Case Study

The Sydney Morning Herald

Independent. Always.

Online news site

About the Client

A foremost Australian newspaper authority with a wide readership.

3 months
Fairfax Media
3 Developers

Digital readership of 10.7 million+

 

Artificial Intelligence search algorithm

Technology Used

  • Elastic Search
  • Python
  • PHP

Summary

The Sydney Morning Herald is Australia’s oldest continuously published newspaper, and one of its most trusted centrist authorities. With a readership that speaks to over 40% of the country’s population, its technological relevance has allowed it to thrive. We were engaged to help develop the artificial intelligence search algorithm.

Problem

Previous processes were manual, which were clunky and inaccurate, affecting the user experience. It therefore impacted retention; with the immediacy demanded by contemporary internet users, if they don’t find what they’re looking for, they move on.

Challenges

As an outsourced company, we were communicating with the organization who developed the algorithm: the University of Sydney. Due to the time difference and distance, communication could sometimes pose a challenge. We made sure to prioritize transparency and collaboration at all times.

Solution

AI was employed to help recommend articles to readers based on their engagement history. Past articles would be analyzed and inform suggestions proffered to online users. We helped to implement this AI into the system.

Design

We were inspired by the market leaders’ slick, metropolitan feel. We angled for the same aesthetic, while giving it our own spin.

Testimonial

“I felt we could trust their intelligence and experience. When an outsourced provider is able to give you that peace of mind, you know you’ve found a repeat collaborator.” - Herianto