Al Arabiya’s Digital Transformation

Objectives

This project involved a complete rebrand and UX/UI overhaul of their digital presence, encompassing their English and Arabic websites, and native mobile applications. Our work aimed to enhance user experience, accessibility, and engagement across all platforms.

1. Enhance User Engagement: Improve the overall user experience to increase user engagement and retention.
2. Brand Modernization: Update and modernize Al Arabiya’s branding to reflect their position as a leading news channel.
3. Accessibility: Ensure the platforms are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
4. Performance Optimization: Improve the performance and responsiveness of the websites and applications.

Approach

Initial Research and Analysis:

• Conducted a thorough analysis of Al Arabiya’s existing platforms.
• Gathered user feedback and identified pain points.

Branding and Design:

• Developed a new brand identity including logo, color palette, and typography.
• Created comprehensive branding guidelines to ensure consistency across all platforms.

UX/UI Design:

• Redesigned the website and applications with a focus on user-centric design.
• Created wireframes and prototypes for iterative testing.
• Implemented responsive design principles to ensure seamless experience across devices.

Development and Implementation:

• Utilized MVVM architecture for clean, reusable, and maintainable code.
• Integrated third-party SDKs and APIs, including CocoPods, Firebase, and Google TAG Manager.
• Employed RESTful APIs for efficient communication between the client-side and server-side.
• Collaborated with IBMix for backend integration and performance optimization.

Accessibility Enhancements:

• Added features like text size adjustment to improve accessibility.

Testing and Optimization:

• Conducted extensive testing to ensure functionality and performance.
• Implemented Insider’s AI-backed Recommendation Engine to personalize content for users.

Results and Achievements

1. User Engagement:
   • 200% increase in CTR on desktop.
   • 54% increase in CTR on mobile.
   • Over 1.75 million additional pageviews recorded.
2. Performance and Accessibility:
   • Improved load times and responsiveness across platforms.
   • Enhanced accessibility features leading to better user satisfaction.
3. Brand Recognition:
   • The updated branding received positive feedback from users and stakeholders.
   • Established a consistent and modern visual identity.
4. Operational Efficiency:
   • Rewrote old apps into a single code base with enough abstraction for different languages/platforms.
   • Implemented clean architecture, separation of concerns, and reusable components.
   • Achieved a 75% increase in user retention and a 20% increase in system performance.
   • Reduced operational costs by 10% and bug rates by 35% through best practices.
   • Implemented a CI/CD pipeline, reducing release times by 40% and increasing deployment reliability.
5. Collaboration and Innovation:
   • Successfully collaborated with IBMix and Insider, leveraging AI and machine learning to enhance user experience.
   • The integration of Insider’s Recommendation Engine played a significant role in achieving the engagement metrics.