Channel 4 has worked with digital product design agency Ostmodern on the design and user experience for the newly launched All 4, a new digital service replacing Channel4.com and 4oD.
For most of 2014, a team from Ostmodern co-located and collaborated with the online product team at Channel 4 to help realise the user experience strategy and visual UI design for All 4 across desktop, tablet and phone.
The ambition was for All 4 to be not just an extension of Channel 4, but a service which is the primary destination for Channel 4’s audience to watch their current favourite programmes, discover new (and classic) programmes, delve deeper into extended brand content and become enthused and excited about what Channel 4 is producing in the weeks and months to come.
Ostmodern and Channel 4 have collaborated on various projects in recent years. All 4 was a natural progression of those projects. From the success of 4oD it became apparent that Channel 4’s digital audience was primarily focused on viewing on demand. Other services offered on channel4.com including various channels, lifestyle categories and separate programme support microsites were attracting significant but smaller audiences. The All 4 project was borne out of the realisation that on demand viewing should be at the heart of all of the Channel’s services.
With years of intelligence through user-testing and engagement with Channel 4’s audience to draw on, it became clear that the key to achieving this goal was to mirror the audience’s mental model of Channel 4 the broadcaster, as a service.
The Ostmodern team designed new ways of discovering and searching the service for more goal driven users, and have designed a way of integrating more personalised and social aspects of the service through My4 where users can keep track of their viewing and receive personalised recommendations.
The visual design of All 4 took inspiration from the new All 4 brand (developed by Channel 4’s in-house creative agency, 4creative) to produce a comprehensive and responsive design language which informs all aspects of the All 4 UI across desktop, mobile and tablet devices.
Stephen Hardingham, head of design at All 4, said: “Channel 4 is proud to work with Ostmodern. Over the years they have been integral in helping us develop a first class on demand service. They were the obvious design partner to work with to bring Channel 4’s new digital service – All 4 – to life.
“Ostmodern’s wealth of knowledge and experience of the on demand sector, commitment to creating streamlined user experiences along with their sensitivity and purist approach to visual design ensured the new All 4 brand would arrive on the scene matching all of Channel 4’s aspirations for the service.”
