping multi-agency projects aligned — especially when requirements shift mid-stream.