This is a past BTEC IT Level 3 assignment (Unit 6 – Website Development), submitted under the 2016
RQF specification. Scored a Distinction. Shared as a learning exemplar only. Do not copy; use to
guide your understanding of the expected structure, evaluation, and design criteria.
Evaluation of BBC News and LBC News websites
In this essay, I will be comparing two different UK news websites, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news and
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/ (now referred to as BBC and LBC), I will be considering multiple
aspects of each websites design, including but not limited to, UI design, content diversity among
other aspects in order to see how well it meets its target audience’s needs and its intended
audience, but before that I will explain some required ideas in order to understand what I am trying
to explain properly.
The purpose of Web 2.0 is to allow more dynamic websites which would therefore increase content
diversity and as such would improve the quality of the Web, during Web 1.0 there was mainly static
HTML pages that did not allow as diverse content such as live chat or social media among other
features. Web 2.0 also no longer needed local software to be pre-installed prior accessing the
website; thus, more people can access the website across potentially multiple countries.
One purpose of product-based sites is to allow eCommerce to function, two examples of this would
be Microsoft LTD selling, its own, Windows OS. Another example would be Sainsbury PLC selling
their physical goods through their website.
My first site is https://www.bbc.co.uk/news, otherwise known as BBC or British Broadcasting
Company News. The second site is https://www.lbc.co.uk, also known as LBC or London
Broadcasting Company.
Target audiences
Website Target Audience
BBC BBC is designed for a general audience, providing news and
entertainment content for all age groups. Primarily the UK but with a
remit to provide news to users around the world.
LBC LBC is for a relatively niche UK audience interested in politics as well as
news around the world. Age group would be around 30 and above.
Website requirements
Requirement Definition
User-friendly A website is user-friendly when it makes it as easy as possible for the
user to use the site with any device.
Consistent A consistent website is one that is done in the same way across the
whole website.
Navigational Keep it simple but not too simple, predictable, and manageable.
Customisable Personalise the website depending on who is viewing it, there could be
tailored ads or similar ideas.
Flexible The website needs to fit all different device resolutions.
,This is a past BTEC IT Level 3 assignment (Unit 6 – Website Development), submitted under the 2016
RQF specification. Scored a Distinction. Shared as a learning exemplar only. Do not copy; use to
guide your understanding of the expected structure, evaluation, and design criteria.
Requirement BBC LBC
User-friendly BBC is very user-friendly due to LBC is not very user-friendly as
having all the articles as their website is not very wide
condensed as possible whilst still but very long, this is less user-
being big enough so that you friendly because it requires
know what is going on, with a more effort from the user in
picture, and easy it is still easy to order to see all the news
click on. articles.
Consistent BBC’s GUI is very consistent as it LBC’s website is also very
has six sections on each area of consistent as their content
news, all with the same format layout and colour scheme is
and colour scheme, which is grey, almost always the same, except
red, and white. a few parts where only the
content layout is changed.
Navigation BBC has a very simple and LBC’s layout is very clean and
intuitive layout, this means it is does not cause confusion to the
easy to find what you want user when attempting to use
without needing a long, agonizing the website.
time to find it.
Customizability BBC can be customised greatly, it LBC has system set-up so that
has news personalisation based you “Receive all the daily
on your activity as well as emails highlights from your favourite
based on what type of content presenters, with links to
you view. exclusive interviews, opinion
and videos straight to your
inbox” or “Have your say on all
the top news stories, as well as
email-only polls” among other
features available.
Flexibility BBC is flexible, because their site LBC is flexible just like the BBC
uses a responsive design, which in some ways, an example
means it adapts to the size of the would be they both use
screen it is being viewed on. BBC modular components; but
also uses a customizable layout, unlike the BBC, LBC has two
so the user can choose how their features more, firstly social
webpage looks on the BBC integration, this allows users to
website. share content on their social
On top of this, BBC uses modular media accounts or follow LBC
design so the components can be on other social media
reused throughout the web page. platforms. Secondly,
personalised news, this means
that LBC offers personalised
content based on the user’s
location, browsing history and
content preferences.
, This is a past BTEC IT Level 3 assignment (Unit 6 – Website Development), submitted under the 2016
RQF specification. Scored a Distinction. Shared as a learning exemplar only. Do not copy; use to
guide your understanding of the expected structure, evaluation, and design criteria.
Website Design Principles - Usability
Usability means how intuitive is the interface and how optimised it is – in other words how quickly it
loads and how well if performs. The definition of usability is the capacity of a system to provide a
condition for its users to perform task safely, effectively, and efficiently without causing an
unenjoyable experience.
The BBC’s website is more optimised than LBC’S website because BBC’s website loads significantly
faster (to the point it does not seem to disappear).
Intended audience and purpose
Suitability BBC LBC
Intended Audience The intended audience for BBC is all people The LBC’s intended audience is the
living in UK as BBC is meant to be unbiased same as BBC but unlike BBC, LBC
and fair. The BBC achieves this a number of achieves fairness through having an
guidelines, they are firstly, the editorial equal amount of presenters who
guidelines that require all journalists to have different opinions, an
remain impartial in their reporting, regardless example would be, if LBC had two
left wing presenters, then they
of their political standing, it also outlines the
would also have two right wing
standards of accuracy, impartiality, and
presenters.
fairness that the BBC expects its journalists to
keep to. Secondly
Intended Purpose The BBC’s intended purpose is as defined by Although LBC does not have any
Royal Charter is “to act in the public interest, concrete purposes, it has a list of
serving all audiences through the provision of core values, which are
high-quality and distinctive output and commitment, integrity, trust,
services which inform, educated and customer oriented, continuous
entertain.” development, team based and
social responsibility.
