The Guardian
Overview
The Guardian, a distinguished daily newspaper in Lagos, Nigeria, sought to elevate its digital presence by revamping its website and online TV service. Acknowledged as "Nigeria's most respected newspaper," the objective was to redefine the user experience through the incorporation of cutting-edge trends and technologies. This initiative aimed not only to optimize user engagement but also to bolster The Guardian's online footprint.
My contribution
Strategy User research Product design
The team
Year
2016
Approach
Understanding the Challenge: The initial challenge was to address the website's outdated infrastructure, especially in the mobile-first era. Despite being a popular news site since its launch in 2012, The Guardian's digital platform lacked a content database and metadata. The existing layout, hardcoded tables, and inline styles hindered adaptability, demanding a redesign. Additionally, the need to accommodate newer advertising formats added complexity to the project.
Responsive Interface Development: Collaborating closely with product managers and design leads, we adopted a hypothesis-driven approach to create interactive prototypes. These prototypes were rigorously tested and iterated based on research conducted in Guardian's primary markets in Lagos and Abuja. The focus was on developing adaptable homepage layouts, article pages with innovative storytelling components, and dynamic image and video galleries.
Visual Design Direction:As the lead designer, I spearheaded the development of the initial visual design direction, including web typography and grids. Emphasizing a mobile-first approach, we crafted a fully componentized, responsive version of The Guardian's News website. The aim was to enhance user engagement across diverse devices and provide a seamless browsing experience.
Iterative Refinement and Expansion: Post the initial launch, our collaboration extended beyond the website redesign. I continued working with delivery teams on new products and concepts, focusing on interaction design, prototyping, and product design for live event pages. This novel format integrated real-time content from Guardian News TV and online coverage into a unified, engaging experience.
Outcome
The redesign launched on time, which was unusual for big web design projects at the time. We saw a 50% increase in page views within a few weeks, and it was soon widely imitated across the industry. The redesign won the Best Print Website by The Nigerian Internet Registration.NG media award in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
