After watching the latest RapidWeaver Elements Dev Diary on Templates, I had a small epiphany. I watched a fully structured website come together incredibly fast — even without any final content. It struck me that this kind of speed makes a design-first workflow not only possible, but preferable in many cases.
Instead of writing first, what if we flipped the script? Design first — using Elements’ templating and layout tools — then export that structure as a creative outline for the writers, editors, and contributors.
Each text block becomes a writing prompt. Each image container suggests a crop, orientation, or mood. Instead of chasing word counts after the fact or having to redo layouts to fit the content, you’d be able to give collaborators a living template of what’s expected — visually and structurally.
I’d love to see Elements eventually offer something like an “Export as Outline” feature, where the visual structure of a site is stripped down to a shareable, low-fidelity guide that explains what content goes where. Even better if it included suggested character counts, aspect ratios, and space prioritization.
Here’s a rough idea of how it might work:
- Low-fidelity export mode – keeps layout blocks but strips visual styling
- Embedded character count ranges – based on the font size and padding defined in the layout
- Image specs auto-labeled – width, height, crop guidance, importance
- Optional annotations – designers could add notes like “short CTA” or “nostalgic photo here”
- Export formats – PDF (for clients), Markdown (for writers), or a simple HTML sandbox
The key here is that Elements is fast enough to support this kind of inverted workflow. That speed can become a competitive advantage — especially for solo creators, small teams, or clients who need help getting started.
This could dramatically streamline the content production phase. Writers wouldn’t be guessing. Editors wouldn’t be scrambling. Everyone would be starting from a shared structural map — one created visually first, then filled in thoughtfully.
Just an idea — but one I’d use immediately if it existed.