Illustrative engagement. A representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work in news media. It does not describe a specific client; outcomes are described qualitatively.
Industry overview
What is shaping news media
News publishers and broadcasters are rebuilding trust and revenue through subscriptions, regional coverage and new formats.
- Trust is a competitive advantage
- Subscriptions need a clear value proposition
- Regional news has loyal audiences
Client background
A news publisher, working in India. This is an illustrative engagement: a representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work, not a named client project.
- Organisation
- A news publisher
- Sector
- News media
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- UI/UX design, Qualitative research, Online surveys
Client challenge
App users complained about clutter and slow loading.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: user research for a news app redesign.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of users.
- Measure how widespread each pattern is, and explain the reasons behind it.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 5 weeks.
Target audience
The work focused on 1,500 users.
- users1,500
Audiences we typically reach in news media
Readers and viewersSubscribers and lapsed subscribersRegional audiencesAdvertisersYoung news consumers
Geographic coverage
Coverage: India. Market: India.
- India
Research methodology
A mixed-method design: structured research measured how widespread each pattern was, and qualitative conversations explained why.
- 1Brief
- 2Usability tests
- 3User survey
- 4Insight
We ran usability sessions and surveyed users on navigation and preferences.
UI/UX designQualitative researchOnline surveys
Sampling strategy
- users
- 1,500
- Online respondents were drawn from verified panel members who matched the screening criteria, with quotas on key profile attributes.
- Qualitative participants were recruited purposively to cover the full range of experiences that mattered, rather than for statistical representation.
Data collection
- sessions
- 16
- The online survey was mobile-friendly and offered in respondents' languages.
- Interviews and discussions were led by experienced moderators using a guide agreed with the client.
Data quality & validation
- Digital fingerprinting and duplicate checks
- Attention, speed and straight-lining checks
- Review of open-ended answers
- Recordings and transcripts for every session
- Re-screening of qualitative recruits
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
- Thematic coding of interviews and discussions
- Journey and decision mapping
Key findings
- Users wanted a simpler home screen and saved stories.
Less clutter, more reading.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: less clutter, more reading.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: users wanted a simpler home screen and saved stories.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The redesign prioritised both.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Interview summaries and key verbatims
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: what do regional readers want?