HOW MIGHT WE DESIGN WEB-BASED NEWS MEDIA PLATFORM FOR GEN Z, WHILE ADDRESSING THEIR NEEDS, HABITS, AND THE EVOLVING CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF THE FUTURE OF NEWS MEDIA?
OVERVIEW
CHALLENGE
Designing a web-based news media platform for Gen Z means rethinking how news is discovered, consumed, and shared. Traditional platforms often feel outdated, cluttered, and engaging for a generation raised on social media, short-form content, and visual storytelling. Gen Z values personalisation, speed, and trust, yet struggles to find news platforms that feel relevant, intuitive, and transparent. The challenge lies in creating an experience that is not only visually engaging and user-friendly but also adapts to evolving media habits and the future of digital news.
APPROACH
News For You was designed with a Gen Z-first mindset prioritising fast, personalised content delivery and a mobile-friendly interface. The platform blends bold visuals, intuitive navigation, and interactive elements like reactions and community polls to foster engagement.
THE PROCESS
RESEARCH & INSIGHT
During my research, I found that Gen Z relies heavily on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter as their primary sources of news. This reflects a major shift in how younger audiences consume information—preferring speed, visuals, and content that fits naturally into their daily digital habits. However, this also comes with challenges such as misinformation, lack of source credibility, and content overload. These insights highlighted the need for a news platform that feels as engaging and accessible as social media, while also providing trustworthy and curated information tailored to Gen Z’s preferences.
SKETCHES & WIREFRAME
Based on the research, I started exploring ideas through quick sketches to translate Gen Z’s
habits and preferences into a digital experience. I focused on creating a layout that felt
familiar, clean, and easy to navigate similar to the social platforms they use daily. These
early sketches helped me map out the core user flow
I created detailed wireframes to map out the structure and key features of the platform. The
main focus was on personalisation giving users control over the type of news they see. I
designed a customisable onboarding flow where users can select their interests, preferred
topics, and content formats. The wireframes also explored how the homepage would dynamically
adjust based on these preferences, showing a curated feed that feels relevant and engaging.
BRANDING
The branding of News For You is clean and modern with a pop of colour that adds energy and personality, making it visually appealing and approachable to Generation Z. It balances simplicity with bold, vibrant accents to reflect the fast-paced, creative, and expressive nature of this generation. The use of colour symbolise excitement and creativity, helping the platform stand out while remaining relevant and engaging.
WEBSITE
The first step on News For You is for users to choose the topics that interest them such as movies, music, fashion, and other categories that reflect Gen Z’s passions. This personalised onboarding experience helps shape the content from the beginning, making the platform feel relevant and engaging. The website focusing on features that match Gen Z media habits, such as video-format news for quick and visual updates, and the ability to like and save news to view later. The overall experience is clean and modern aiming to make staying informed feel as natural and enjoyable as using a social app.
