Pushing content - keeping it simple
I've had less than a day to get this together. I've only just been told about this competition. However, I've been thinking about the BBC homepage for a long time. First I've took the time to ask people young, teenage, and old what they look for. I was surprised as to what people considered important and not important. News was low down on the scale. I have to say I think the BBC is obsessed with news. That's another story. But people what to be able to have an easy to use guide - everyone hated the EPG I showed them. They loved the idea of previewing programmes, not TV but radio and digital TV content as well. Then I though the web is another outlet like the others and should be treated in the same way. So I've sketched out a universal programme/content guide that should be simple to use and clearly show when people can access content and where.
Everyone said that the current side is far too overcrowded. That it's like all the other websites around. So I cut down. I think it should go further. I wanted to re-visit the nature of hypertext. That complexity should be reduced without creating a flattened architecture that's spread across the page. Everyone's used to the concept of the search so use it. Put in keywords to find what's on and search buy types of programmes, not just results found on the bbc website - search for real content.
The navigation is simple with key foundation links that can then branch into the required complexities the further people travel into the site.
I've also put in concepts for personalisation and localisation - most people wanted that and the young/under 35s wanted mobile content although some of the oldies like the reminders sent to the mobile phone. me included!
Programme promotion is not visible, for a good reason. The system should naturally promote programmes to those who are interested in them.
The visual design is a bit rough for my liking, but it does have the essence it's the best I can do in a few hours. The design should be something that can make the content stand out. So it should be subtle and easy to adapt to DTV, and convert for disability access. It also needs to have space and let the BBC brand stand out. Like me people have an enormous respect for the people that make the BBC and are very proud of it. It doesn’t need to be like an ITV website. And it certainly not Amazon.com - thankfully.
SO my summary - simple, remembering that the actual content is the star including BBCi (TV and Web) so don't bury it in a page where the user has no clue where to start.
One last note, People told me that they get confused and they can never find the TV guide. Whoever wins should put a TV Guide link on the home page ;-)
You all may say - come on! There's so much there - yes there is but despite having millions of links and boxes and a search (which I find needs a good rethink).
Still I hope this serves as some form of
Thanks
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Netrix
- 25 May 2006 12:58
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I am working on version two which is a render of the rough. Will be submitted in the next two hours. I hope it gets online before the cut-off!
BBC.co.uk 2.0 content programming by the people
This is the visual based on my rough in my earlier entry. This has concentrated on working on the concept of allowing the user to plan their content consumption when and where they want it. The core is the ‘My Guide’ where they can see what’s on now and what’s to come on the various media platforms not just TV.
The site would treat all content the same: interactive can be previewed and scheduled as with TV and Radio. Mobile content delivery is also mentioned and using the mobile as a handy messaging and reminder tool.
It would be great to be able to download the content to the mobile phone and then play it back over a blue tooth connection on a TV. I’m also interested in a Pandora.com style of ‘channel’ building, but that would have to be only for people who live in the UK and have a TV license account.
The search facility would allow the user to find content based on the keywords rather like a cross between Google Video and Pandora except it should also show relationships between different types of content and the different types of content delivery in an easy to use format.
I’m concerned about usability and access for the visually impaired and hard of hearing. So I would like to see more intelligent deployment of subtitles in previews and vidcast content.
I’ve not used the term podcast or vidcast as they may be flash in the pan terms. Rather I’ve kept to the old fashioned ‘watch’ ‘listen’ and ‘download’. These are terms I’ve also used to categories content: Watch, Listen, Interactive.
I’ve stripped down the enormous navigation into levels and the top level are umbrella terms for any conceivable piece of content.