Unfold 
SERVICE DESIGN
PRODUCT DESIGN
STRATEGY

IMPROVING THE NEWS AND MEDIA LANDSCAPE

Fake news is just one symptom of our current methods of media consumption. It is part of the larger problem of low quality journalism and how information is propagated through society.

We devised a new system for news and media consumption which targeted numerous problems to ensure the spread of high quality, trustworthy news and information. The four cornerstones of Unfold are:

Journalistic Standards

News content is curated from media outlets that meet specific journalistic standards. Sources are vetted using tools such as fact checking and natural language processing to ensure standards are met.

Interface

The platform presents an intuitive interface that brings back a sense of discovery to information. The reader can unfold a news story by interacting with keywords that dynamically introduce contextual information. Opinion pieces from across the political spectrum are also just ‘a fold away’. Allowing the reader a deeper and more balanced understanding of the subject.

Ranking Algorithm

The personalised news feed is generated from the reader’s preferences and adapts over time to their interests and reading habits. The reader can view and edit their data at any time, giving agency back to the reader and allowing them to control what appears in their feed.

Data Vis

The users can become more aware of their reading habits through helpful infographics that present the individual’s reading history and biases.

Exhibiting at the V&A

Our project was selected to be exhibited at V&A Friday Late. We created an identity for ourselves - News World Order,  adopting the iconic ‘troll face’ which has become synonymous with fake news and the spread of misinformation.

We used this identity to spearhead our call for responsible media services, as well as raise awareness of ways that readers can better equip themselves against low-quality journalism and misinformation.

EXHIBITION MATERIAL

To engage the audience with our design proposal, we produced a satirical newspaper, informing and exemplifying the problems of our current media systems.





This led to an interactive installation consisting of a ‘news style’ globe, an allegory for Unfold. Speakers concealed inside the globe played 4 channels of news reports at once. A mixing desk sat in front of it, allowing the onlooker to filter the unintelligible noise into clear individual streams by variating the filters: ‘Trendiness’, ‘Truthfulness’, ‘Extremeness’ and ‘Trumpiness’. Lending the user agency and awareness over what information they consume.