News and
Gen Z?
Generation Z preferences have shifted away from traditional formats, including their approach to the news. Most Gen Z teens engage with news daily by using smartphones and social media feeds. This shift has been a global phenomenon for quite some time now. The news organizations have been closely monitoring this trend.
So as the Washington Post.
Pain Points
WHAT BLOCKS GEN Z FROM DIGITAL NEWS PLATFORMS?
1- I Don't Care & 10 - Extremely Frustrated
Problem Statement
How can The Washington Post reestablish the entire concept of the paywall for their users, in order to make them perceive its value instead of committing to a subscription without understanding the value first?
Research
Data
16 responses
Prototypingand Testing
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Freemium model, where I can access basic features for free for a month to explore (leaving an email and a phone number).
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Ad-supported model: watch an ad for 10 sec every 5 min and then get an access to a reading content.
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Donation-based model: make voluntary donations to support an offered organization or cause.
Results and
Reflection
• Instead of encountering a paywall that restricts access to content, users discovered a highly appreciated Ad feature.
• The inclusion of a lock symbol proved beneficial in conveying to users that the content is not freely available.
• Users expressed their satisfaction with the comment section, highlighting its resemblance to the streamlined interface of Instagram.
• The ability to swiftly and efficiently navigate through frames resonated positively with users.
SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS
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Conduct ideation for integrating subscription and donation buttons.
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Conduct surveys to ascertain which donation organizations are preferred and prioritized by Generation Z individuals when selecting the ones they are most likely to support from a comprehensive list.
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Conduct additional A/B testing with different colors for the donation button.
WANT TO LEARN
MORE?
You are invited to explore the comprehensive research presented below, which includes in-depth process descriptions and supporting documentation.
The estimated reading time is approximately 12-15 min.
The fascination of news among Generation Z remains evident, although their preferences have shifted away from traditional formats. This shift has been a global phenomenon for quite some time now, and news outlets have been closely monitoring this trend.
Growing up in a world filled with significant disruptions such as climate change, political polarization, and economic uncertainty, this current generation, known for their digital native status, is actively seeking answers and practical solutions to navigate this new reality. They understand that these pressing issues are shaping the world they live in and are motivated to find ways to address them.
According to Danyelle White (a Vice President of Strategic Initiatives & Community Engagement from the Salt Lake Tribune), their nonprofit approach resonates well with younger readers. She highlights the promising signs of philanthropic support from Gen Z, even if they may not be ready to fully subscribe to news platforms just yet. "We are taking a more forward-thinking approach in this regard. After all, I didn't have a personal newspaper subscription when I was in my early 20s," White added.
PROBLEM
to develop new ways to reach gen Z readers and expand the Washington Post subscription base.
RESEARCH
PROBLEM STATEMENT
How can The Washington Post reestablish the entire concept of the paywall for their users, especially Generation Z, in order to make them perceive its value instead of simply committing to a subscription?
DESIGN CHALLENGE
How can we integrate a philanthropic element into the subscription method so that users can choose a cause to support with their subscription fee? This allows them to actively contribute to a cause they care about. Additionally, to make The Washington Post content more accessible to Generation Z and other users, a certain number of articles can be provided for free each month. This allows individuals to explore the journalism without immediately having to pay, giving them a chance to experience the value firsthand. By combining philanthropy and free access, The Washington Post can engage users and establish a stronger connection with them.
Most Gen Z teens engage with news daily by using smartphones and social media feeds
USER JOURNEY MAPS
To gain deeper insights into user frustrations while navigating the digital platforms of the Washington Post, I crafted User Journey Maps. These maps offer a comprehensive visualization of the pain points experienced by users throughout their interactions with the website and the app.
PERSONAS
Creating Personas helped me to make user-focused design decisions and to shape the overall direction of the design approach. The questions I asked myself were: What would Persona X need or want here? What would be their preference? What would help them the most?
EMPATHY MAP
An empathy map is a visual tool that helped me to understand and empathize with users. It allowed me to collaborate and gain insights into the user’s needs, thoughts, and feelings. By externalizing this knowledge, I was able to make informed decisions and gain understanding of the user’s behavior.
USER PAIN POINTS
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frustrated with paywall blocking from reading;
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spending long hours on finding where to get access to free reading materials;
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annoyed with pop-up Ads;
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feeling unmotivated to navigate through numerous clicks in search of information;
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free trial option is not immediately available.
PLAN
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create a list of HMW statements to explore potential solutions;
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create a Lo-Fi prototype;
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test the prototype;
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update and improve the prototype;
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create Hi-Fi prototype;
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more iteration;
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final prototype update;
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final takeaways & conclusion.
