Designing a New Mobile Experience for the Guardian

The Guardian is one of the best British newspapers, and they have a strong online presence. They're also turning a profit, without a paywall, which is a rarity in the newspaper business. Clearly they're doing something right.

This article describes the process that The Guardian went through in updating its mobile website. While much of the article is specific to the newspaper business in the UK, there's quite a bit that would apply to any technical communication group planning on developing or redesigning their mobile presence.

The recommendations from the article are particularly relevant to technical communication:

• Make sure the website looks and feels like a digital product and not a print newspaper;
• Innovate not only by investing in technology and new products, but also by providing training and continuous support to journalists;
• Rethink the newsroom structure: hire as many developers, data scientists and designers as possible;
• Do not be afraid to experiment: Build, Measure, Learn (Ries, 2011);
• Be humble and open: the world has changed, business has changed — you should change, too;
• Always involve the end-user in product decisions. Talk and, more importantly, listen to customers on a regular basis.