Project Focus
Adding a feature
My Role
End-to-end product designer
Timeframe
75 hrs
Tools
Figma
What's the problem?
Many users are frustrated they don’t have a convenient way of keeping track of the release schedule of their favorite and upcoming shows on our platform. Users have to rely on external sources to keep track of the release schedule or risk unintentionally missing out on their favorite shows.
Never miss out on new releases from your favorite shows
Keep up to date with the latest episodes from your favorite currently airing and upcoming shows.
See all your new episodes in one place.
Never miss upcoming shows on HIDIVE
PROBLEM DISCOVERY
I found a problem to solve through research, but the research started with a slightly different problem space in mind.
Problem space
​A prominent issue with streaming services is the absence of a meaningful recommendation system that caters to a specific user. With HIDIVE’s current library count of over 500 titles and growing, searching for content to watch that fits a user’s personality and tastes can get overwhelming and can discourage many users, especially first-timers, from becoming loyal customers.
Research goal
​To increase long-term platform engagement, I wanted to discover the frustrations users have when searching for new media to watch and determine the value recommendations have for users.
Research method
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User interviews with 5 participants
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Competitor analysis of similar streaming platforms​
What was learned
I affirmed that users find recommendations on streaming platforms too generic to be useful. However, I found out the following.
100%
Don’t find much value in recommendations unless they’re from a trusted source
60%
​Already had a show in mind to watch before logging in.
40%
Would rather discover new shows on their own
The majority of streaming service users don’t put much value into recommendations from their preferred streaming platforms, to begin with. In short, I had inconclusive evidence to continue pursuing a solution to improve recommendations for users.
Was all that research for nothing? Not at all.
Unexpected but welcomed insight
It turns out the majority of participants were frustrated they didn’t have a convenient way of keeping track of the release schedule of their favorite and upcoming shows. This especially affects anime streaming since shows are constantly simulcasting.
Why is this an issue?
This can reduce opportunities for engagement with our platform and a decrease in subscriptions due to a false sense of unpredictability in HIDIVE as a product.
"It’s difficult to keep up with my favorite shows because I don't know when new episodes release."
Contextualizing the user
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How might we seamlessly keep users updated on the release schedule of their favorite and upcoming shows on HIDIVE?
IDEATE & PROTOTYPE
Prioritizing ideas
Must have
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Track the release schedule of favorite shows
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Track the release schedule of specific episodes
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Notify users when new episodes release
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Track the release schedule of upcoming shows
Nice to have
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Track release schedule of all currently simulcasting shows
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Notify users when there’s a break in the usual schedule of releases
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Sort new releases by audio language
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Incorporate a new notification system
User flow
I began by diagramming the user flow for checking the release date of a show.
Starting rough around the edges
Low-fidelity wireframes were first created through sketches for quick idea exploration. Defining the user’s flow was my main consideration and the UI language was starting to take shape.
Going digital
​Mid-fidelity wireframes were developed in tandem with the developing user flows.
TEST & ITERATE
Usability testing goals
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Determine the added feature’s effectiveness in keeping users updated on the release schedule of their preferred and upcoming shows
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Determine if the feature meets a user's expectations
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Identity navigation & usability issues for further improvement
Test parameters
Test type
Unmoderated usability study
Participant count
5
Location
Remote and in-person
Duration
10-15 minutes
What were the positives?
Participants had an overall positive reaction. Users believed the feature to be beyond useful, and desirable, especially for new upcoming releases. Navigation was mostly clear and users had no issues completing the task, but there were a some issues.
What needed improvement?
Not everything aligned with users' needs and desires. Based on feedback from usability testing, I implemented key changes before creating a "final" prototype.
Before usability test
After usability test
New release notification
Test participants weren’t fond of the new release notification immediately after logging in and wanted a non-intrusive subtle indicator.
Making page content clear
A clear distinction was made between shows a user is watching, watch listed and all other shows, as users were confused with this.
Before usability test
After usability test
Before usability test
After usability test
Showcasing new upcoming shows
​Users want a new series to look forward to, so a new main series is showcased to create anticipation and invite users to stick with the platform.
REFLECTION
Impact
Users had a positive response to the new release calendar feature, saying it would help keep up with their favorite and upcoming shows without needing to search elsewhere.
The added feature offers a way to help increase HIDIVE’s reputation in reliability, increase engagement, and showcase upcoming shows to invite new users to become long-term customers.
Personal takeaways
This was a challenging project since this was my first attempt at integrating a feature into an existing product. On top of that, the platform as a service leaves some things to be desired. Despite that, I believe I found a balance that can be a stepping stone for further improvement in the platform.
At first, the initial user interview findings left me a little discouraged. It seemed like I had hit a dead end with the project. It turns out that sometimes great problems to solve present themselves when you least expect them to.
What’s next?
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Explore the usefulness of a general notification feature for users and how that could work with the new release schedule feature.
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Continue iterating to allow for a better experience when checking the release schedule of a series.​​​​​
