Redesigning the Story Curation Experience
Industry
Design, Media
Client
The Washington Post
Service
Product Design
Date
January 2019
The Washington Post enhanced its story curation platform to simplify workflows, improve usability, and meet the needs of journalists and editors. The redesign delivered an intuitive interface that streamlines story creation and publication, empowering teams to craft impactful digital content with ease.
Overview
The Washington Post’s story curation platform is a vital tool for journalists and editors, enabling them to create, manage, and publish content efficiently. However, the previous interface posed challenges with usability and workflow inefficiencies, limiting its effectiveness. To address these issues, a complete redesign was undertaken to streamline the process, improve navigation, and create an intuitive user experience tailored to the needs of the editorial team.
The Challenge
Journalists and editors faced difficulties in organizing and curating stories due to fragmented workflows and a lack of clarity in the platform’s interface. The goal was to design a solution that simplified the curation process, provided clear guidance, and aligned with the dynamic nature of digital content creation.
The Process
The redesign process involved several key stages:
Research and Analysis: User interviews and journey mapping were conducted to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.
Workflow Simplification: Detailed diagrams were created to map out the end-to-end curation journey, revealing inefficiencies and redundant steps.
Wireframes and Prototyping: Low-fidelity wireframes explored different approaches to streamline workflows, followed by high-fidelity prototypes to validate solutions with stakeholders and end users.
Iterative Testing: Feedback from testing informed refinements, ensuring the platform met both functional and aesthetic requirements.
The Solution
The redesigned platform introduced an intuitive interface that prioritized user workflows. Key features included an updated navigation system, improved task prioritization, and enhanced visibility of editorial tools. These updates empowered journalists and editors to focus on storytelling without unnecessary distractions.
Impact
The new curation platform significantly increased efficiency, reduced errors, and improved user satisfaction among The Washington Post’s editorial team. This redesign enabled seamless story creation and publication, allowing the organization to continue delivering impactful digital content at scale.
