BBC goes 2.0 beta-style

The new beta BBC homepage ticks all the customisation and functionality boxes with its new design and widget-driven layout.

Choose what, how and where your content is displayed. Choose your location to specify content, e.g. weather.

Apparently embedded video will be part of the finished product.

The retro clock and colour palettes work really well.

The features panel to the right will by all accounts reduce in size as it does overwhelm the page somewhat.

All in all, a decent user experience and great level of user control, but not losing the BBC's straightforward delivery of content.

the changing colour palette when features are selected is eye-catching, but not wholly necessary in its delivery.

They chosen colour should at least have some relation to a section of content within the site, or be less of a visual jump on the whole page.

Richard Titus (BBC's Acting Head of User Experience) and Sam England give more in depth behind the scenes backstory and analysis.

Here's a screenshot of the current layout and general personalisation options: