But, when I think the purpose behind 44, I find it useful to consider the target audience. It is from this point, that everything else about the site (design, functionality, features, etc.) flows. After watching the site for a few days, it seems to me that the project was produced with fellow journalists and political junkies in mind (if there's really a difference).
But, seriously, who else would have the time or interest to read so much about the President, his cabinet, and family everyday?
Nevertheless, assuming this is correct, Politico 44 does a great job of making information easy to digest and accessible. It shows you, with its design elements, what's important. Also, the schedule feed on the right rail provides visitors with small details that could be useful for journalists. It also combines text, videos, and photo galleries.
To do all of this, though, necessitates a variety of requirements. Here are some that I see:
- Insider Information--There is certain information (like the President's schedule) on the site that no one else seems to have (or cares to publish).
- Early Risers--the writers and reporters for Politico 44 have got to be ahead of the curve in gathering information.
- Strict Constraints--one major idea behind the site is to offer quick, meaningful information. So, the fields for text, pics, and videos are pretty small. They pack a lot of information onto one page.
- Great writers--They have to have great writers who can deliver complex information in simple ways, using as few words as possible. I get the sense that their writers are tech savvy enough to load their own content as well, which would streamline the process from writing to publishing.
- Simple Technology--the back-end system for the site must be as intuitive as the final product. A complicated system would slow down publication.
No comments:
Post a Comment