3 Apr 2011

UK Radioplayer — UX/Design Guidelines

Radioplayer is a partnership between the BBC and UK commercial radio, to provide radio audiences with easy online listening and to improve discovery of digital radio content. The result? — an excellent audio web app with an ambitious agenda.

I stumbled upon the minimal design standards for the Radioplayer console while I was doing some background reading. UX/UI designers may be familiar with the document format: brand application, user interface, typography, and common page elements are formally prescribed to bring a consistency to both visual design and user experience.

The Radioplayer guide is remarkably detailed and thorough. The great deal of design content and interaction which is packed into the relatively small console area (665 x 380 pixels), and the number of partner stations alongside — further branded content will be overlaid on to the player — no doubt required careful mediation and design consideration.

Go check the latest Style Guide here (maintained by Radioplayer project leader Michael Hill).

(Here is an early concept video showing ways in which users might search and naviagte across the web app — great idea! Via Radioplayer blog.)