Putting the consumer first: the effect of mobile on broadcast. NAB @ MWC, February 2014

Editor's Notes

• #7: NFL CASE STUDY FULL TEXT  NFL App Concept and Design App design to consolidate the USA’s National Football League as a leading digital sports brand  Opportunity The National Football League (NFL) is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and in terms of average attendance at games, it is the most popular domestic sports league in the world. So it was a great honour when the NFL came to Fjord New York seeking the ultimate game companion app, for use both in the stadium and at home. The NFL as an organisation also needed to respond to the rise of ‘fantasy sports’ apps and other unofficial products with clear and coherent service design. Fjord took on the challenge of developing cutting edge technology across iPhone, iPad, and Android for this massively high-profile brand.  Approach For the NFL’s millions of fans, following the game is often a highly information and data intense business. Knowing this, the client wanted a user experience that was transformative and combined key elements of sports coverage and data visualization. It was also important that the app was a cross-platform product from day one. Our team focused on creating a great multi-channel football companion experience, dealing with the customary legal restrictions for live video and sponsors that are always a feature of major international sports coverage. A thoughtful multi-channel approach was defined. This used the mobile platforms for real time push updates on the go, plus stats and news. The tablet version was a more ‘lean-back’ type of interface, offering users a beautifully visualised game companion. Experience The result is a free download that is acknowledged as the official flagship app for the NFL. Users get live scoring and play-by-plays, fantasy football stats and videos of the coaches’ press conferences, among other things. You can even set alerts for games. The Fjord NFL iPad app was first launched before the 2011 season Draft. Without the benefit of marketing support or promotion, the app notched up over 18,000 downloads in its first 24 hours – a fantastic achievement and one we are set to build on with this exciting sports and leisure brand. --   
• #22: In digital services, we can see a few waves of transformation. The first one was about the desktop web. It was the first digital service wave that really disrupted and challenged traditional businesses. The wave started growing in the early 90s, and hit the commercial mainstream in the second half of the decade. Internet services – which were conceived in this wave – are still powering the digital economy.
• #23: The last decade was all about the rise of mobility. Again, there was a ton of activity and development in the first half of the decade, and then in the second half – especially with the launch of the iPhone – disruption and transformation really took off on a huge scale. This mobility wave is what we’re riding today, and it’s possibly even more transformational than the desktop web wave.
• #24: The third wave is growing right now, and like the previous two waves, it will be very powerful. People have different names for it.We call it Living Services, because in essence we believe that the major transformation is about real-time data and service adaptability, for the individual. It will allow us to design experiences that are truly alive, and which are shaped uniquely around each user.More about this shortly.
• #25: But first, let’s reflect on a challenge: complexity – that notorious digital bug.Each of the waves are additive. They add to and build on the previous waves. With all the good and exciting things that each wave brings also comes a real challenge: complexity.Complexity for end users, as more and more of their lives is mediated by digital services and devices.Complexity for companies, as they try to navigate a digital domain that’s increasing exponentially in complexity.What this means for Fjord is that our focus on elegant simplicity is increasing in strategic importance. It’s important for end users – to bring them delightful service experiences that are easy to engage with and easy to integrate into their lives.It’s important for clients – to help them prioritise and make strategic decisions, and to help them develop winning service solutions.
• #26: The next big wave – living services – is enabled by an ever-growing range of digital devices that are connected to each other and/or the Internet. These devices also have various sensors, and this will allow the capturing and analysis of huge amounts of data – often in real time.This digital platform allows us to imagine and design services that are LIVING.There are three key characteristics to the living services wave.1. The services can be created around individuals to a greater degree than ever before. They can be uniquely tailor made for each person, and can change based on time of day, place, user needs, etc. But this tailoring can happen at scale.2. The services themselves can be constantly evolving: alive, flexing, adopting, and changing. So we will not design dead artifacts – we will design highly fluid entities.3. This next stage of digitization also represents the gradual merger of the digital and real world:The distinction between digital and online 'channels' are removed – for example eCommerce and offline retailing disappears as both exist simultaneously and overlapPeople interact with technology using 'natural interfaces' (gestures, voice, eye movement…)Biology and technology are merging in the form of Quantified Self, 'Pay with your Face', etc.Biometrics (fingerprints, iris scan, etc.) are increasingly also used for authentication
• #33: We’re firmly in the business of re-invention.Mary Meeker is one of the most well-known opinion formers in digital. She’s an analyst and a venture capitalist, and has been dubbed “The Queen of the Web”.In her latest overview of the state of the Internet, she summarises everything with this header:“Re-imagination of nearly everything powered by New Devices + Connectivity + UI + Beauty”She’s explaining how all aspects of society, and all types of companies, are being reinvented thanks to New Devices, Connectivity, UI and Beauty.Well, this is exactly what we at Fjord do. We create services that are experienced on new connected devices. We shape best of class UIs, and we deliver beauty.At Fjord, we’re at the very center of the re-imagination of everything. It’s a fun and pretty special place to be.