A Sky News female weather presenter in front of a weather map

Designing an online weather forecast tool

Client: Sky News

  • News & media
  • User research
  • Data visualisation
  • Prototyping

Overview

Sky needed to transform a low-traffic weather page into a useful interactive planning tool. The aim was to improve user engagement and provide forecast data in a way that supported users in planning their lives.

What I did

  • Designed and ran a mixed-method survey (3,000 responses in 48 hours)
  • Conducted competitor pattern analysis
  • Identified issues with proposed colour scales
  • Ran guerilla research to validate new temperature colour choices
  • Created wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes
  • Conducted multiple rounds of usability testing
  • Supported Agile development throughout delivery

The problem

The old weather page only contained a brief text summary of the forecast and a video which covered the whole of the UK. This didn't support users who needed to quickly obtain a local forecast for their area.

Additionally, Sky News were looking to increase traffic which would create the opportunity for a major brand to sponsor the weather section.

The approach

I used survey insights to identify which forecast elements were most valuable. I created an interface to follow familiar weather conventions (iconography, colour consistency) and validated colour changes through quick testing with colleagues. Multiple design iterations were tested in Sky's research lab to refine clarity and usability.

Results from a survey with questions like 'which devices do you use when visiting weather websites?'
I launched a survey on the Sky News website which taught us a lot about user behaviour.
A screenshot of a weather forecast web page for London with a photo from a user research session superimposed
I facilitated multiple user research sessions to test whether the design met user needs.

Example designs

A desktop screenshot of a weather forecast web page for London
A design concept for the weather information page on desktop.
3 screenshots of a weather forecast web page on a mobile phone screen
Design concepts for different features of the weather site on mobile.

Outcomes

The tool became significantly more useful for users doing their daily and weekly planning. The MVP improved both traffic and returning visitor rates to the weather section of the Sky News website, opening the door for a major brand sponsorship.

Results

  • +23% visits to the weather section
  • +34% returning users