Re-thinking the newspapers app from the ground up to ensure users kept coming back for fresh and exciting news content.
As part of the Independent Premium rebrand I led the redesign of the current Independent premium app. The objective was to make it a more compelling feature within the subscription product that was also able to convert users at a higher rate.
Using Adobe Analytics, we uncovered patterns in user behaviour that were likely limiting subscription conversions - most notably, we were offering too much content for free. To address this, I conducted a full review of the app’s user flows and identified several friction points that could be contributing to user drop-off.
One such example was the convoluted journey for restoring a previously purchased subscription - a process that proved to be highly confusing for users.
To further explore why users weren't converting, I created a detailed buyer’s journey map. This incorporated insights from the App Store, customer service feedback, and user interviews. The map helped us visualise pain points across the conversion funnel and guided our problem definition:
“To increase conversion rates, we need to improve the visibility of premium content within the app while clearly differentiating the app offering from the mobile website.”
This alignment of qualitative and quantitative feedback enabled a more targeted ideation phase.
One of the key improvements involved separating “Features” (i.e. premium content) from general news within the app. This distinction was designed to clearly differentiate free journalism from subscriber-only, in-depth analysis.
I also grouped together secondary benefits - such as exclusive newsletters or subscriber-only events - into a suite of “Extras”, helping present a more compelling value proposition.
To support this new content structure, I proposed a revised information architecture for the app. To ensure user expectations were met, I ran a card sorting exercise with readers to understand where they would intuitively expect to find different content types. The final IA was driven by this insight.
"In order to provide a higher conversion rate we would need to rethink the visibility of premium content within the app, whilst also differentiating the app product from the mobile website."
Once the new structure was defined, I created wireframes and built interactive prototypes in InVision. Through multiple rounds of usability testing, we validated that the updated app was easier to navigate and helped users more clearly understand the value of a subscription - one of our core objectives.
I collaborated closely with our UI designer to ensure the visual direction of the app was consistent with the Independent’s brand and digital product ecosystem. All UI components were built using nested symbols in our shared Sketch libraries, following ESI Digital Design System standards.
This approach not only ensured brand consistency but also allowed for a faster, more efficient design workflow. These libraries continue to support future app iterations.
To support UAT and reduce friction during development handoff, I documented user flows for all major app journeys. These diagrams also serve as ongoing references for the customer service and product teams, helping them identify areas for future improvement.
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Building a video game from the ground up for Brackeys' game jam 2024.
Overhauling how the whole editorial team runs their news desks day to day.
