Email Product Redesign

2023

Morning Brief

Morning Brief

Revolutionizing Daily Weather Engagement

Revolutionizing Daily Weather Engagement

Role

Email Product Design Lead

Email Product Design Lead

Overview

Morning Brief is like your personal meteorologist for daily planning.

Morning Brief is like your personal meteorologist for daily planning.

Weather impacts everyone daily. What if we could transform a simple weather update into an engaging, personalized morning ritual that helps users plan their day with precision?

Context

The Weather Channel, serving millions worldwide, is the leading provider of accurate, comprehensive weather information.

The Weather Channel, serving millions worldwide, is the leading provider of accurate, comprehensive weather information.

Morning Brief is our initiative to make this data more accessible and actionable daily.

Problem Discovery

2022 TWC Survey and App Store Reviews

2022 TWC Survey and App Store Reviews

80%

80%

of subscribers expressed interest in receiving daily weather forecasts and understanding the underlying science and stories behind the weather phenomena.

of subscribers expressed interest in receiving daily weather forecasts and understanding the underlying science and stories behind the weather phenomena.

of subscribers expressed interest in receiving daily weather forecasts and understanding the underlying science and stories behind the weather phenomena.

70%

of users desired more personalized weather information that aligns with their daily routines.

of users desired more personalized weather information that aligns with their daily routines.

of users desired more personalized weather information that aligns with their daily routines.

65%

of subscribers are interested in receiving forecasts that specifically address how weather conditions impact health, including details such as air quality indices, pollen counts, and temperature effects on well-being.

of subscribers are interested in receiving forecasts that specifically address how weather conditions impact health, including details such as air quality indices, pollen counts, and temperature effects on well-being.

of subscribers are interested in receiving forecasts that specifically address how weather conditions impact health, including details such as air quality indices, pollen counts, and temperature effects on well-being.

Diving Deeper

User Interview Goals

User Interview Goals

To gain deeper insights into our users' preferences and pain points related to weather updates, we conducted user interviews with three goals in mind:

Engagement Understanding

Identify what drives user engagement with the Morning Brief and understand the specific elements of the weather update that keep them coming back daily.

Content

Personalization

Content Personalization

Pinpoint user preferences for personalized content, especially relating to weather-related health advisories, lifestyle tips, and the science behind the weather to tailor content more effectively.

Usability

Optimization

Usability Optimization

Assess the effectiveness of the Morning Brief's layout and delivery timing. Evaluate how integrating weather forecasts' daily routines enhances user experience and identify areas for improvement.

User Interviews

Key Insights

Key Insights

After conducting 10 user interviews and analyzing 150 data points, I grouped the data points into 9 problem areas and 3 key themes:

Early Morning

Engagement

Early Morning Engagement

Survey data revealed that 70% of The Weather Channel subscribers check their email first thing in the morning, indicating a prime opportunity to capture user attention and engagement with timely and relevant content.

Users appreciate integrated lifestyle content

Subscribers want a comprehensive platform that not only provides weather updates but also integrates these forecasts with lifestyle tips, such as best times for outdoor activities or health-related advice based on the day's weather.

Users favor clear and concise information

There is a strong preference for straightforward, jargon-free explanations of weather phenomena, ensuring the information is easy to understand and act upon without requiring specialized knowledge.

HMW Statement

How might we tailor Morning Brief to become the go-to daily tool and resource for millions by offering personalized, actionable weather insights?

How might we tailor Morning Brief to become the go-to daily tool and resource for millions by offering personalized, actionable weather insights?

Solution Ideation

Exploring Different Solutions

Exploring Different Solutions

We developed several content feature enhancements for the "Morning Brief" to address specific user interests and needs. Each feature was designed to engage users in unique ways, enhancing their daily interaction with the newsletter.

Forecast & Weather Insights from Weather API

Incorporates weather insights that explain how daily weather can impact their scheduled activities, adding practical value.

Weather In Focus

Engages users with visually striking content that illustrates significant weather phenomena.

What We're Tracking

Enhances awareness and preparedness for weather-related events.

Extreme Weather Preparedness Tips

Provides practical advice and tips on how to prepare for extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes, floods, or extreme cold.

Seasonal Weather Guides

Educates users on what to expect weather-wise during different times of the year, including activities best suited for those conditions.

User-Generated Content Spotlights

Features weather stories or photos submitted by users, creating a community feel.

What We're Tracking

Enhances awareness and preparedness for weather-related events.

Seasonal Weather Guides

Educates users on what to expect weather-wise during different times of the year, including activities best suited for those conditions.

User-Generated Content Spotlights

Features weather stories or photos submitted by users, creating a community feel.

What We're Tracking

Enhances awareness and preparedness for weather-related events.

Weather Technology and Innovations

Highlights the latest advancements in weather prediction technology and tools.

Weather Technology and Innovations

Highlights the latest advancements in weather prediction technology and tools.

Weather Words

Helps demystify complex weather terminology, making the science behind meteorology more accessible to all readers.

Today's Trivia

Encourages daily interaction by providing fun, educational breaks from the usual content.

This Caught My Eye

Adds an editorial layer to the newsletter, offering thought-provoking content that resonates with weather enthusiasts.

Trending

Links daily weather conditions with broader cultural or environmental phenomena, adding layers of relevance to the newsletter.

Rotating Topics

Provides varied themes that cater to different aspects of daily life, from mindfulness to travel, ensuring there is always something new to engage subscribers.

Trending

Links daily weather conditions with broader cultural or environmental phenomena, adding layers of relevance to the newsletter.

This Caught My Eye

Adds an editorial layer to the newsletter, offering thought-provoking content that resonates with weather enthusiasts.

Trending

Links daily weather conditions with broader cultural or environmental phenomena, adding layers of relevance to the newsletter.

Rotating Topics

Provides varied themes that cater to different aspects of daily life, from mindfulness to travel, ensuring there is always something new to engage subscribers.

Validating the Solution

Gathering User Feedback

Gathering User Feedback

To ensure that our proposed enhancements for the "Morning Brief" would effectively meet the needs and preferences of our subscribers, we embarked on a comprehensive validation process. This process involved conducting in-depth interviews with 10 users and distributing surveys to a broader pool of 2,500 subscribers. The objective was to gather detailed feedback on the new features and understand which elements were most appealing to our audience.

Feedback Analysis

Responses were overwhelmingly positive, with particular interest shown in features that added educational value or interactive elements, such as "Weather Words" and "Today's Trivia."

Interest Prioritization

The data revealed strong interest in features that integrate seamlessly into daily routines and provide actionable insights, with the "Personalized Weather Dashboard" and "Health and Wellness Forecasts" receiving the highest interest scores.

User Preferences

From the interviews, we learned that users valued customization highly, preferring features that allowed them to tailor the content to their specific interests and lifestyle needs.

Ideation

Exploring Ideas

Exploring Ideas

We explored designs that prioritize quick readability and personalized elements, enhancing our users' morning routine.

Sign-up Module on App

4th Iteration

4th Iteration

After integrating feedback from the users, we enhanced the design to include dynamic weather modules, improving content relevance and engagement.

Final Solutions

Final Solutions

Rapid iterative testing and feedback from 10,000 users from our community provided insights that led to a 38% improvement in user interaction with the forecast, radar, wellness features from our newsletter.

Impact

Key Results

Key Results

600,000

Attracted 600,000 subscribers within a year.

95%

Maintained a 95% subscriber satisfaction rate.

80%

Achieved a daily open rate of over 80%.

60%

Attained a click-through rate of over 60% to other The Weather Channel products.

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