RQF specification. Scored a Distinction. Shared as a learning exemplar only. Do not copy; use to
guide your understanding of the expected structure, evaluation, and design criteria.
Evaluation of BBC News and LBC News websites
In this essay, I will be comparing two different UK news websites, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news and
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/ (now referred to as BBC and LBC), I will be considering multiple
aspects of each websites design, including but not limited to, UI design, content diversity among
other aspects in order to see how well it meets its target audience’s needs and its intended
audience, but before that I will explain some required ideas in order to understand what I am trying
to explain properly.
The purpose of Web 2.0 is to allow more dynamic websites which would therefore increase content
diversity and as such would improve the quality of the Web, during Web 1.0 there was mainly static
HTML pages that did not allow as diverse content such as live chat or social media among other
features. Web 2.0 also no longer needed local software to be pre-installed prior accessing the
website; thus, more people can access the website across potentially multiple countries.
One purpose of product-based sites is to allow eCommerce to function, two examples of this would
be Microsoft LTD selling, its own, Windows OS. Another example would be Sainsbury PLC selling
their physical goods through their website.
My first site is https://www.bbc.co.uk/news, otherwise known as BBC or British Broadcasting
Company News. The second site is https://www.lbc.co.uk, also known as LBC or London
Broadcasting Company.
Target audiences
Website Target Audience
BBC BBC is designed for a general audience, providing news and
entertainment content for all age groups. Primarily the UK but with a
remit to provide news to users around the world.
LBC LBC is for a relatively niche UK audience interested in politics as well as
news around the world. Age group would be around 30 and above.
Website requirements
Requirement Definition
User-friendly A website is user-friendly when it makes it as easy as possible for the
user to use the site with any device.
Consistent A consistent website is one that is done in the same way across the
whole website.
Navigational Keep it simple but not too simple, predictable, and manageable.
Customisable Personalise the website depending on who is viewing it, there could be
tailored ads or similar ideas.
Flexible The website needs to fit all different device resolutions.
,This is a past BTEC IT Level 3 assignment (Unit 6 – Website Development), submitted under the 2016
RQF specification. Scored a Distinction. Shared as a learning exemplar only. Do not copy; use to
guide your understanding of the expected structure, evaluation, and design criteria.
Requirement BBC LBC
User-friendly BBC is very user-friendly due to LBC is not very user-friendly as
having all the articles as their website is not very wide
condensed as possible whilst still but very long, this is less user-
being big enough so that you friendly because it requires
know what is going on, with a more effort from the user in
picture, and easy it is still easy to order to see all the news
click on. articles.
Consistent BBC’s GUI is very consistent as it LBC’s website is also very
has six sections on each area of consistent as their content
news, all with the same format layout and colour scheme is
and colour scheme, which is grey, almost always the same, except
red, and white. a few parts where only the
content layout is changed.
Navigation BBC has a very simple and LBC’s layout is very clean and
intuitive layout, this means it is does not cause confusion to the
easy to find what you want user when attempting to use
without needing a long, agonizing the website.
time to find it.
Customizability BBC can be customised greatly, it LBC has system set-up so that
has news personalisation based you “Receive all the daily
on your activity as well as emails highlights from your favourite
based on what type of content presenters, with links to
you view. exclusive interviews, opinion
and videos straight to your
inbox” or “Have your say on all
the top news stories, as well as
email-only polls” among other
features available.
Flexibility BBC is flexible, because their site LBC is flexible just like the BBC
uses a responsive design, which in some ways, an example
means it adapts to the size of the would be they both use
screen it is being viewed on. BBC modular components; but
also uses a customizable layout, unlike the BBC, LBC has two
so the user can choose how their features more, firstly social
webpage looks on the BBC integration, this allows users to
website. share content on their social
On top of this, BBC uses modular media accounts or follow LBC
design so the components can be on other social media
reused throughout the web page. platforms. Secondly,
personalised news, this means
that LBC offers personalised
content based on the user’s
location, browsing history and
content preferences.
, This is a past BTEC IT Level 3 assignment (Unit 6 – Website Development), submitted under the 2016
RQF specification. Scored a Distinction. Shared as a learning exemplar only. Do not copy; use to
guide your understanding of the expected structure, evaluation, and design criteria.
Website Design Principles - Usability
Usability means how intuitive is the interface and how optimised it is – in other words how quickly it
loads and how well if performs. The definition of usability is the capacity of a system to provide a
condition for its users to perform task safely, effectively, and efficiently without causing an
unenjoyable experience.
The BBC’s website is more optimised than LBC’S website because BBC’s website loads significantly
faster (to the point it does not seem to disappear).
Intended audience and purpose
Suitability BBC LBC
Intended Audience The intended audience for BBC is all people The LBC’s intended audience is the
living in UK as BBC is meant to be unbiased same as BBC but unlike BBC, LBC
and fair. The BBC achieves this a number of achieves fairness through having an
guidelines, they are firstly, the editorial equal amount of presenters who
guidelines that require all journalists to have different opinions, an
remain impartial in their reporting, regardless example would be, if LBC had two
left wing presenters, then they
of their political standing, it also outlines the
would also have two right wing
standards of accuracy, impartiality, and
presenters.
fairness that the BBC expects its journalists to
keep to. Secondly
Intended Purpose The BBC’s intended purpose is as defined by Although LBC does not have any
Royal Charter is “to act in the public interest, concrete purposes, it has a list of
serving all audiences through the provision of core values, which are
high-quality and distinctive output and commitment, integrity, trust,
services which inform, educated and customer oriented, continuous
entertain.” development, team based and
social responsibility.
