It may seem like “Business Education” is merely shorthand for the FT’s mission statement, but in fact, what we have is a nearly perfect digital news product. Clearly the result of much time and resources, this product/hub/section of FT.com is so replete with strong content examples for revenue, brand and UX that it is well worth the visit for anyone developing a product of any size or purpose.
Overall: 9.0

Revenue Potential: 9

Using traditional ad placement and enticing readers to click on FT content outside of the Business Education section, this hub does what is necessary to generate revenue and potential new subscriptions. For now, all content in this portal remains free, which may leave some dollars on the table. But the potential to draw in subscribers by linking to other features may offset this, leaving the revenue potential very high.

Value to Brand: 10

The takeaway from FT Business Education is that a simple premise rooted in the brand, that benefits both visitors and advertisers, can evolve into an invaluable hub with many revenue-producing spokes, ongoing. This hub helps cement the FT as a leader in the forum where they're already most prominent - business news.

User Experience: 7

Unfortunately, the “Business Education” section on the FT’s browser-based app is hardly recognizable from its online self. With so much functionality and content already, the FT’s Business Education product/section seems perfectly suited to serve its highly mobile audience with a standalone app. This is a missed opportunity, and one of the product's only blemishes.

Published by The Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/intl/business-education