The Guardian, a leading British media outlet, has completely revamped its website and mobile app. The revamp moves away from the responsive web-based structure it has maintained for the past decade, and combines a mobile-centric UX with a visual design inspired by print newspapers.
The change, which took more than a year to design, develop and test, was described by Guardian Media Group creative director Alex Broyer as “a turning point in digital design.” He said the change was not simply a redesign, but focused on dividing each section into sections, like a paper newspaper, to allow readers to explore the content they want.
At the heart of the redesign is the growth of mobile users. 75% of Guardian digital visitors now come from mobile, and app users are viewing 15 times more pages on average than web users. The app has been completely redesigned to make navigation more intuitive, and the homepage has a more streamlined and flexible layout.
The new app introduces a ‘My Guardian’ feature that lets you follow topics or journalists that interest you, a dedicated audio player for podcasts, and a visually revamped puzzle section. The way images and videos are handled has also been improved, moving away from fixed horizontal images and allowing you to omit images or insert vertical videos when necessary.
The Guardian aims to maintain and strengthen its direct relationship with readers through this redesign in an AI-driven news consumption environment. “Design is not a set answer, and we will continue to improve based on reader feedback,” Broyer said.
The new Guardian app is now available for download on iOS and Android.
