Tools for putting fake content into your design

If you’re expecting content in your design but it’s not your job to write it, a common practice is to fill in the space with gibberish Latin. If you try to write your own content as a placeholder, your client will start to critique the content instead of worrying about the design. Even if you ask them not to read the content, they will.

Here are a couple of awesome tools that I’ve used to get the job done.

Web-based Lipsum Generator

I’ve been using the Lipsum Latin Generator for a number of years, and it’s a great tool. You enter the number of words or paragraphs that you want, and it gives you some random Latin text to copy and paste. Because it’s web-based, I can access it from anywhere.

Mac Dashboard Widget

My buddy Wes also just pointed out that there’s a Mac OS X Dashboard Widget that puts your desired amount of Latin directly into your clipboard. Pretty sweet if you’re a Mac user.

But why link you to that when there’s an even more awesome option? How about the Corporate Ipsum Dashboard Widget? Instead of Latin, it spits out corporate buzzwords, complete with a TPS Report metaphor in the interface. Awesome++

Here’s some sample output from the widget:

Holisticly cultivate client-centric ideas and customized resources. Enthusiastically transition premier growth strategies for performance based mindshare. Completely productivate high-payoff deliverables before impactful interfaces.

This could be fun! Being a Mac user becomes more of a pleasure every day.