Pointer: your guide and voice in a complex world

KRO-NCRV’s Pointer is pioneering in the field of online storytelling and data journalism. Known for its visualizations and infographics, the online platform focuses on paving a path in our complex society. Pointer is driven by crowdsourced input from people that got stuck in a bureaucratic system or social abuse. Powered with a fresh set of UX guidelines and identity within the KRO-NCRV brand, Pointer has the tools to expand their groundbreaking impact in unlimited ways.

Breaking news together

Pointer is for the people and by the people: everyone’s invited to make a contribution to the research. To get a grip on the target groups, we identified this broad audience not on demographic characteristics but on level of participation. Pointer focuses upon four core audiences: casual passer-bys, the involved reader, the challenger and the fellow researcher. 

The platform speaks to each target audience in its own way. Casual passer-bys find an easy way-in by top reads of the week. Read time per article keeps expectations clear and short summaries are a good starting point. More involved readers can join in discussions and follow every research step-by-step, from the latest status to next steps - affirming the fact that research is never ending. When readers want to challenge the system, they can share their story or sign a petition. Highly engaged readers become fellow researchers and are invited to share their insights and expertise, to puzzle away with databoards and help visualize issues. 

Providing tools for change 

No matter your level of participation, the UX-design always challenges the reader to make better decisions and look more critically. Within every article, you’re invited to take a deep dive into Pointers’ investigative journalism. Concrete call-to-actions in striking content blocks help realize this. Bold statements make you think and checklists tell you how to apply research insights in your own life. By providing the tools for change throughout the website, visitors can create impact and set transformative creative solutions in motion.

Visual storytelling 2.0 

We captured the boldness and leading qualities of Pointer in a single graphic element that forms a complete illustration system: the line. It underlines powerful headlines, points to key words and transforms itself into bold illustrations that interact with photography. 

Thanks to the color scheme and interactive patterns, as defined for the KRO-NCRV website, Pointer’s unique identity is still clearly part of the broadcasters-universe. With this holistic and collaborative approach, putting the user at front, we helped KRO-NCRV enrich their total on-demand experience. By implementing the new digital strategy we were able to give Pointer the right tools to create social impact and put a mark on investigative journalism with creative storytelling.