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It is obvious that the BBC’s news website has been designed with a very intentional attention to detail and a focus on making the experience for each visitor as easy and meaningful as possible.  The techniques that the BBC uses in its design allows for readers to create their own experience quickly by differentiating between categories and importance through visual signals incorporated into each page and section.

The prime real estate on the page, the top left corner, is taken up by a colorful photograph on every page of the BBC, catching the reader’s eye.

There is also a navigation box, allowing the reader to instantly choose the area he or she wishes, by area or by category.

The top BBC banner is red, a bold contrast to the relatively simple colors of the rest of the page.

Pictures are scattered throughout, but are small and simple, so as not to create an overwhelming experience for the viewer.

The BBC maintains consistency throughout the website, always using similar fonts and colors.  Main headlines are blue, categories are red, and the main story text is black.  The allows the readers to immediately know what to look for, allowing them to selectively read only the headlines they wish, and to be directed quickly to only the categories they wish to explore further.

Something else that the BBC does well is white space.  The page is not overcrowded and only the necessary information is displayed on the main category pages.  The text that is displayed is organized in a very simple and recognizable basic four-column layout.

The BBC website is successful in allowing each visitor to easily navigate the website and access the content he or she is looking for.  The layout is simple and predictable, and the design is attractive without being excessive.

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