BEFORE
BEFORE
AFTER
AFTER
Whatch title screen redesign
Whatch title screen redesign
Description
Description
Whatch is a social film and TV discovery app that helps users organise and share their watchlists, using recommendations from friends to reduce decision fatigue and enhance the entertainment discovery experience. User feedback highlights its outdated design and limited engagement opportunities. This redesign aims to transform the title screen into a more dynamic and engaging experience to boost user satisfaction, interaction, and session duration.
Whatch is a social film and TV discovery app that helps users organise and share their watchlists, using recommendations from friends to reduce decision fatigue and enhance the entertainment discovery experience. User feedback highlights its outdated design and limited engagement opportunities. This redesign aims to transform the title screen into a more dynamic and engaging experience to boost user satisfaction, interaction, and session duration.
Problem
Problem
The title screen, a key touchpoint, currently lacks features to encourage ongoing interaction and exploration.
The title screen, a key touchpoint, currently lacks features to encourage ongoing interaction and exploration.
Impact
Impact
13.75% increase in user engagement, suggesting it resonates better with users.
13.75% increase in user engagement, suggesting it resonates better with users.
85.5% increase in time spent interacting with the title screen.
85.5% increase in time spent interacting with the title screen.
My role
My role
Lead product designer
Lead product designer
Timeline
Timeline
2 weeks, Nov 2024
2 weeks, Nov 2024
Full team
Full team
Lead product designer and app founder-developer.
Lead product designer and app founder-developer.
Loss in engagement affecting growth and monetisation
Loss in engagement affecting growth and monetisation
The user problems:
The user problems:
The title screen lacked engaging content, causing users to lose interest quickly and reducing their likelihood of adding titles to their watchlist or sharing them with friends. Without interactive features or relevant recommendations, users were unable to fully explore content, leading to a diminished overall experience.
The title screen lacked engaging content, causing users to lose interest quickly and reducing their likelihood of adding titles to their watchlist or sharing them with friends. Without interactive features or relevant recommendations, users were unable to fully explore content, leading to a diminished overall experience.
The business problems:
The business problems:
Shorter session durations and reduced engagement with content limited opportunities for retention and monetisation. The title screen failed to maximise its potential as a hub for discovery, restricting user interaction and ultimately hindering business growth.
Shorter session durations and reduced engagement with content limited opportunities for retention and monetisation. The title screen failed to maximise its potential as a hub for discovery, restricting user interaction and ultimately hindering business growth.
Using user research to identify opportunities for improvement
Using user research to identify opportunities for improvement
To gather fresh perspectives on the Whatch title screen and identify opportunities for improvement, I conducted a survey with potential users. They were given an overview of the app and asked to evaluate the title screen, with the aim was to uncover areas for enhancement.
To gather fresh perspectives on the Whatch title screen and identify opportunities for improvement, I conducted a survey with potential users. They were given an overview of the app and asked to evaluate the title screen, with the aim was to uncover areas for enhancement.
Positive comments:
Positive comments:
Many users mentioned that the movie poster and cover art immediately captured their attention.
Many users mentioned that the movie poster and cover art immediately captured their attention.
Users were drawn to the idea of seeing friends’ activities and recommendations, which sparked curiosity and engagement.
Users were drawn to the idea of seeing friends’ activities and recommendations, which sparked curiosity and engagement.
Users were interested in easy access to trailers, clips, and cast info directly on the title screen for smoother engagement.
Users were interested in easy access to trailers, clips, and cast info directly on the title screen for smoother engagement.
Negative comments:
Negative comments:
Many respondents found the amount of text on the title screen overwhelming, which made it less inviting to explore further.
Many respondents found the amount of text on the title screen overwhelming, which made it less inviting to explore further.
Users found the absence of visible streaming options and platform icons frustrating, as it made discovering where to watch content less efficient.
Users found the absence of visible streaming options and platform icons frustrating, as it made discovering where to watch content less efficient.
