BBC Flexible Media
I‘m currently working in BBC Research & Development one day a week on a Flexible Media project, designing UX and UI for TV, Web and App across Sounds, iPlayer and Sport.
What is Flexible Media?
Audiences should be able to access content not only when they want it, but how they want it. This means offering enhanced navigation, participation, richer information, better accessibility, and personalisation.
Company
BBC R&D
Role
UX Designer
Status
Discovery / Sandbox build
Chapters and Moments build the foundation of flexible media.
R&D have built tool that uses AI to determine chapters and key moments from a podcast, programme or show. This can then be reviewed and edited by editorial staff and presented in the products. As a first iteration, I’m working with engineers in the Sounds R&D space to create a sandbox for this technology on Android mobile.
I have leveraged native Android colour systems and components (buttons, tabs) so we can move at speed and test things quickly, while also staying true to the Sounds brand.
Participation brings the audience closer to the action.
Integrating polls, quizzes and other audience interactions into the viewing and listening experience.
Users already interact with our shows via text or social media, but allowing them to do so within our apps via notifications offers a more streamlined experience.
Richer information aides curiosity and second-screening.
Allowing users to learn more about the plot, cast and characters while watching a show. The Scene tab is dynamic, updating as the show progresses to show the most important information at the right time.
On mobile the user could either be watching on the iPlayer app, rotating their phone to portrait in order to activate extra info, or they could be watching on a larger device, and using their phone as a second screen so as not to obstruct playback.
Personalisation gives the user greater control.
Offering audiences new ways to curate unique content experiences based on their context, preferences and time available.
Here users can skip chapters altogether by swiping on the component if they don’t have any interest in the subject, or have less time to listen. This helps users get more value from their time with the BBC.
