Joanne Uwera
Unit 6 – BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate
Learning Aim A: Understand the Principles of Website Development
Content-based Websites (Web 2.0)
Content based websites use web 2.0 technology to produce sites where they can create, share,
collaborate and communicate their work with others. This Includes wikis, blogs, image, and video
sharing sites. Wiki's allow users to contribute with the information being presented on the internet.
Blogs allowed readers to comment and contribute with online journals. Online applications allow users
to use the program through the Internet rather than purchasing the program and installing it on a
computer therefore making it accessible everywhere. Content based websites provide users with
content which may be free or paid for such as news websites.
Product/ Service-based Websites
Product or service-based websites includes different features to help answer questions, provide reviews,
allow product comparison, and facilitate the buying process as well as allow you to carry out
transactions easily. Examples include airlines, banks, law firms and management consulting firms. Their
target audience are consumers and information seekers.
BBC and Sky News
The BBC News is the most visited news
website in the UK, with around fourteen
million unique users each week. Sky
news on the other hand does not have
the same amount of hits each week,
however it is still a popular source of
information.
Both websites are content – based
websites, and each provide several
types of news coverage. The BBC news
has international news, as well as
British, entertainment, science, and
political news. Whereas Sky news
provides sports, weather, and business
stories. Both are easily accessed
anywhere through the internet and are
free to use, due to them being online
applications. This ensures users do not
have to purchase a program and install
it on a local computer. Instead, users
can use it wherever they are, from any mobile device. This gives the consumer a choice as to when and
where they use the application, promoting flexibility and increasing the overall traffic.
The websites of BBC News and Sky News are both aimed at the ABC1 market sector, i.e., the lower to
upper middle class, and are likely to be the first-place people aged 14 and up go to for any informative
news. However, the BBC's targeted audience is for older users, such as those over the age of thirty-five,
but because it is an online application that can be used on mobile devices, it is also being driven by a
younger audience that frequently accesses digital platforms.
, Joanne Uwera
Unit 6 – BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate
Learning Aim A: Understand the Principles of Website Development
As a website there are certain site requirements that need to be met for the website to fulfil its purpose
effectively, they are a list of necessary functions, capabilities, or characteristics related to the website.
BBC and Sky News both have a similar purpose and therefore the same site requirements need to be
met such as how consistent, navigational, responsive, and user friendly the site is.
Web Usability
The first impression of Sky and BBC news was that it was user-friendly, being user-friendly implies that it
is easy to use and understand. They both had a clear structure which made it easy to get around and
navigate without guesswork, due to it being organised logically. They are both responsive as the
navigation resizes as needed for different devices, from desktop computers to tablets and mobile
phones. There were also easily recognisable links as they either get underlined or shown in a distinct
colour. BBC news although is not as clear as Sky news still has usability, as on the top there is a search
field allowing us to search the site for any random term, below there is a top navigation menu featuring
the central content categories of the site which makes it clear and easy to use this is good as it allows
users to navigate through the website freely and if they do not know how to look for a topic they can
just type it in the search bar. Even though the BBC news has a search bar, at first glance Sky news seems
to be the most user-friendly as the layout is not as cluttered compared to BBC news which make it easier
for a user to navigate and use the site.
Website Navigation
A navigational website makes it easier for users to navigate and find information that they require in this
case both websites are Navigational. The BBC News website makes wonderful use of interactivity, if the
cursor rests over a hyperlink, it will be highlighted, and the hyperlink will take you to another article or
website if one is accessible. The navigation on the Sky News website does not look quite as sophisticated
as that of BBC News; however, this may be due to the emphasis on multimedia. When you hover your
cursor over a hyperlink on Sky News, it becomes bold and underlined. Sky News also features a function
that connects to a person's "profile." An archive of articles, news stories, feature articles, and galleries
by Sky reporters can be found by clicking on the URL of a public figure featured on the site. Both sites
have minimum use of drop-down menus which lets users easily use the navigational menu as they have
not added in unnecessary levels of navigation then required. These sites enable a user to search and
move around the site with ease and with confidence which leads to the site gaining more consumers
and traffic. Due to sky news being more simplistic and bolder when it comes to the format the principle
of navigation is clearer, as good navigational feedback is provided such as showing where you are in the
site and there are no dead ends, ensuring that the website is accessible and usable. Allowing visitors to
search the site for longer, giving them confidence in where they are and what they can receive from the
website at ease.