Users felt the title screen lacked engagement and failed to capture their interest.
Users felt the title screen lacked engagement and failed to capture their interest.
Strategic ideation for optimisations
Strategic ideation for optimisations
Market analysis plays a crucial role in identifying differentiation opportunities. I facilitated a competitor analysis workshop to uncover gaps and areas for differentiation. Through collaborative voting and technical discussions, we prioritised ideas for immediate development or future exploration. To quickly assess the potential of the top ideas, I sketched concepts to determine which were worth pursuing further.
Market analysis plays a crucial role in identifying differentiation opportunities. I facilitated a competitor analysis workshop to uncover gaps and areas for differentiation. Through collaborative voting and technical discussions, we prioritised ideas for immediate development or future exploration. To quickly assess the potential of the top ideas, I sketched concepts to determine which were worth pursuing further.
Winning ideas for exploration
Winning ideas for exploration
Make watching easy
Make watching easy
Integrate real-time 'where to watch' platform options to drive interaction and retention.
Integrate real-time 'where to watch' platform options to drive interaction and retention.
Intuitive navigation
Intuitive navigation
Display actionable next steps prominently to simplify navigation, enabling users to easily discover features like watchlists, driving engagement and retention.
Display actionable next steps prominently to simplify navigation, enabling users to easily discover features like watchlists, driving engagement and retention.
Content for casual users
Content for casual users
Incorporate non-input sections for a more approachable experience for casual users that might not have any friends on the app yet.
Incorporate non-input sections for a more approachable experience for casual users that might not have any friends on the app yet.
Dynamic content
Dynamic content
Add content like trailers and cast profiles to boost exploration, engagement, and monetisation.
Add content like trailers and cast profiles to boost exploration, engagement, and monetisation.
Concept 1
Concept 1
Exposing all content
Exposing all content
Solution
Solution
Provides a snapshot of all content types on the title screen (e.g., trailers, cast, watch options, ratings), reassuring users by making key information easily accessible.
Provides a snapshot of all content types on the title screen (e.g., trailers, cast, watch options, ratings), reassuring users by making key information easily accessible.
Exposes sections with links to full pages, encouraging exploration by tapping into users’ curiosity and creating an intuitive layout with familiar elements like cast photos and platform icons.
Exposes sections with links to full pages, encouraging exploration by tapping into users’ curiosity and creating an intuitive layout with familiar elements like cast photos and platform icons.
Reduces cognitive load by offering clear navigation cues, making it easier for users to find what they need without feeling overwhelmed.
Reduces cognitive load by offering clear navigation cues, making it easier for users to find what they need without feeling overwhelmed.
Drawbacks
Drawbacks
Excessive content exposure risks overwhelming users with too many visible sections, leading to decision fatigue and reducing meaningful interaction.
Excessive content exposure risks overwhelming users with too many visible sections, leading to decision fatigue and reducing meaningful interaction.
Peripheral details like cast and crew may feel unnecessary for users focused on reviews or ratings, potentially drawing attention away from more important elements.
Peripheral details like cast and crew may feel unnecessary for users focused on reviews or ratings, potentially drawing attention away from more important elements.
Excessive competing elements on the screen could dilute the user experience, making it harder for users to focus on key features like recommendations or watch options.
Excessive competing elements on the screen could dilute the user experience, making it harder for users to focus on key features like recommendations or watch options.
Concept 2
Concept 2
Encouraging discovery
Encouraging discovery
Solution
Solution
Combines all content types into a single sideways scrolling interface, enabling users to explore and engage without leaving the title screen.
Combines all content types into a single sideways scrolling interface, enabling users to explore and engage without leaving the title screen.
Fosters interactivity and seamless navigation, creating a continuous discovery flow that reduces extra clicks and keeps users immersed.
Fosters interactivity and seamless navigation, creating a continuous discovery flow that reduces extra clicks and keeps users immersed.
