Do Your Job – Don’t Use Placeholder Text

If you are a UX designer, Software Developer, or Product Manager, and you use placeholder text anywhere but where it’s impossible to know what the content will be (user supplied) then you are doing it wrong.

And you are not doing your job.

I learned this from @joebelfiore:

Using placeholder text defers decision making. It’s a cop-out by the person using it and gives reviewers an excuse to also not debate what’s right.

It’s far better to use your really great judgment (you ARE very smart, or you wouldn’t be doing the job) to put your best idea forth. Even if you’re not sure it’s the best idea.

Then, when someone else reviews the UX they will have something to debate (or agree with).

(This was originally a tweetstorm, motivated by @codinghorror tweeting about Ipsum Lorem generators. My favorite Ipsum Lorem generator is: Bacon Ipsum – A Meatier Lorem Ipsum Generator).