Content Co nte nt systems sys tem s people pe opl e ( ( + + AI AI agents agen ts ) ) can can actually ac tua lly operate o per ate . . I I work w ork on on content co nte nt models, mod els , workflows, w orkfl ows ,and and governance gov ern ance for for teams tea ms using u singSanity. S ani ty.I’m I’m a a Staff S taffContent Conte nt Operations Oper ati ons Architect Arc hit ect at at Sanity Sa nit y , , and a ndI I write w rit ehere here about ab out the t hepractice p rac tic eof of content cont ent operations. oper ati ons .
How H owI I work w ork Content Co nte nt Models Mo dels Types, Typ es, references re fer enc es & & constraints. con str aints .
Start St art with wi th structure str uctur e A A content co nte nt model m ode lis is an an operating opera tin g model. mo del . Types, T ype s,references, r efe rence s,and an d constraints c ons tra intsdecide d eci dewhether w hethe rpeople pe opl e can can publish pu bli sh without wit hou t waiting wait ing on on a a developer. de velop er.
Governance G ove rna ncePeople, Pe opl e, process, p roc ess ,technology. tec hno logy.
Make Ma ke the the handoffs han doffs work w orkWho W hocan c anchange cha nge what, what , and and when whe n it i tgoes go es live, liv e, matters ma tters as as much m uch as as the the schema. sche ma. Scale Sc ale usually usual ly fails f ailsin in the t hehandoffs, han dof fs, not n otthe the diagram. di agr am.
Workflows Wo rkf low s A A path pa th people pe ople can can follow. fo llo w.
From Fro m brief b riefto to published pu bli shed The T heuseful u sef ulsystem syst em is is the the one on e a a team te am can c anrun ru n on on an an ordinary or din ary Tuesday. Tuesd ay. I I care car e about ab out the t hepath p athfrom fro m brief br ief to to published. pub lis hed.
Working W ork ingwith wi th AI AI A A brief, brief , an a nagent, a gen t,a a human h uma ncheck. c hec k.
Keep Ke ep the the work w ork reviewable revie wab le Agents Ag ent s raise r aisethe the stakes stake s on o npeople, pe opl e, process, pro cess, and an d technology. te chn ology . Structured Str uct ure d content cont ent is is what wh at makes ma kes that th at work wor k reviewable. r evi ewa ble.
About A boutme me I’m I’m Ryan R yan Mills, Mill s, a a Staff S taf fContent Con ten t Operations O per ation sArchitect Ar chite ct at a tSanity Sa nit y . . I I work w ork with w ith teams t eamson on content con ten t models, mod els , workflows, wo rkflo ws, and an d governance—the gov ern anc e—the things t hin gsthat tha t help hel p people p eop leget g etfrom f rombrief bri ef to to published. pu bli shed.
Before Be fore Sanity, S ani ty, I I worked w orked in i nagency ag enc y and and consulting c ons ultin groles. rol es. I I care care about ab out useful use ful structure: st ructu re: clear cl ear handoffs, han doffs , reviewable rev iew able work, wo rk, and an d systems sys tem s a a team t eam can can run r unon on an an ordinary ordi nar y Tuesday. Tu esd ay.
Portrait P ort rai tPhoto P hot oto t ocome c ome
“ Working W ork ingwith wi th Ryan R yanwas w asa a game-changer game- cha nge r for for our ou r business. bu sin ess . His His insight, in sig ht, creativity, cre ativi ty, and a ndattention a ttent ion to to detail de tai l were were exactly exa ctl y what w hatwe we needed, nee ded , and a ndwe we couldn’t c oul dn’tbe b ehappier ha ppi er with w ith the th e results. r esu lts.George Ge orge Corbin Corb in Managing Ma nag ing Director D ire cto rAt A tCollective Col lecti ve
“ Ryan R yan made ma de things thi ngs simple, s imp le,clear, cle ar, and an d genuinely g enuin ely enjoyable. enj oyabl e. He He brought brou ght structure stru ctu re without wi tho ut stress s tre ssand and insight ins igh t without wit hou t jargon. jarg on. Kristina Krist ina Snyder S nyder Founder Found er & & CEO CE O SNYDER SNY DER
I’ve I ’ve worked w ork edat at I’ve I ’ve worked w ork edwith with A little structure
Structured Unstructured A little structure goes a long way. Switch between an aligned page and scattered notes, words, and letters. This control stays in view. Switch back at any time to restore order.
The page is structured. 
