Language-like problems, language-like systems: using structured content to create a design paradigm

The rise of structured content and design systems has transformed how organizations manage and deliver information. But like any innovation, they come with their own set of challenges. In a recent session with our new Tridion partner, Autogram, the team shared some valuable insights into what happens when these two worlds collide—and how to make them work together. 

Structured content is moving beyond documents 

Structured content used to be something reserved for document publishing. Now, it’s an essential part of how websites and digital experiences are built. Organizations are increasingly recognizing its value in creating web pages and delivering content across various platforms. However, as the concept of structured content expands, it brings along a fresh set of challenges. 

What happens when you go all-in on structured content?

Implementing structured content isn’t just about adopting templates, it’s about changing the way your organization thinks about and works with content. As more teams make this shift, they're facing problems that don’t have ready-made solutions. Teams are having to rethink how content is created, managed and delivered. Autogram highlighted a few common stumbling blocks. 

1. Replatforming fatigue: Many organisations have replatformed their content systems several times already. With each new iteration, they discover their current structure doesn’t quite fit. Updating these systems takes time, money and patience - especially when changes need to happen mid-project. 
2. Headless isn’t always easier: Headless CMSs are on the rise, but they don’t always simplify things. Teams often underestimate the effort needed to rebuild functionality they used to get out of the box. The technical freedom sounds appealing, but it can come at a cost. 
3. Design systems and content systems don’t always align: Keeping design components in sync with structured content is tricky. When visual layouts start creeping into content structures, it becomes harder to update one without affecting the other. Teams need to coordinate closely to avoid conflicts and duplication. 
4. Silos get in the way: Large organisations often struggle to keep content consistent across departments. To make structured content work at scale, you need shared taxonomies, metadata and content models. But if teams aren’t working together, those foundations start to crack. 
5. Personalisation and AI need solid foundations: There’s a lot of hype around personalisation and AI-driven content. But without the right structure - semantic tagging, taxonomies, metadata - these projects rarely deliver. Too many teams skip the groundwork and end up disappointed. 

Why modular design helps 

Autogram co-founder Ethan Marcotte, known for coining the term ‘responsive web design’, talked about the shift towards modularity in design. More teams are investing in pattern libraries and reusable components to improve consistency and reduce effort. 

• Pattern libraries in action: Companies like Mailchimp and IBM use design systems that include clear guidance, code snippets and real-world examples. These help teams reuse patterns with confidence and maintain a unified visual identity. 
• A design system isn’t just a library: The best design systems are open and collaborative. Teams can spot gaps, propose updates and evolve the system over time. This keeps it relevant and useful rather than something that becomes out of date. 

Finding the right balance 

One of the biggest challenges is how structured content and design systems interact. It’s tempting to include layout components directly within structured content to give editors more visual control. But this can lead to duplication, complexity, and a blurred line between content and presentation. A careful balance is needed to avoid losing the benefits of structure. 

Final thoughts 

Our conversation with Autogram highlighted just how much the content and design worlds are overlapping—and how important it is to manage that intersection thoughtfully. Structured content and design systems both bring enormous value, but only when they’re implemented in a way that allows them to work together, not against each other. 

Autogram brings a wealth of experience in helping organizations navigate these challenges. Their work with the Tridion team is already helping us rethink how we support customers building scalable, flexible content ecosystems. 

To learn more, visit autogram.is and Tridion.com.

Talk to our partner team.