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My name is
Corey Vilhauer.

I am director of strategy at Blend Interactive. I write here. I also write at Eating Elephant about content strategy. I am co-author of a book about the web process, The Web Project Guide, and co-host of a podcast by the same name. I used to occasionally write about records at Kallax 365. The W stands for Wayne.

Latest Posts

May 31, 2023

The Systems Within Us

A quick look at the physics engine behind the new The Legend of Zelda game — and how difficult it is to perfect our own emotional systems.

April 28, 2023

It’s the Anticipation that Kills You

I’m giving a talk next week and I’m endlessly nervous. So here are some thoughts on anxiety and relief during the presentation process.

March 31, 2023

The Things I Don’t Remember

It’s a common podcast question: “When was the first time you … “ and then on and on. But, for the life of me, I can’t remember details like that — and I often wonder if that matters or not.

February 28, 2023

Seeing the Past (Through Two New Lenses)

In which the author wrings his hands over being old, when in fact he’s not old at all, really. Also, in which the author writes about how the passage of time shows its head in chunks and touchpoints, rather than in a straight line.

January 31, 2023

An Approximation of Art

A personal frustration with the concept of AI-created art and writing, with a short interlude about high school show choir.

Selected Works

August 5, 2015The Pastry Box Project

While No Guitar Gently Weeps

The world continues to move even as you wander around, looking for inspiration, and the risk is always there: what happens when everyone passes you by, and what happens when you realize you never really cared in the first place?

February 28, 2012A List Apart

Audiences, Outcomes, and Determining User Needs

Every website needs an audience. And every audience needs a goal. How do we get to really know our audience and find out what these mystery users really want from our sites and applications?

May 2013Offscreen Magazine

Life In Folders

Commissioned thoughts on organizing photos, organizing files and folders, and organizing life.

January 14, 2014Black Marks on Wood Pulp

The Ocean

Thoughts on large bodies of water, the dream and desire to see the world, and the utter exhaustion of travelling for work when all you want to do is hang out at home and be a dad.

December 7, 2011Contents Magazine

A Content Methodology Primer

Content wants to be messy. It wants to roll around in the mud. It wants to be gross. Our job is to pull it together—to take the guesswork out of creating and curating it—and to treat content work as something closer to a science.

July 19, 2011Eating Elephant

Domain Knowledge: What You Need - Or Don't Need - To Know

As content strategists, we are expected to help our clients communicate the concepts, benefits and advantages of their company or industry. But we are not who our clients are. We do not possess the same amount of knowledge about their business. How do we bridge this gap?