• Content Governance

  • Empowering content owners and reducing friction across uwmedicine.org

Quick snapshot

  • Role: Lead Content Strategist

  • Team: UX Designer · Project Manager · Marketing Strategists

Summary

A scalable governance system that clarified content ownership, reduced off-process web requests by 40%, and gave UW Medicine teams the tools and structure to manage content more confidently — without increasing risk or rework.

Key impact

  • Audited 4,000 page website to assign ownership across departments

  • Built onboarding toolkit used by 12+ stakeholder teams

Overview

As content volume and complexity grew on uwmedicine.org, so did the confusion about who was responsible for managing it. Web update requests came in from every direction — Slack, email, meetings — often bypassing the official intake process and overloading the UX team.


I led a cross-team effort to create a modular content governance framework that defined roles, clarified ownership, and gave stakeholders the tools they needed to manage content efficiently. This work became the backbone of our onboarding process and helped the organization move from reactive content management to proactive ownership.

The Challenge

01

No clear system of record for who owned each page or section

02

Stakeholders made requests without the authority to do so

03

Content quality and governance risks were increasing — especially given the healthcare context

My Role

  • Audited 4,000+ page website to identify content owners and flag gaps

  • Created a governance model defining 3+ content-related roles and escalation paths

  • Developed a Loop-based toolkit to onboard and support content owners

  • Integrated governance expectations directly into Wrike request flows

  • Partnered with WebOps, SEO, and PMs to align request logic and training

Process

1. Audit & Map Ownership

Created a master audit spreadsheet and worked with stakeholders across 12+ departments to assign primary and fallback owners. Logged gaps and aligned with PMs on next steps for orphaned content.


2. Define Roles & Model

Refined a tiered governance model that mapped stakeholder types (e.g., content owner, SME, web producer) to permissions, responsibilities, and request authority. Designed it to be scalable and modular.


3. Build the Toolkit

Created a Loop and SharePoint-based governance hub with onboarding FAQs.


4. Integrate into Workflows

Updated project request forms, working with colleagues on the web team, with logic tied to the new model: optional CC fields, inline guidance, and escalation paths. Ensured that governance became part of day-to-day operations.

Results

Outcome

Detail

Components with standardized guidance

Components with

standardized guidance

90% of audited pages (↑ from 22%)

90% of audited pages

(↑ from 22%)

Teams onboarded using toolkit

Teams onboarded using toolkit

12+ departments and service lines

12+ departments

and service lines

Takeaways

01

Governance doesn’t have to slow things down — it speeds up the right work

02

Clear roles and onboarding tools reduce chaos and protect UX team bandwidth

03

Ownership gaps are inevitable; escalation logic is what turns chaos into clarity

Alix Medler © 2025 All rights reserved.

Alix Medler © 2025 All rights reserved.

Alix Medler © 2025 All rights reserved.