Transforming newsroom workflows at News UK
News UK is one of the UK's largest media companies, home to some of the country's most widely read print and digital news brands. I was commissioned by their Tech team to carry out a programme of discovery research, with the goal of identifying the gaps, inefficiencies, and opportunities within one of their flagship newsrooms.
The challenge
The modern journalist does far more than write articles. In today's media landscape, reporters have become full-spectrum content creators - writing and publishing stories, producing videos, building image galleries, optimising content for search, and managing their own digital presence. All of this is happening under increasing time pressure, in newsrooms where workflows and tooling haven't always kept pace with how the job has evolved.
News UK wanted a clearer, evidence-based understanding of where their newsroom processes were creating friction - and what a better, more efficient way of working could look like.
What I did
A lot of good thinking had already been done internally around transformation and improvement. My role wasn't to start from scratch, but to bring fresh eyes, uncover what wasn't yet known, and help the team get to the root causes of issues before jumping to solutions.
To do that, I used a mix of discovery methods including: in-depth interviews with staff from across the newsroom; direct workflow observations; collaborative process mapping; horizon scanning; and analysis of existing internal insights. This combination gave me both the broad picture and the granular detail needed to make meaningful recommendations.
Image: Example of a process map
From this discovery phase I developed three core outputs:
Research report and roadmap: A detailed breakdown of the key challenges, quick wins, and longer-term recommendations, as well as a prioritised view of where to focus.
Current state process maps: Visual maps of how work currently flows through the newsroom, making the complexity and inefficiencies easy to see at a glance. These were designed as a practical starting point for redesigning workflows, and included a clear view of where outdated and paper-based tasks could be replaced with smarter digital solutions.
User requirements: A consolidated list of internal user needs drawn directly from the research - covering both the immediate pain points and the more ambitious changes that could help the newsroom stay ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape.
A significant thread running through all three outputs was the opportunity for AI. From reducing repetitive admin to speeding up routine tasks, AI-enabled tools have real potential to give journalists back time, enabling them to invest in the creative and human-centred work that they excel at. I mapped out specifically where in the workflow these tools could have the greatest impact.
The outcome
I presented the findings, recommendations, and a proposed roadmap to senior management, giving News UK a solid foundation from which to develop a formal programme of transformation work. My focus throughout was to handover something practical and grounded, driving meaningful and sustainable change in the newsroom.