Circles

The New York Times

During my internship at The New York Times, I collaborated on a project called Circles. Circles is an app designed to seamlessly integrate into the existing NYT ecosystem. It focuses on fostering small, intimate, personally curated social circles, allowing users to share what they're reading and recommend articles to friends. Our goal was to encourage meaningful conversations and revive the experience of reading the news together.

Timeline

June 2023 - August 2023
9 weeks

Team

Sydney Hardister (Product Design Intern)

Other Interns:

Emily Liu
Graciela Smet
Priyanka Gupta
Rissa Kei Chua
Sandy Zhang

Tools

Product Management
Design Facilitation
Product Thinking
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PROBLEM

Design a NYT news product tailored specifically for students / academic purposes

Our solution was Circles, a groundbreaking news reading experience that challenges traditional paradigms and puts the power in the hands of users. By introducing innovative social mechanisms, Circles revolutionizes how you interact with articles, fostering intimate discussions and empowering everyone to engage with the news on their own terms.

RESEARCH

What does it mean to be a young person reading the news today?

Currently, the majority of New York Times' readers are comprised of white men residing in urban areas within the United States, primarily aged 50 years old or older. Evidently, there are many readers we are not reaching. Being part of the "college-student/young adult" audience ourselves, we thought to examine our own interactions with technology and news consumption. We found that reading the news tends to be a very individual experience, which doesn't meet the expectations of young people who prefer the interactive nature of social media.

Today's youth, primarily rely on social media as their main source of news and have high expectations for engaging, people-centric online experiences.

The NYT offers few opportunities for users to interact with each other and participate in the vibrant discussions typically found on social media platforms.

THE DESIGN GOAL

To assist our users in gaining a deeper understanding of the world through more meaningful conversations. This can be achieved by bridging the gap between a traditional reading experience and the digital, social world we live in. 

INSPIRATION

Just like passing around the morning paper, we hoped to reintroduce the joy of sharing stories and fostering deeper, more meaningful conversations

We decided to develop a standalone app, aiming to nurture Circles' growth, akin to other successful NYT apps such as Cooking, Games, and Audio. Our emphasis lies on fostering small, intimate, and personally curated social circles. Users can share what they're reading and recommend content to their friends, encouraging deeper more meaningful conversations. However, we remained firm in our commitment to not overshadow The Times' primary function or to introduce another social media platform.

The news was never meant to be experienced alone - it was meant to be marked up, passed around, and talked about.

FEEDBACK

Presenting to Over 40 Designers: Product Designers, Lead Designers, Design Directors, and Principal Designers

As part of our ideation and feedback process, we regularly presented our work to a diverse group of designers every week, seeking varied perspectives and insights. This weekly practice not only helped us solidify the direction of our project but also honed our storytelling skills. Additionally, it provided valuable experience in receiving and integrating design changes.

FINAL DESIGNS

Circles revolutionizes news consumption by blending traditional journalism with dynamic social elements. With the ability to Connect, Share, and Engage - here your thoughts on news stories find a meaningful audience

Our mission is to empower you and your circle to engage with the news on your own terms. With Circles, you are in control, as you can interact with articles using features like highlighting, hearting, and sharing. Designed specifically for small groups of readers, our app fosters a sense of community, encouraging meaningful discussions around the news that matters most to you.

In this project, I designed the home feed to seamlessly integrate all user capabilities into a unified space, while also keeping users updated on their friends' interactions.

MY DESIGNS

Home Feed

The homepage of our app offers a personalized news feed, displaying articles and news stories that your friends are engaging with on The Times. This keeps you connected, informed, and helps you discover articles that matter to you through the lens of your trusted network.

Social Media

In developing Circles, I studied social media and young people's news consumption habits. While inspired by the community aspect, our app takes a distinct approach by removing the ability to create original content. This fosters respectful environments and encourages users to prioritize informed reading as their primary mode of communication.

Feed Organization

Our goal was to provide users with a variety of options for interacting with the news. To achieve this, I identified specific user actions and made them distinct through concise statements and visual cues. Additionally, I focused on showcasing articles and ensuring easy access from the homepage, accompanied by captivating images that entice users to read the stories themselves.

MORE ON CIRCLES

Navigation

The global navigation feature enables you to access the latest news from the existing NYT app, while also enjoying the community-oriented features that make Circles a vibrant and interactive platform for experiencing news.

Annotation Mechanisms

Similar to scribbling in a paper's margins, our annotations are fresh, playful, and timeless. This was accomplished through using metaphors that bind the analog into digital translations. Specifically, with interactions that are unique to the news reading experience.

TAKEAWAYS

Communication
This project served as an invaluable lesson in the significance of collaboration and inclusive decision-making. I learned to effectively collaborate with other designers, dedicating time to ensure that all voices were heard and valued. This ultimately fostered a stronger and more cohesive team dynamic.

The Power of the Pivot
Through this project, I also came to realize that it is never too late to change directions or turn a project around. By embracing the flexibility to pivot and adapt, the door was open to innovative solutions and a successful outcome. "When one door closes, another one opens"

Share even when you're Unsure
This project underscored the significance of fearlessly sharing thoughts and ideas. I learned that even the most seemingly random ideas can turn out to be the best ones. Furthermore, continuing to recognize that everyone has valuable insights to contribute, and by incorporating more voices, our solutions became more enriched and diverse.

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