Designing for Unknown Content
Day 15 of 30 · The Playbook 2026 – Masterclass for Designers
Keep structure when content length varies or is unknown.
Learning Goal
- Placeholder and empty-state rules.
- Variable title length, multilingual handling (wrap/truncate).
- Loading states: skeleton vs spinner.
- Documented patterns for cards, lists, tables.
- Apply the same rules across all courses/lessons.
Why This Matters
- Real data differs from mocks.
- Layouts shouldn’t break while loading.
- Multilingual text can expand.
Explanation
- Text handling: wrap up to 2 lines, then truncate + tooltip/link.
- Empty state: icon + short message + CTA.
- Skeleton: stable dimensions, avoid layout shifts.
Examples
Bad: Long title overflows, layout breaks.
Good: Max 2 lines then ellipsis; empty state defined.
Guided Exercise (10–15 minutes)
- Create text-handling rules (wrap/truncate) for cards and lists.
- Define empty-state component (icon, text, CTA).
- Write skeleton usage rules.
Independent Exercise (5–10 minutes)
Apply to multilingual content (e.g., German/English) and capture outcomes.
Self-Check
- Wrap/truncate rules exist.
- Empty state documented.
- Skeleton rules set.
Optional Deepening
- Empty states: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/empty-state/
- Skeletons vs spinners: https://uxdesign.cc/skeleton-screens-what-to-use-instead-of-the-loading-spinner-2fd0f5f4bd2e