NOS Context
The project
NOS Context is all about you and the world that revolves around you. With a focus on youngsters that are on the move all day, the content is specified to the user’s context: his habits, his location and his favourite topics.
NOS noticed there’s an increasing line of cablecutters, specifically youngsters. People who cancel their TV subscription and therefor are less able to consume the information NOS offers. To bond more with this specific target audience, NOS has asked to create a platform that listens to their needs and wishes, transforming their product from a linear TV show to a mobile multiplatform.
Client:
Nationale Omroep Stichting (NOS)
Role:
Interaction Design, front-end development
The challenge
Since there already was a mobile app available, there initially was some difficulty in developing a concept. Based on a multitude of interviews, however, we discovered users spend time very often, but only for a short period of time on their smartphones. Take in account a lot of users responded with having trouble finding topics that matter, an opportunity was found.
A first design
Via cultural probes and extensive user interviews we discovered users spend a short time using news apps and often during regular time moments, such as breakfast, bathroom breaks, lunch and during public transport. Most relevant content were weather foresight, favourite sport club news and local or specific topic news. So with those fragments we’ve build the first stones of the final NOS Context app, focussing on each users context.
Design for context done wrong
The first design focussed on the moment of use: morning, afternoon and evening, with content that is primarily used at those moments. Although multiple specific interfaces seemed a great idea, testing later on revealed having multiple interfaces were hard to use. Afterwards, we optimized lay-out and interaction to have one single interface that was flexible for each user and every moment.
Content for every moment
The new and final design covered all previous elements in one single interface with the most important details available in a single view. Things that matter, quick info widgets and regular news with smart interactions. Everything is based on the vision “fitting to your life and rhythym”.
Things that matter
The lay-out is designed in order of relevance. Highlights of the day at the top, showing things you should read. General topics follow.
Minimum time approach
With the ‘swipe-to-summarize’ functionality, articles can be swiped aside to show a summary of the article. In a hurry? This is all you need.
Meaningfull widgets
Should I take the train? Do I need an umbrella? Can I brag to Kevin about winning the game? Before heading out, update yourself quickly.
We did it.
Although this project was a fictional case (personally requested by NOS themselves), a few of these elements have made it into the live app half a year later. Seems validating this design, doesn’t it?
