SpaceNews
SpaceNews, the largest source for news about the space industry, needed a modernized website that was responsive and drove users to new content. Working with WDG, I led information architecture, the user experience, and produced interactive wireframes in collaboration with the SpaceNews team.
How might we frame the SpaceNews website to meet various audiences’ expectations and encourage the exploration of new topics?
the process:
Our project with SpaceNews began with conversations about the website’s new priorities and categorizing audiences. To create a responsive experience that facilitates both exploration and easily finding desired content, we developed a comprehensive tagging system. Using WordPress archive pages, we ensured that each topic received its own home.
Encouraged by SpaceNews’ desire to disrupt the industry status quo, we worked with their team to create a lightweight, easily navigated experience. Using mobile-first responsive design methods, we created a system that maintained a consistent experience between mobile and desktop formats.
challenges:
How can we get SpaceNews on board with a new format and structure?
SpaceNews has a particular niche within the space industry audience and worried that disrupting their users’ expectations would be detrimental to their business. I led the team through a series of UX workshops, introducing them to the purpose, importance, and need for usability. By shifting the frame from meeting internal needs to utilizing best practices for the web, and teaching the team the importance of UX practices, we reached an amicable compromise.
Visual design produced by WDG.
outcomes:
Working with the SpaceNews team, we created a responsive digital experience that calls out essential updates and encourages users to explore new ideas. The interactive wireframes we produced helped contextualize our recommendations and provided the opportunities to test our ideas for themselves. Through our collaboration and user-research activities, we developed vocabulary and capability to address their UX challenges. The contributions of the SpaceNews team helped shape the entirety of the new experience.
the homepage
Visitors arrive at the SpaceNews homepage and are met by the most important piece of news that day, followed by callouts to important sections of content. The tags on each posted article and the sidebar ‘most read' feature are both designed to encourage exploration of new content.
article template
We designed the article template to remain as consistent as possible between devices. Using the progressive arrows in the headline callout at the top of the page or the sidebar, users can navigate easily between the top stories.