Wall Street Journal website redesign

Role:
 Lead Information Architect
Team: Sapient team led the design and development areas while collaborating with the internal team at WSJ on several departments such as Marketing, Editorial, Markets & Advertising. The team worked mainly in the Dow Jones offices for a year period.
Agency: Sapient
Year: 2007 – 2008

TASK:

First digital redesign for WSJ.com since inception. Some of the main objectives included making a pay wall that would let user preview the content before subscribing, changing the navigation to include more than business news. Having a modular system that can easily adapt for change.

METHOD: As an information architect I was the lead in charge of creating and documenting the site structure, wireframe layout and component strategy for the redesign.
  • Working client on strategy workshops and sessions to establish site objectives and elements
  • Working with the product owners and stakeholders to set product requirements.
  • Creating page navigation, templates, wireframes, and module schematics while collaborating with visual and tech designers.
  • Documenting and managing product requirements, functionality specs and content rules.

Creating new digital identity

The new identity included: a new look, improved navigation, a better free experience, greater site engagement (leading to people staying in the site longer), increased traffic (better SEO), subscription product enhancements.

Before the redesign

After the redesign

New Sitemap

Blue: Subscriber’s content, Yellow: Free content, S: links to landing page

Wireframes

Homepage subscriber

Homepage non-subscriber

Lead Module variations

Business landing page

“Soft” landing page

Article page

Article with paywall

Article on media section