Daily News: Austria
Role
Conceptual Designer
Overview
“Daily News: Austria” is a content automation and distribution project aimed at delivering English-language news about Austria to an international audience every morning at 06:30. The project combined automated content aggregation, translation, and formatting into streamlined outputs—ranging from brief newsletters to visually engaging Instagram posts and short-form videos.
Responsibilities
• Conducting user research to identify user pain points and content preferences.
•Designing the end-to-end user experience for a daily news pipeline, from content aggregation to the final presentation on Instagram and via email newsletter.
•Testing prototypes with potential users and refining design elements for clarity and accessibility.
Main Goal
The project aimed to create a seamless, user-centered system for aggregating, translating, and presenting the most relevant Austrian news in English, delivered daily to users’ inboxes and social media feeds at 06:30.
Target Audience
English-speaking audiences interested in Austrian news, including expats, international students, and professionals who need quick, reliable updates without navigating German-language sources.
Process
Research Phase:
Methods:
Conducted user interviews, surveys, and competitive analysis. Reviewed existing news aggregation tools and their user experiences.
Key Findings:
• Users valued concise, reliable news summaries delivered at a consistent time.
• Accessibility and clarity were crucial: users wanted easy-to-read content, high contrast visuals, and straightforward navigation.
• International audiences preferred English content but requested a clear origin of sources.
• Social media users favored visually appealing posts and short-format videos to consume news quickly.
Ideation Phase:
Approach:
Brainstormed multiple concepts:
•Automated Instagram carousels with daily headlines.
•Short-form videos with voiceovers.
•Email newsletter with a morning roundup.
Created low-fidelity wireframes for each concept and tested them with select users to gauge initial reactions.
Design and Development Phase:
Design Challenges:
• Ensuring visual consistency across various platforms (Instagram, email, video).
•Maintaining readability and accessibility with a multilingual audience and potentially complex topics.
•Incorporating brand identity (“The Daily News: Austria”) in a subtle, recognizable manner.
Solutions:
• Established a color palette with accessible contrast and assigned different background colors for each weekday for easy visual differentiation.
• Integrated translation APIs with human-in-the-loop verification to ensure accurate English summaries.
• Used iconography and simple typography to communicate key points quickly on social posts and videos.
Outcome
Qualitative Feedback:
Users praised the clarity, brevity, and consistent delivery of news. They appreciated the trustworthy feel of sourced information and found the visual posts inviting and easy to digest. Several users noted that the daily news updates fit well into their morning routines.
Personal Reflection:
This project taught me the importance of consistency, accessibility, and clarity in designing content experiences. Ensuring that users could trust and understand the news at a glance reinforced the value of thoughtful UX design in media products. I gained experience balancing automation with human oversight to maintain quality and reliability.
Conclusion
Project Summary:
By focusing on user needs—reliable, concise, accessible English-language Austrian news—this project successfully created a daily news distribution system that improved engagement and user satisfaction. It stands as an example of how thoughtful UX design and careful iteration can transform the way audiences consume and trust daily information.