BBCv2006
The aim of our design is to maximise screen usage but still retain clarity.
We've focused on creating a fluid and dynamic user interface.
Content will fit on both 800x600 or 1024x768 screens. Try it -- resize your browser window and hit reload!
The end user should be able to customise the content on the BBC homepage to suite their preferences. For example you can re-order the news feeds to show the news you are most interested in first. You can customise which widgets are displayed. You can choose to hide the promotion to maximise space available for news feeds.
Audiovisual content should be available both from the iMP widget and also via direct links to relevant media from headline stories. Live radio can be played directly from the Radio player widget.
Functionality included from external sources should enhance the BBC website not detract from its goal. For example Google maps let the user view an interactive map of an area in which a news story is taking place, while external RSS feeds allow the reader to compare news stories from various sources all from one page.
The sign-in function would allow a user to save their preferences to the server. A cookie might be set to remember their login if desired. Settings to be saved would include:
- show or hide promotion?
- which widgets to be displayed, and in what order?
- which news tab should be the default
- any customisations they have made to news contents
- store setting for national/international content preference
- store settings for 'where i live', possibly other widgets/functions.
A few features which we didn't have time to demonstrate include:
- Configure various sub-domains of bcc.co.uk such as entertainment.bbc.co.uk, sport.bbc.co.uk, tv.bbc.co.uk etc which would all display the same page but have entertainment, sport, tv information displayed prominently in place of the top news story in our design.
- AJAX-ified search, where results are displayed as the user types his query. This would help open up access to the wealth of information contained in the BBC website.
- A published API which would allow users to create their own, customised widgets for their BBC homepage.
- A blog search which would allow a user to add RSS feeds of their favourite blogs to their home page from an easy to use interface. If the blog they wish to add isn't listed in the search engine, have an option to add directly from a URL.
If we had more time and a budget we would take this design further by
- Stripping out unused javascript libraries/code to increase performance
- Ensure the design can function with non-javascript enabled browsers
- Do more work to ensure the design looks and feels the same in all browsers
- Ensure the site is accessibile by screenreaders etc
- 25 May 2006 15:34
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