Aljazeera America App - Update | portfolio (Current)

Al Jazeera America Mobile App

Redesigning the popular news application to keep loyal readership.

Summary

Al Jazeera America News, journalism giving "voice to the voiceless" was looking to refresh their mobile application to increase their readership and adopt new users. This included re-imagining the visual landscape of their interface and restructuring the content to match their goals.

Goals

Increase readership throughout the day
Adopt more millennial users
Maintain their current loyal audience
Create a more effective brand presence

Key skills UX design / prototypes / wireframes / visual design

Launch - October 2015 (1st release), January 2016 (2nd release)

Headline Page

Before

After

Before

I initiated the project looking at the previous version of the application, dissecting and reprioritizing features.

The previous app was a card-based paginated system with UI elements placed in various areas of the interface.

After

Easy controls

The new version focused controls to the top header bar giving the user easy intuitive access, while also giving presence to branding.

Engaging younger audiences

The card-based system was changed to a continuous scrolling strategy to complement the millennial need to “graze” their news.

Compelling readers

High-quality photojournalistic images and bold legible titles accompanied by entry lines to the story pull readers in.

Tracking articles

Prominent articles were indicated as an editor’s pick and subtle read/unread markers gave a sense of place in the app.

Launch Page

Simplified Menu

Photography scaled down for headline emphasis

Collapse feature offers quicker method to sift through articles

Article Types

Articles were broken up into module types, with initial lines of the story to lead the user in. Topic tags from the previous app were kept to highlight the articles.

Process

I created a new framework for the application, providing wireframes and prototypes to explain the work. I worked in close collaboration with the client, creative director, and lead developer to design, prototype, discuss and implement features.

Interactions & Prototypes

I created a series of iterative prototypes to explore ideas testing both animations and visual components.

Prototypes

This prototype was an exploration of the addition of the audio button. Once the audio button was activated, the article would be read from the beginning.

Early Sketches

The project was originally a visual refresh, that upon looking at closer elements became a refresh in UX and UI design.

Visual Explorations

I presented the work to the client weekly, making recommendations to push the work forward, and making visual adjustments as needed throughout the project life cycle.