We want to reboot, not rip-off!
It's only been a matter of hours since the launch of the project, and already the comments are coming in thick and fast.
However there appears to be some concern from certain quarters around a perception of us "ripping the community off".
I think there has been some confusion around the purpose of the project, and so I’d like to take an opportunity to explain why we've set this competition up and hopefully address some of the confusion that may have occurred.
So it's time to go all "Points of View" for a moment with a round up of some of the criticism that have been expressed on the blog so far – and some response to the concerns put forward.
To kick-off, jay left the following comment on the blog:
What you are really asking for is numerous submissions of what is in essence a $million rebranding. Not a bad exchange for an apple laptop.
I think it's worth pointing out from the very beginning that we are not asking people to provide million £ rebranding for us. Indeed we are NOT going to use or commission any designs for the final front page. Yes, we will turn the winning design into the homepage for a day – but that's as a prize and as recognition for the winning producer's efforts (and if they really don't want us to, then we won't).
I would completely agree with jay that we would be ripping people off if we were going to turn entries submitted into the final homepage design. But that's not the objective of this competition.
Bob said:
…why not have "redesign the Ten O'Clock News" or "redesign The Archers" competitions. Or you could do all this yourselves, which is what I'm paying you over a hundred quid a year for.
This is true – we could indeed have done this all by ourselves. One day, in the future, we could simply launch a new bbc.co.uk homepage for you.
We could say "This is what the BBC thinks is best for you. This is what the millions of people who use the homepage every week will use from now on. Here you go, now get on with it".
But not only does that not seem right, but that's not a BBC approach. Auntie doesn't always know best.
It's your homepage, (it's your BBC) and I want to offer everyone the opportunity to feedback to us what they want it to look like. I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable working on a project to redesign the bbc.co.uk homepage if the community hadn't been adequately consulted - and their ideas, desires and thoughts fed back into the process and acted upon.
Clearly if you don't want to participate then you don't have to – no one is forcing you to. But we know that there are many, many people who not only want to send us their ideas and participate in a project like this, but they complain to us when we don't give them an opportunity to!
The same is true from backstage.bbc.co.uk – the BBC's developer network run by the same team as this project. Have a look at the vast number of exciting, interesting and innovative prototypes the development community has produced with it.
They've done so in their own time because they want to. Clearly it's not for everyone, and no one is forcing anyone to code or design in their spare time for free. It might not be your dynamic, but for many building – or designing – cool stuff is a pursuit they not only enjoy but get many positives out of.
It's these kind of people we want to empower further with this project.
Craig Thomas said:
I'm thinking it's more 'cheap' than 'brave'. But that's a little pessimistic I guess. … I admit it will be interesting to see the result. I hope nobody gets ripped off in the process.
Hmmm, I think you are being a little pessimistic Craig. For a start, I don't think anyone should be entering this project purely to win the laptop. I envisage the overwhelming number of entries we receive will come from people who genuinely want to feed their views back into the BBC so that we can better serve their needs.
In fact, I would suggest that if you just want to win a laptop then there are plenty of easier competitions out there to enter.
We're providing the laptop as a prize because we do want to give the producer of the best entry something special as a thank you for their efforts.
And finally, Sean Murphy left the following:
Unbelievably cheap BBC, after the debacle over getting hold of full proposals, wireframes and pitch documents in the unawarded iMP project tender (we'll do it inhouse, thanks for all the ideas), they pull this to get some heavy lifting done and skim the best ideas for their empty creative larder. Shocking. Shame on you BBC
Sean - we're not wanting to steal anyone's ideas, just like on backstage.bbc.co.uk where we go to great lengths to stress people's right to the Intellectual Property of the mash-ups they produce.
I specifically wanted to state the above in the terms and conditions, but to do so would have precluded us from even including your concepts in the final design – which defeats the objective of the project.
For example, you might think we need should create a natural language search engine as the primary navigation mechanism. We are not going to steal any graphics or designs you might include in your entry around that – but we do want the right to use that idea in our thought processes – that's the point of the project. That's why we've said the following in the Ts & Cs:
You acknowledge that the BBC may develop any such concepts without infringing your rights in any way. You further acknowledge the BBC’s right to develop and use any concepts and design elements incorporated in your entry, provided the BBC does not copy a substantial part of your entry.
