BNN Bloomberg New App

The Challenge
The BNN Bloomberg mobile app, despite brand recognition, suffered from declining engagement due to outdated design and a lack of personalization.

This presented a complex challenge: overcoming technical debt, negative user reviews, and internal skepticism, to revitalize the app and solidify BNN Bloomberg's digital presence.

Approach

I took the lead on user research and UX design, collaborating closely with a UI designer throughout the project. We prioritized a user-centered approach, ensuring that data-driven insights informed every stage of the redesign.

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This involved conducting usability tests, analyzing leading finance and news apps to identify UX best practices, and gathering qualitative feedback from users to gain deeper insights into their needs and expectations.

Research

Competitor Analysis

I conducted a thorough analysis of leading finance and news apps, focusing on areas such as personalized content feeds, stock information pages, and overall user experience.

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Competitor Analysis Key Insights
  • Personalization: Identified best practices for delivering tailored content and recommendations based on user interests.
  • Stock Information: Analyzed how competitors presented stock data, news, and related information to users.
  • Navigation & User Flow: Evaluated different navigation patterns and user flows to inform our design decisions.

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Benchmarking & Usability Testing

Before launching our new app, I conducted extensive usability testing with users performing representative tasks on both the existing app and our new design.

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I recorded key metrics such as time-on-task, System Usability Scale (SUS) scores, and identified any pain points or areas of confusion.

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Benchmarking Usability Test on Usertesting.com

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Benchmarking Key Insights
  • Search Discoverability: Users had difficulty searching for a stock, hindering their ability to quickly find relevant stock information.
  • Section Navigation: Users took long to find specific sections of interest, leading to frustration and decreased engagement.

Design Refinements

Based on the feedback received from the benchmarking and competitor analysis, we made further iterations to the design:

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Stock List Widget

We developed a dedicated stock list widget, providing instant access to real-time market data, charts, news, and personalized watchlists.

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Sections Tab in Tab Bar

Introduced a 'Sections' tab in the main navigation for direct access to all content categories.


A Simpler, Unified Experience

Dark Mode

In response to app reviews and the increasing popularity of dark themes, we have implemented a Dark Mode option. This feature provides a visually appealing alternative to the traditional light theme, catering to user preferences and offering a more personalized experience.

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Home Tab

To provide a clear and focused news experience, we redesigned the Home tab to primarily feature editorially curated top content and breaking news.

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For You Tab

We retained and refined the existing "Customize" functionality, transforming it into the prominent "For You" tab. Users can now easily add their favorite sections and stocks to create a personalized experience.

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Specific Stock Page

We enhanced the specific stock page and information pages based on competitive analysis and user feedback. This included aligning stock information with industry standards, making it easier for users to track their investments and stay up-to-date on market news.

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Reflections

The redesigned BNN Bloomberg app successfully met the News Evolution Project's goals. Our user-centric approach, coupled with data insights and competitive analysis, delivered a superior user experience, establishing the app as a leader in Canadian business news.

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The positive outcomes, including increased user engagement and satisfaction, pave the way for revenue growth and a stronger competitive advantage.