ELECTION TOUCHSCREEN

An On-Air Application Delivering Live Election Data

ABOUT

Every election season, Fox News enhances its coverage with a touchscreen application that gets used on-air by the news anchors.

The app gives audiences a deeper dive into election data, and covers all races from national, to state, to county level. It has historical features, remaining votes to be counted, and delegate information for the primaries. It also contains a polls closing tracker, an election calendar section, and a rule book for understanding how primaries count delegates by state.

Overall it is a vital tool for the network's broadcasts during election season from the primaries all the way through election night.

PROJECT OR FILE

Figma is Available Upon Request

The Result

Touchscreen in use during 2024 election night coverage.

THE CHALLENGES

SEEKING MODERNIZATION WITHIN TECHNOLOGICAL LIMITS

There was a desire to modernize the overall look and feel of the network's touchscreen for the 2024 election season, but by the same token, we knew that the technology that the app was built with would not be significantly updated. We determined that we could modernize the touchscreen through several means working within this parameter, while also considering the usability needs of the news anchors who would be using it. Specific challenges included:

Reconsidering visual design, button interfaces, animations, transitions, and interaction design
Including more data on the screen and expanding touchscreen app features
Considering anchor positions during broadcasts and complexity of information architecture so anchors can move through a 1-2 minute improvised segment easily, and understanding their preferences for button placements.

Below is an example of the touchscreen from the 2016 election, also used in 2020.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

News anchors need to be able to adapt easily to the many new features and the inclusion of more data in the election touchscreen so that they can focus on their broadcasts.

UNDERSTANDING THE USER

The primary user of this app is news anchor Bill Hemmer. It is also used by a few other network news anchors.

Bio

Bill Hemmer is a news anchor
who is responsible for ongoing coverage of US elections annually for Fox News.

Bill Hemmer:
Fox News Anchor

Stories & Scenarios

Hemmer has busy work days that start in the morning with on-air coverage and he usually has many meetings throughout the day. He is able to practice with the touchscreen on his laptop, and sometimes we can grab studio time to get him on a real touchscreen to practice, too.

Goals

He wants be able to share and explain election data easily during live broadcasts, where he improvises his segments.

“I am adaptable to learning new features, but I prefer the touchscreen to work intuitively with less clicks so I can focus on speaking.”

Behaviors

• Though he maintains a busy schedule, he makes time most days to practice using the touchscreen as it develops, even if its only for 20-30min.
• His innate knowledge of state-level election rules and policies as well as state counties is immense.
• He picks up on new features and technologies quickly.
• He does have specific preferences as far as where he feels most comfortable standing and reaching.

Frustrations

Like everyone on the team, he wishes the touchscreen looked and acted more modern. He would prefer that the touchscreen is as seamless to use as possible with fewer clicks, so that he can focus on speaking and presenting the information.

SOLUTIONS

USER TESTING EARLY AND OFTEN

We ultimately modernized the look of the touchscreen through several visual changes, and we also added more data into screens, and introduced several new features. In order to make sure that the news anchors would adapt comfortably to these adds and changes, we:

Tested prototypes at every design phase, initially conducting internal tests within our design team using low fidelity wireframes, and filming interactions with the prototype for review
Involved our primary user in early testing phases, allowing him to interact with the prototype on his personal laptop
Conducting moderated tests with the primary anchor in a real studio setting
Addressing feedback from the primary anchor regarding layout and interaction of certain elements, new placements of elements, and reviewing recordings to make sure our layouts did not interfere with where the anchor likes to stand

Some of the visual changes we made to the touchscreen to modernize the look were rounding corners on elements, updating buttons for a simpler and more unified appearance within a side bar panel, and flattening elements that previously had 3D effects, like the map.