The above represents the sentiment I've outlined in this post. We won't develop your concepts to the extent that they infringe on your (IP) rights, and we won't copy any substantial part of your entry. But clearly, if you're concept is top secret and NDA'd then obviously this project is not the right avenue to pursue it!
So, thank you for taking the time to read this post, I know it's a little longer than I would have liked.
But I wanted to communicate to you that this is a genuinely community-spirited project, there's nothing sinister, and we are not out to rip anyone off.
Perhaps the most important part of my job at the BBC is to act as the advocate of our audience. Whether it be as part of my work with the backstage.bbc.co.uk project, or wider still such as representing the views of the blogosphere on our recent blog project, it's a role that I accept with great responsibility and accountability to you all.
If you still have concerns I'd be happy to address them either publicly (leave a comment to this post) or drop me an email: ben.metcalfe@bbc.co.uk.
Regards,
Ben
- 30 Apr 2006 22:59
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Interesting... trust us Brits not to get Web 2.0!
The US are way ahead of the UK right now, which is a first in at least a decade with regard to the complexity, usability and functionality of websites.
I'm personally very happy to see the BBC using our licence money to push forward the use of Web 2.0 in the UK. It's precisely what they're supposed to do!
I seem to recall they wasted 'our money' on something called a television. That seemed to work out pretty well!
The idea of community content is that organisations like the BBC have to 'listen to the crowd' in the words of another!
Web 2.0's sense of community content is precisely about that. i.e. acknowledging that the audience is a savvy, knowledgeable base that know what they want. Or at least may have some better ideas than a design team sat up in an isolated room in Wood Lane.
Personally, I'm disappointed only because it potentially does me out of a job!.. Our business is taking that audience-centred approach, and working these answers out for clients; and I'd love to be able to say that we designed the BBC home page.
But otherwise... sound concept! I'm sure if there is a single winning design (which I doubt, as there'll need to be a lot of work and other considerations put in to any intial concept) that the person who submitted it will be fairly rewarded.
Is it me or are there far too many cynical know-it-alls in the community who consider what they think is right without considering the other possibilities, and think everyone is out to do them over?
Lighten up people.
What is it with all this negativity on the web these days.
It sounds like a wicked competition/challenge in my opinion - i only hope i can find the time to have a bash at it myself.
I appreciate that you're looking for feedback, but re-designing something as iconic as your homepage requires a bit more effort than ticking boxes on a questionnaire.
A compelling re-design requires a significant amount of effort - a lot of work for a 'Mayfly' page.
If there are design elements or technologies that you're interested in developing 'in-house', then go out and commission them - otherwise the project is nothing more than a beauty contest.
Unfortunately that appears to be the nature of the web. Everyone's a critic, and it's easier to get your name out there by putting down a big idea, than to use it as an opportunity for the sort of marketing you just can't buy.
Graeme, yes this does require more effort than a questionnaire.
But then a questionnaire doesn't help us discover possible new and exciting ideas that we havn't thought of.
If we produced a questionnaire we'd only get to know which features were popular from the list that we had produced. This is why we are producing an open-ended competition.
Yes, it will take some time to design a homepage - but how long depends on your design I guess. I think someone could design an entry in less than an hour if they really wanted.
But if it's not an amount of time you want to spend, then please don't enter.
However, I believe there are many people who will want to take the opportunity, help feed their thoughts into the creative process and have their work showcased on the BBC site.
Many thanks for your comment,
Ben
Regards,
Ben
* 30 Apr 2006 22:59
* Permalink
* Comments (5)
Odd that you posted that 3 days into the future.
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Anyways, I think this idea is a very good one. Slashdot is doing a very similar redesign contest, except they will keep the winning as their new design. They want to keep lots of aspects of their current design though so it's very limiting, this one is a lot more tempting to enter.
Uhh ... How is it possible that this post was made on 30 Apr 2006 at 22:59? I'm in Toronto, Canada and I know that across the pond you're a few hours ahead ... but 3 days?
"I appreciate that you're looking for feedback, but re-designing something as iconic as your homepage requires a bit more effort than ticking boxes on a questionnaire.
A compelling re-design requires a significant amount of effort - a lot of work for a 'Mayfly' page."
Did you even read this post?
I think this is a great thing to do, but involving the community was always going to attract critics.
Actually, I don't think it's negativity at all.
I think it's deeply patronising of the BBC to do this sort of jolly hockeysticks come and sort out our front page.
