Reboot: the runners- up
This was tough. And before i start ...another, probably unfair generalisation about the quality and range of entries. We found ourselves liking individual elements and components of pages rather than the entire package. So if the comments below seem a bit picky or that we've picked runners up on the strength of one idea rather than the execution of the homepage then that's, er, because we have.
So the runners up in no particular order are:
1.Cintrao - BBC Homepage
Things we liked: The integration of widgets, the contextual help (step by step guide to ...), the control of the user over the layout and the boxes.
2.Paul - BBC Active
Things we liked Paul did something that several users did (but we didn't insist on) which was to articulate his vision and thoughts on the competition in extensive detail back on his site. This was a particularly rich example of that. What impressed us also was the smart usage (tucked away in the top rh corner) of a minimised media/radio player and his thoughts (that Martin Belam also cited in one of his reviews) on how to customise that "Radio 1 in the morning, Five live in the afternoon".
Read his notes and you'll also find some musings on Charles Clarke's head.
3.James Willock - BBC Cool Blues
James Willock
Things we liked:
This was an example where the commenters were aligned with the judges..
Tim Dennell said:
" I really like:
Use of lenses to reveal more info.
Use of vector graphics for weather symbols.
To make the customisation button more obvious I’d prefer it to ‘flash’ gently or even flash and say ‘click me’.
Overall a nice personalisation page."
I never say the word nice, though, if I can help it.
4.BBC:refresh - Frankie Roberto
Things we liked:
Here again we've been a bit paradoxical in the sense that we've shortlisted this site although overall there were other designs that we valued more. What swung it was incredible documentation. Frankie really does show us "his working out".
5.BBC 2.0 - Netrix
Things we liked:
Netrix rethought the page almost entirely around the concept of playing out video and audio and sees the homepage entirely as an a/v content guide/EPG.
6.Calvin - BBC Web 2.0ed out
Things we liked:
We envisaged more entries like Calvins. This does border on a web2.0 parody (well we did mention Web2.0 in the brief again and again). Ajax: tick, Tag clouds: tick, RSS: tick yep they're all there. Even the mocked up promo was about Web2.0, that said it handles the representation of personal data across the internet (and the BBC) really well.Yet again there is an Incredible level of documentation, varied mock ups/user journeys and some novel ideas (tag link bubble anyone ?).
7..Croops - BBC Reinvented
Things we liked: This looked real. I wanted to use this.
8. I don't want a portal, I want an information workspace - ukavu -
Things we liked: The title. Although you had me at "I don't want a portal". The only person to include personalised Major League Baseball scores.
9. Jim Schumacher, Sean Schumacher - future is delicious
Things we liked: I liked the nod to the fonts of the Apple homepage (can you spot ?). This is another extensive rethink of entry points for the BBC in far more depth than we envisaged receiving. Worth noting just for the "at a glance" dashboard.
10. Triple John - BBC feeds
Things we liked: It was the 2 fascinating "social media" ideas here that swung it. The promos for Project: Planet Earth ("six billion volunteers required"). Eat that myspace! And the idea of a collaborative wiki based EastEnders script also stood out. This pushed things a bit. This felt like it might happen.
We will (from tomorrow morning) be in touch with all of the above to arrange your prizes and addresses.
So what about the winner. They're picked and waiting but ... I'm afraid we'll be leaving that til...tomorrow.
- 05 Jul 2006 13:20
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