42244 3 3 econsultancy_xml <p>When the <a href="/blog/1178-the-guardian-redesigns-its-home-page">new look Guardian homepage</a> was launched in May last year, we noticed a passing resemblance to the Times' site, which spent a rumoured £10m on an earlier revamp. </p> <p>Both sites adopted a layout that pushed the main content into the far left column (<em>influenced, we think, by the simplicity of blog design, and usability studies / heatmaps</em>), and introduced two right 'sidebars' for ads and promotional units.</p> <p>Now we have the new look <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/">Independent</a> and it too seems to be using a similar design, by which we mean the underlying grid / layout and some common elements that are found across many of the world's top newspaper sites.</p> <p>Is this a sign that a <strong>standardisation</strong> in newspaper website design is emerging? It would be no bad thing if this were the case.</p> <p>Let's take a look at the similarities. All three now have a tab-style navigation in the header bar, and a similar layout on the front page, content on the left, ads and links on the right, spread across a pair of columns.</p> <p>All three also display the most popular / most commented on stories, to ease navigation and drive usage: </p> <p> <em>Independent:</em> </p> <p> <img alt="Independent" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2208/2226537902_a5f9f6ae59_m.jpg" /> </p> <p> <em>Guardian:</em> </p> <p> <img alt="Guardian" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2381/2226538566_d3a3ebfb24_m.jpg" /> </p> <p> <em>TimesOnline:</em> </p> <p> <img alt="TimesOnline" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2300/2226594838_70fdab884c_m.jpg" /> </p> <p>Below the fold, the three are also broadly similar, though the Independent - despite increasing the focus on multimedia content - gives less prominence to video content and blogs than we see on Times Online and the Guardian. </p> <p>The typography on the Indy is excellent. Again, the combination of big serif fonts for headlines and sans serif for body text reflects recent online trends. </p> <p>In fact, a move towards standardisation in newspaper websites is good for readers, and it's certainly something we recommend on e-commerce sites. Don't reinvent the wheel unless you seriously need to.</p> <p>Think about it. <em>Why must consumers 'learn' how to shop every time they visit a new retail site? And is there a competitive advantage to be had from changing the checkout, just for the hell of it, or 'to be different from Amazon'? </em>Users become accustomed to prevailing design standards, and therefore find it easier to use and navigate websites that follow best practice design conventions. </p> <p>Good job, Team Indy.</p> <p> <strong>Related stories:</strong> <br /> <a href="/blog/799-the-times-unveils-10m-website-redesign">The Times unveils £10m website redesign</a> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph>When the <Link URL="/blog/1178-the-guardian-redesigns-its-home-page" Window="Self">new look Guardian homepage</Link> was launched in May last year, we noticed a passing resemblance to the Times' site, which spent a rumoured £10m on an earlier revamp. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Both sites adopted a layout that pushed the main content into the far left column (<Quote>influenced, we think, by the simplicity of blog design, and usability studies / heatmaps</Quote>), and introduced two right 'sidebars' for ads and promotional units.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>Now we have the new look <Link URL="http://www.independent.co.uk/" Window="Self">Independent</Link> and it too seems to be using a similar design, by which we mean the underlying grid / layout and some common elements that are found across many of the world's top newspaper sites.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>Is this a sign that a <Emphasis>standardisation</Emphasis> in newspaper website design is emerging? It would be no bad thing if this were the case.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>Let's take a look at the similarities. All three now have a tab-style navigation in the header bar, and a similar layout on the front page, content on the left, ads and links on the right, spread across a pair of columns.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>All three also display the most popular / most commented on stories, to ease navigation and drive usage: </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Quote>Independent:</Quote> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Independent" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2208/2226537902_a5f9f6ae59_m.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Quote>Guardian:</Quote> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Guardian" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2381/2226538566_d3a3ebfb24_m.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Quote>TimesOnline:</Quote> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="TimesOnline" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2300/2226594838_70fdab884c_m.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Below the fold, the three are also broadly similar, though the Independent - despite increasing the focus on multimedia content - gives less prominence to video content and blogs than we see on Times Online and the Guardian. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>The typography on the Indy is excellent. Again, the combination of big serif fonts for headlines and sans serif for body text reflects recent online trends. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>In fact, a move towards standardisation in newspaper websites is good for readers, and it's certainly something we recommend on e-commerce sites. Don't reinvent the wheel unless you seriously need to.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>Think about it. <Quote>Why must consumers 'learn' how to shop every time they visit a new retail site? And is there a competitive advantage to be had from changing the checkout, just for the hell of it, or 'to be different from Amazon'? </Quote>Users become accustomed to prevailing design standards, and therefore find it easier to use and navigate websites that follow best practice design conventions. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Good job, Team Indy.</Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Related stories:</Emphasis> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/799-the-times-unveils-10m-website-redesign" Window="Self">The Times unveils £10m website redesign</Link> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> 2008-01-28T11:26:00+00:00 2 1 econsultancy_xml <p> <strong>The Independent has completed a long overdue revamp of its website, placing more of an emphasis on multimedia content.</strong> </p> <p> <img alt="Independent homepage" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2245/2225143789_c8768e2d7c_o.jpg" /> </p> <p> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>The Independent has completed a long overdue revamp of its website, placing more of an emphasis on multimedia content.</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Independent homepage" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2245/2225143789_c8768e2d7c_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> false 2116 <p>Refer also to Econsultancy's <strong><a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/user-experience-buyers-guide">User Experience Buyer's Guide</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/effective-web-design-best-practice-guide">Effective Web Design Guide</a></strong> for more information about best practice in these areas.</p> <p>Refer also to Econsultancy's <strong><a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/user-experience-buyers-guide">User Experience Buyer's Guide</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/effective-web-design-best-practice-guide">Effective Web Design Guide</a></strong> for more information about best practice in these areas.</p> 364944 Why is the Indie's new website strangely familiar? false 2008-01-29T13:11:00+00:00 why-is-the-indie-s-new-website-strangely-familiar 2009-04-29T16:31:26+01:00 2009-10-13T09:29:39+01:00 516