Make us some good programmes. Give us some good websites. Don't fritter away my licence fee. That's fine thanks...and if you want to redesign your front page...just get on with it.
>> Uhh ... How is it possible that this post was made on 30 Apr 2006 at 22:59? I'm in Toronto, Canada and I know that across the pond you're a few hours ahead ... but 3 days?
Ben posted himself into the future so that the post would stay on the front page and at the top of the blog, so that idiots like me wouldn't keep over-writing it
Ben,
Cheers for the reply, but I guess I didn't make my point very well.
I've no problem spending a few days working-up a design.
What I thought I'd said was that it would be a shame to waste any useful ideas.
i.e. don't spend money reverse engineering something, tweaking it and re-building it in-house - if you see something you like or think may be useful then go and buy it.
>> Uhh ... How is it possible that this post was made on 30 Apr 2006 at 22:59? I'm in Toronto, Canada and I know that across the pond you're a few hours ahead ... but 3 days?
Time machine.
Just goes to show that the blog format of newest-always-on-top isn't always the right one...
You can argue it any which way you like, but spec work is spec work, whether its for a day or forever.
If you are thinking of being in this please read the following:
http://www.beadesigngroup.com/blog/archives/000315.html
Eddie, your blog makes a good point. But.... If you're a professional designer and contributing ideas upsets you, don't do it.
I don't know what will come out of this, but the BBC is absolutely right to consult the creative end of the web community about what the homepage should offer.
As a licence fee payer, I'd be unhappy to think that a $million fee had simply been handed over to some consultancy to spruce up the homepage.
To be honest I think this needs to be about a much bigger picture that a new homepage layout. It just as much needs to be about the way the page works, and what it offers from the vast array of BBC content that's available.
The current homepage only offers a fraction of what's available. But how do you get around that particular problem?
Dear BBC, I am writing to object to the 'Young Film-maker of the Year' competition run on your so-called 'Screen Test' program.
I would rather expect, that with the sum of money I expend on my licence fee, that you would be able to make your own programs without exploiting amateurs to do your work for you.
Community websites always ask their community for ideas for improvement.
This has been the way of the web for years. Long before Tim O'Reilly called the new web mindset 'Web 2.0'.
All the BBC is doing is recognising that it MUST become a participatory community website to stay relevant in the 'new media'.
I have felt frustrated for quite a while by the traditional 'auntie knows best' approach that the BBC has adopted in the past.
It pays out millions on new TV shows and rebranding when many of the more creative consumers and license payers would be willing to contribute for nothing more than having their name mentioned.
Such savings could then be reinvested into higher quality shows and content.
With a contributory mindset 'everyone' benefits.
The BBC is meant to be the 'peoples' broadcaster.
I am happy that the BBC has decided it is now time to involve the 'people' in more of its content provision.
Matt
Thanks for that. You've summed up the brief better than I've managed in several rewrites in blog posts and the about bit.
"I think this needs to be about a much bigger picture that a new homepage layout. It just as much needs to be about the way the page works, and what it offers from the vast array of BBC content that's available.
The current homepage only offers a fraction of what's available. But how do you get around that particular problem?"
absolutely.
I'd like to see them do Web 1.0 correctly before they rush off and try interactivity.
For instance, Why:
o Are the email address and URL boxes at the bottom of this comments page 20 characters wide, when a significant number of addresses and urls are going to be greater then 20 characters. This makes error checking difficult.
o Is my full screened browser showing (across the page) 1 hand span of blank spave, then 1 hand span of text in columns, then 2 hand spans of blank space. This forces me to scroll the page to read it. It should use all of the page width. Eyetracking flyback is a myth, novels dont use it.
o Why is the font on this page in grey.
o Why doesnt the text box in this comments section reflect the width of the column the text will actually be displayed in?
So, lets get web 1.0 right first, or the BBC will make a glorious "boo.com" mistake and lose its viewers faster than El Dorado ever did.
Ben,
Considering the substantial amount of content BBC contains, and considering any design ought to be made with its audience at least partially in mind, could you provide some information about the BBC audience?
Here's some places to start:
• Section Popularity (UK readers / International readers is one of the ways you could split this information)
• Demographics of your readers (as many categories and comparisons as may be relevant)
And any more information you have that could spark creativity or guide decisions would be appreciated :). Hope I'm not being presumptuous!
-Joe