HOW MIGHT WE
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include different options for users instead of hitting a paywall?
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indicate the articles for users that require a subscription to read, preventing users from encountering paywalls?
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offer a range of subscription plans to users to to provide them with options that best suit their needs and budget?
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implement a "freemium" model with basic and premium content?
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provide a trial periods for users to experience subscription benefits?
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incorporate a philanthropic aspect in subscription method for users to have an option to support something of a value to them?
Generation Z survey responses
1- not bothered at all and 10- extremely frustrated
Based on the users’ feedback I identified three major approaches to work on:
• Freemium model: access to basic features free of charge for a month to explore (leaving an email and a phone number).
• Ad-supported model: watch an ad for 10 sec every 5 min and then get an access to the content to read.
• Donation-based model: make voluntary donations to support an offered organization or cause.
16 responses
Users' respond to describe what factors would encourage them to subscribe
to a monthly (annual) subscription to The Washington Post
The preferred interaction methods of Gen Z users when it comes to paywalls and digital news
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Freemium model, where I can access basic features for free for a month to explore (leaving an email and a phone number);
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Ad-supported model: watch an ad for 10 sec every 5 min and then get an access to a content;
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Donation-based model: make voluntary donations to support an offered organization or cause.
What would motivate Gen Z to subscribe to The Washington Post?
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Access to premium articles and features;
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Trustworthy and independent news coverage;
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Free access.
I've made progress by implementing users’ surveys and analyzing the results. This has given valuable insights into how Gen Z users prefer to interact with paywalls and digital news. With these insights, I was able to explore different design options to create a better user experience, replacing paywalls with a persistent subscription message.
IDEATION
Prior to diving into the prototyping phase, I dedicated a significant amount of time to brainstorming and sketching out my ideas. These initial steps were crucial in order to create a Lo-Fi prototype that could be effectively tested for usability.
Sketchy story board of the user’s steps
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The user sees a lock symbol on the article, indicating it requires a subscription to access.
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Clicking on the article, a pop-up asks if the user wants to explore the content for free.
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Choosing "yes," the user is redirected to a field where they can get a month of free access.
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After confirming their email, the user receives a free month of access.
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Along with access, the user enjoys updated features included in the subscription.
Lo-Fi PROTOTYPE
WIREFRAMES
Raw sketch of the screens, where users can find a “lock” icon on an article and to watch an AD video before accessing the article for free.
Lock symbol
indicating the article
is not free to access
without a subscription
Article is blurred and a
video pop-up
After the Ad the article is
available to a user
If a user chooses not to watch
an AD there will be an option
to get a month of FREE
PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION
Submitting the fields for
a FREE access
Subscription tabs include
the Donation option with the
equal amount (or more) to pay
in order to access the plan
TESTING
Feedback from 3 in-depth interview testings
• Instead of encountering a paywall that restricts access to content, users discovered a highly appreciated Ad feature.
• The inclusion of a lock symbol proved beneficial in conveying to users that the content is not freely available.
• Users expressed their satisfaction with the comment section, highlighting its resemblance to the streamlined interface of Instagram.
• The ability to swiftly and efficiently navigate through frames resonated positively with users.
• The trial feature was really helpful for beginners, as it allowed them to understand the product's value and explore the content they might subscribe to later.
• The subscription plans were fair and well- presented, providing good value for users.
• However, users found the donation feature a bit confusing and suggested improvements and more specific details.
UPDATES BASED ON USER TESTING
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Subscription plans are refined;
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DONATION button stands separately
This frame demonstrates the process of selecting an organization to donate to, choosing the donation amount, and receiving a one-month subscription to the Washington Post as a thank-you gesture.
Hi-Fi
PROTOTYPEWIREFRAMES
In order to develop the Hi-Fi Prototype Wireframes, I decided to integrate the subscription plans provided by The Washington Post. Although I found (surveys and interviews) that these plans seemed costly for the Gen Z audience I surveyed during my initial research, I made the choice to utilize them. My main objective was not to modify the subscription price or conduct research on it, but I did make adjustments in my Lo-Fi wireframes based on the supplementary insights gathered from the interviews.
C O N C L U S I O N
more testing & ideation needed
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Ideation for integrating subscription and donation buttons
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Conduct surveys to ascertain which donation organizations are preferred and prioritized by Generation Z individuals when selecting the ones they are most likely to support from a comprehensive list.
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Conduct additional A/B testing with different colors for the donation button.
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Conduct additional testing on the 10-second pop-up video advertisement to identify the most effective way to grant access to the Washington Post article.
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Bonus: Improved subscription plans, more affordable (was suggested by majority of the interviewees)*.