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The readers' editor on … trying to forge a deeper relationship with web users The readers' editor on … trying to forge a deeper relationship with web users
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Serendipity has always struck me as a gloriously onomatopoeic word – sort of serendipity-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay. The New Oxford Dictionary says it means the "occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way".Serendipity has always struck me as a gloriously onomatopoeic word – sort of serendipity-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay. The New Oxford Dictionary says it means the "occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way".
In a newspaper it describes those moments when the reader's eye alights on a story or feature that unexpectedly captures his or her interests, discovered simply by the natural progression through a finite number of pages.In a newspaper it describes those moments when the reader's eye alights on a story or feature that unexpectedly captures his or her interests, discovered simply by the natural progression through a finite number of pages.
News organisations understand the importance of serendipity, which is why the Guardian has been giving a lot of thought as to how to engender that quality in the redesign of its website, due to roll out in the summer, but launched last week in a "beta" version that can be accessed via a button on the standard Guardian network front.News organisations understand the importance of serendipity, which is why the Guardian has been giving a lot of thought as to how to engender that quality in the redesign of its website, due to roll out in the summer, but launched last week in a "beta" version that can be accessed via a button on the standard Guardian network front.
I asked Wolfgang Blau, the Guardian's director of digital strategy, about the kind of differences the users would see in the redesign and how that quality of the "happy find" would be engendered.I asked Wolfgang Blau, the Guardian's director of digital strategy, about the kind of differences the users would see in the redesign and how that quality of the "happy find" would be engendered.
He said the changes will not just be a revamp but include a new information architecture, a new structure for presenting the breadth of the Guardian's journalism. For instance, mobile and desktop will be calibrated so that the screen is automatically responsive to whatever device it is on. The user will always have the same experience no matter what device he or she is using – on average 40% of the Guardian's users access the site using a mobile device.He said the changes will not just be a revamp but include a new information architecture, a new structure for presenting the breadth of the Guardian's journalism. For instance, mobile and desktop will be calibrated so that the screen is automatically responsive to whatever device it is on. The user will always have the same experience no matter what device he or she is using – on average 40% of the Guardian's users access the site using a mobile device.
The fundamental look of the Guardian homepage will change. The aim is that it will be easier for readers to recognise the visual hierarchy of the current news agenda and access the topics that are not focused on news.The fundamental look of the Guardian homepage will change. The aim is that it will be easier for readers to recognise the visual hierarchy of the current news agenda and access the topics that are not focused on news.
Organising the 500 articles published on the site each day simply in a vertical order with multiple columns doesn't work well, says Blau. He thinks that while it makes sense to organise a newsroom around areas of expertise, such as culture or science, readers don't structure their visit to the Guardian site around these criteria; they do so around their personal needs, such as wanting to be updated quickly about the news, understanding the deeper context of current events, finding inspiration and "engaging with the Guardian's many communities of interest".Organising the 500 articles published on the site each day simply in a vertical order with multiple columns doesn't work well, says Blau. He thinks that while it makes sense to organise a newsroom around areas of expertise, such as culture or science, readers don't structure their visit to the Guardian site around these criteria; they do so around their personal needs, such as wanting to be updated quickly about the news, understanding the deeper context of current events, finding inspiration and "engaging with the Guardian's many communities of interest".
He said: "A site's design and structure should rather cater to these typical user-journeys than mirror a newspaper's internal organisation."He said: "A site's design and structure should rather cater to these typical user-journeys than mirror a newspaper's internal organisation."
Blau likens the Guardian site now and in the future to the difference between a library and a bookshop.Blau likens the Guardian site now and in the future to the difference between a library and a bookshop.
"At present most newspaper websites behave a bit like librarians. If you come in to read a piece on hybrid engines we give you 10 more pieces on hybrid engines since this is the only interest of yours we could clearly identify. But perhaps you are reading this in your lunch hour, you don't want 10 more pieces on hybrid engines, you want to move on to other topics and are thus more akin to the patron of a bookstore who entered the store with a specific question but also with the hope of being surprised and delighted.""At present most newspaper websites behave a bit like librarians. If you come in to read a piece on hybrid engines we give you 10 more pieces on hybrid engines since this is the only interest of yours we could clearly identify. But perhaps you are reading this in your lunch hour, you don't want 10 more pieces on hybrid engines, you want to move on to other topics and are thus more akin to the patron of a bookstore who entered the store with a specific question but also with the hope of being surprised and delighted."
