reboot:bbc.co.uk 2006
INTRO
In my opinion the current BBC homepage is very busy and looks cluttered, the information on the page is not well organised – all these things make it hard to use.
So, my main aim for the redesign was to create a site that had a clean look, with well-organised information, that was simple to use and allowed the user to easily and quickly find what they needed.
DESIGN
The first part of the site I wanted to redesign was the old ‘toolbar’ at the top of the page. My design incorporates this element into the page more, allowing a better design flow. The new design also expands the current search facilities, allowing a single place to search not only all of the BBC but also the entire web.
The rest of the page is split into two clearly defined areas, one with a white background and one with a black background. The overall colour scheme has been kept simple, using mostly black, white and grey, other colours are used to highlight certain areas of the page.
CONTENT
The content is split into two main sections. The left hand side of the page covers current affairs, news, sport and TV and radio features. The right hand side of the page is interactive; users can login and customise their experience on the BBC website. I felt it was important to get some balance between these two areas, as not all people will want to create their own account, and may be happy just browsing the latest current affairs. With this is in mind, the ‘My BBC’ section is optional; it is not a required part of the user experience.
The content on the left hand side attempts to fit in as much as possible to a small area, including a large area at the top dedicated to breaking news or any story/event the BBC wishes to highlight. The browse section has been updated to include an A-Z, aimed at reducing the time it takes for user to find what they want.
The interactive content on the right hand side can be fully customised by the user. Items can be added or taken away from the homepage, and once there – items can be expanded/unexpanded whenever desired, using the arrows.
FINALLY
My redesign includes the majority of the information currently represented on the BBC homepage. My design proves that you do not need to sacrifice content to create a clean, usable look; this is achieved by using clearly defined areas.
My redesign allows the user to use the BBC homepage as a portal to the rest of the web. With full search capabilities, customisable email and RSS facilities and links to any area of the BBC website or to any external websites, all make my design the perfect starting place for anyone surfing the Internet.
If I had more time I would have developed this design using XHTML and CSS and would also have developed some flash content for the ‘breaking news’ section.
- 25 May 2006 12:58
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