Side quest ✨

Design outlook workshop

DO 2024 Masterclass hosted by Tim Hardaker and MC Monsalve

Envisioning Tomorrow: The ABC of 2050 Design Workshop

About the workshop

Look at the trends shaping the media and digital landscape as we co-design the ABC of 2050. We shall consider the ABC’s legacy of trust, its current identity and the future challenges it faces, setting the stage for a comprehensive ideation session. Participants will break into groups to envision the ABC of 2050 through design thinking and scenario planning exercises

But first…

A behind the scenes look at ABC’s Melbourne Southbank studios where we gained a firsthand look at the cutting edge production workflows across screen, audio and digital

🎬 Setting the Scene

4 designers. 1 challenge. 60 minutes

A brutal heatwave has caused a power outage in Melbourne on the day that you have planned to travel from Brunswick to Fitzroy. It is way too hot to drive your car and now you have to find alternative ways of getting there.

  1. How can ABC news educate their audience on what they have to do and provide information on the heatwave?

  2. How can ABC news inform their audience that a heatwave has struck Melbourne?

👧 Defining our user

In the beginning, I drew many comparisons and similarities between ABC news and NAB when it comes to the range of users they had to cater for:

  • All Australians

  • Prioritising trust and credibility with users

  • Providing relevant and personalised interactions where appropriate

  • Transparency and accountability in operations and use of data

  • Education

  • Upholding respective ethical practices/standards

By 2050, we believe our users encompasses all Australians. But more than that, they would be:

  • Digital nomads

  • Multi-taskers

  • Users of multiple modes of devices ranging from mobile, laptop, smart watch, etc

By 2050, the advancements in technology and competitive landscape would shape user behaviour and expectations for:

  • Curated and personalised content as well as personalisation. Specifically, how they would prefer to interact with content/technology

  • Use of AI in day to day operations

  • Wariness of data security

✨ Our key considerations

Interface expansion

The way we access and interact with information in the future will be driven by how technology advances and shapes our behaviour and expectations from the use of our data. In addition, access to information may go beyond the digital devices, wearable tech and smart home equipment we know today.

How will ABC news adapt and use these channels to their advantage in order to educate, inform and entertain their users?

Desire for curated and personalised content

As different platforms become more integrated and better at understanding our preferences e.g., building a “digital twin”, we can expect to receive and digest information that has been specifically curated based on these preferences.

In this era, how can ABC news be expected to entertain and inform users in a landscape that is highly competitive to grab and retain user’s attention?

Use of relevant data sources

Where possible, how can ABC news leverage data sources such as Cool Paths to supplement their advice and alternate route recommendations for users to plot out the safest and “coolest” way to travel to their destination?

Day in the life

To address these considerations and the scenario, we presented how ABC news could retain their advantage to educate and inform their users in 2050 via an ideal day in the life experience for our user.

Watch the video below to hear how I presented this diagram.

Reflections and learnings.

More than the experience of walking through the sets and gawking at the TV sets. I was thoroughly impressed by ABC new’s organisation of the workshop - I left the studio with more thought-provoking insights on how our future in consuming news in the future will be shaped by how effective any news outlet would be in providing delightful and customised interactions with the technology that an everyday Australian but more importantly, it relies on their ability to build and retain trust.

I was also grateful for the opportunity to work with various designers across Melbourne and Sydney who came from all walks of life and experience. It was eye-opening to learn how different designers approach the problem and how their work impacts and shaped our solution. For example, Cool Paths was a platform we were made aware of by a designer that worked on projects involved in uplifting the City of Melbourne data experience.

This chance to work with other designers was super valuable and enjoyable and I would jump at the opportunity again if it arises.