The idea is not only to encourage people to read the Guardian online more often but to forge a deeper relationship with users. It is not just a matter of numbers – if faced with the hypothetical choice, Blau would prefer one reader who comes three times a week over three who each only come once a week.The idea is not only to encourage people to read the Guardian online more often but to forge a deeper relationship with users. It is not just a matter of numbers – if faced with the hypothetical choice, Blau would prefer one reader who comes three times a week over three who each only come once a week.
How will this lead to the kind of serendipity that is more comparable to that found in a newspaper? Blau believes that websites and apps already provide a much greater topical serendipity than they are credited for. "In any given online article you find a greater number of follow-up recommendations than you would find in or around a printed newspaper article. And we can't assume that print readers browse through all sections of a newspaper."How will this lead to the kind of serendipity that is more comparable to that found in a newspaper? Blau believes that websites and apps already provide a much greater topical serendipity than they are credited for. "In any given online article you find a greater number of follow-up recommendations than you would find in or around a printed newspaper article. And we can't assume that print readers browse through all sections of a newspaper."
In future, the Guardian will experiment with a greater deal of personalisation, using the pattern of a reader's previous visits to suggest what else he or she might be interested in.In future, the Guardian will experiment with a greater deal of personalisation, using the pattern of a reader's previous visits to suggest what else he or she might be interested in.
There is a school of thought that believes that personalisation is more likely to lead to less serendipity. Internet activist Eli Pariser developed the theory of the "filter bubble". The more machines learn about a user, all the computer's other suggestions for ideas of what you might want to read could lead to people not being exposed to views other than their own.There is a school of thought that believes that personalisation is more likely to lead to less serendipity. Internet activist Eli Pariser developed the theory of the "filter bubble". The more machines learn about a user, all the computer's other suggestions for ideas of what you might want to read could lead to people not being exposed to views other than their own.
Blau is aware of this risk. "There is a big difference, though between serendipity and randomly presenting unrelated articles and videos to our readers. Personalisation will never dominate the experience of a Guardian reader. We will always insist that you see what we call the canonical view, all those stories from all sections of the Guardian that we think deserve your intention and that reflect the Guardian's values, whether these stories promise to be popular or not. Blau is aware of this risk. "There is a big difference, though between serendipity and randomly presenting unrelated articles and videos to our readers. Personalisation will never dominate the experience of a Guardian reader. We will always insist that you see what we call the canonical view, all those stories from all sections of the Guardian that we think deserve your attention and that reflect the Guardian's values, whether these stories promise to be popular or not.
"But why should we insist that you as a reader scroll through a certain section of our site which we already know that you have never been interested in, instead of utilising your precious time to show you something else?""But why should we insist that you as a reader scroll through a certain section of our site which we already know that you have never been interested in, instead of utilising your precious time to show you something else?"
Blau says a lot of research has been carried out that shows there are higher levels of retention for someone who reads an article in print than online. He believes that it may be print's greater powers of retention and the visual "elegance and opulence" of newspapers and not the serendipity that marks the advantages of print over digital.Blau says a lot of research has been carried out that shows there are higher levels of retention for someone who reads an article in print than online. He believes that it may be print's greater powers of retention and the visual "elegance and opulence" of newspapers and not the serendipity that marks the advantages of print over digital.
Finding the right mixture in online media between what every reader sees and what is most relevant for each reader individually is the important next step in establishing the nature of the new relationship with the reader.Finding the right mixture in online media between what every reader sees and what is most relevant for each reader individually is the important next step in establishing the nature of the new relationship with the reader.
• This article was amended on 18 February 2014. It should have used the word "attention" instead of "intention" in this passage: "… all those stories from all sections of the Guardian that we think deserve your intention and that reflect the Guardian's values …". This has been corrected.