NETFLIX CONNECT
A proposed mobile platform add-on allowing for social interaction and film discourse amongst users.
As a bootcamp capstone project, I chose to consider the expansion of Netflix’s offerings by adding a social component, taking the features I enjoy on other cultural & entertainment apps and integrating them into the biggest film and television streaming platform.
I took on both the UX and UI designer roles for this project, as well as conducting all of the research and testing.
OBJECTIVE
Create a mobile app in which users can rate and review content, share recommendations with others, and engage with a community that focuses on film and television discourse.
I’ve had countless, frustrated discussions about keeping up with video content on streaming platforms, and especially tracking suggestions from friends. As most of us increased screen time during pandemic lockdowns, everyone needed more to watch, more to distract ourselves from real world events, and more to talk about during our Zoom parties.
I thought that we needed a single space to keep track of movies & TV shows friends were watching and loving, the option to rate and review anything we watch. In a time where movie nights with friends are impossible, it would be nice to experience that from the comfort of our homes.
Early sketches
RESEARCH
I did a competitive analysis and looked at the offerings from Amazon Prime and the recently launched HBOMax, as well as the features on Spotify and Letterboxd.
Amazon Prime: allows rating and user reviews for all streaming content consistent with their ecommerce platform.
HBOMax: well curated recommendations based on both user activity and film.
Spotify: users are able to share what they’re listening to on Instagram stories.
Letterboxd: users can rate and review movies they’ve watched, curate lists, view other user’s activity.
USERS
I interviewed current, frequent users to gauge their activity, motivations, issues, and desires. From my extensive notes, I was able to create affinity maps to find commonalities and differences amongst users, and ultimately derived 3 key personas based on the information.
WIREFRAMES
Once user stories and red routes were established, I was able to ideate a basic model of the most practical and intuitive interface that felt like it belonged on the existing Netflix platform.
GUERRILLA TESTING
I gathered user insights through testing a lofi prototype with a few volunteers. Naturally, there were issues. I noted spots where there was confusion, what testers liked and didn’t like, and how they thought the interface layout and language could be improved.
BRANDING
A style guide was created that met Netflix’s current branding, but introduced a warm, orange element. The orange was chosen to incorporate imagery of community, friends, and the excitement of a night out at the movie theater. With the Netflix red, the combination resembled a cozy fire, invoking memories of a night in with friends. A page of symbols was also created to prompt intuitive actions within the app.
HIGH FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
Using the style guide and brand standards, I updated and stylized the wireframes. Needs and wants from users during the guerrilla testing were used to improve the interface and make processes as streamlined as possible. Some of the language was changed from the initial wireframes to seem more friendly and congratulatory throughout each route. I also considered possible edge cases: a friend sending an unavailable recommendation from another country, and a stranger sending one.
USABILITY TESTING
Once wireframes had gone through several rounds of cosmetic edits (thanks to my boyfriend’s critiques!) I was ready to prototype and test. I wanted to see if users responded well to the interface, but more importantly, if the issues raised had been solved by the new features. The test included tasks review recently watched content, find what a friend was currently watching and add it to a personal watch list, and read & send recommendations from friends.
Due to social distancing requirements, all testing was done remotely, via video call. I met with each person to give them some background on the product and why it had been made, and explained what exactly was being tested. Testers were friends who expressed interest in my project and a few volunteers from a facebook post.
A few comments:
- Everyone liked the dark theme of the interface, noted it would not blind them in a dark room while watching a movie
- Simple to navigate, menu and icons were easy to find and understand
- A few people said they liked the language used
- Every tester had some sort of issue with the Friends List and Live Feed - I realized their redundancy
- The thin bar I placed at the top of the pop up menu confused everyone - a traditional X is the way to go for an exit
- I had not considered a navigation option and a way to move back a screen or get to the home page easily
And there were a few faulty routes - a bad oversight on my part!
ITERATING
After taking all of these issues into account, I iterated on my prototype and made the suggested improvements - everything worked! I completed a second round of testing with great feedback and happy users. Everyone wanted this to be a real offering from Netflix - have your people call my people, Hollywood!
FINAL SCREENS
CONCLUSIONS
Thanks to my research and a LOT of movies watched during a pandemic lockdown, this project was exciting at every stage of the process. It helped that Netflix’s existing branding looks and feels great, so I did not want to make any major changes when it came to the interface. The user experience portion was not a complicated series of actions within a multi-faceted app, it just set out to help users engage with friends and everyone take inventory of the endless content consumed.
I feel that this product could be viable for other content based platforms - music services, podcasts, and if the lockdowns continue - livestreaming exercise and wellness content. Fostering a sense of community and engaging with others about things we love and want to share was something we were forced to do virtually in 2020, but I don’t think we should rule it out as an option in the future.