Aligns with user expectations by offering a cohesive experience that supports intuitive exploration of various content types.
Aligns with user expectations by offering a cohesive experience that supports intuitive exploration of various content types.
Drawbacks
Drawbacks
Sideways scrolling navigation can make organising the page order challenging and may confuse users if content hierarchy isn’t clear.
Sideways scrolling navigation can make organising the page order challenging and may confuse users if content hierarchy isn’t clear.
Prioritising social content aligns with Whatch’s core focus but risks empty-state screens for users without friends on the app, potentially reducing engagement.
Prioritising social content aligns with Whatch’s core focus but risks empty-state screens for users without friends on the app, potentially reducing engagement.
Featuring similar titles first follows familiar patterns from other apps but could detract from Whatch’s emphasis on social interactions, weakening its unique value proposition.
Featuring similar titles first follows familiar patterns from other apps but could detract from Whatch’s emphasis on social interactions, weakening its unique value proposition.
Refining interactions and content discovery
Refining interactions and content discovery
Building on Concept 1, I explored design approaches to enhance usability and engagement, experimenting with bottom sheets, dedicated pages, and inline displays to balance interactivity and content visibility. Iterations focused on intuitive grouping, clear hierarchy, and social features to encourage discovery, ensuring a cohesive and user-friendly experience.
Building on Concept 1, I explored design approaches to enhance usability and engagement, experimenting with bottom sheets, dedicated pages, and inline displays to balance interactivity and content visibility. Iterations focused on intuitive grouping, clear hierarchy, and social features to encourage discovery, ensuring a cohesive and user-friendly experience.
Key optimisations to the title screen
Key optimisations to the title screen
Streamlined navigation
Streamlined navigation
Exposing key page links simplifies navigation, reducing friction and confusion. Grouping rate and review with lists aligns with familiar patterns and declutters the top of the screen.
Exposing key page links simplifies navigation, reducing friction and confusion. Grouping rate and review with lists aligns with familiar patterns and declutters the top of the screen.
Interactive categories
Interactive categories
Clickable categories encourage exploration and make it easier for users to dive into specific sections, improving overall usability.
Clickable categories encourage exploration and make it easier for users to dive into specific sections, improving overall usability.
Community highlights
Community highlights
Bringing in social elements—like data from friends or the app community—creates a sense of connection, even for users who don’t yet have friends on the platform.
Bringing in social elements—like data from friends or the app community—creates a sense of connection, even for users who don’t yet have friends on the platform.
Engaging surface content
Engaging surface content
Highlighting interesting, actionable content on the main screen invites users to interact and discover deeper layers without overwhelming them.
Highlighting interesting, actionable content on the main screen invites users to interact and discover deeper layers without overwhelming them.
Natural interaction patterns
Natural interaction patterns
Using familiar scrolling and swiping gestures aligns with user expectations, keeping navigation intuitive and interaction seamless.
Using familiar scrolling and swiping gestures aligns with user expectations, keeping navigation intuitive and interaction seamless.
Monetisation opportunities
Monetisation opportunities
By integrating monetisation elements like banners into key areas of the title screen, we ensured they were visible yet unobtrusive, balancing revenue goals with user experience.
By integrating monetisation elements like banners into key areas of the title screen, we ensured they were visible yet unobtrusive, balancing revenue goals with user experience.
A/B test to validate the new design
A/B test to validate the new design
To determine which title screen design better supported user engagement and content discovery, I conducted an A/B test comparing the new design with the old.
To determine which title screen design better supported user engagement and content discovery, I conducted an A/B test comparing the new design with the old.
The results:
The results:
Version B was preferred by 66.7% of users.
Version B was preferred by 66.7% of users.
72% of users found the new title screen more intuitive for navigation and content discovery.
72% of users found the new title screen more intuitive for navigation and content discovery.
Over 75% of users felt the updated design better showcased available content, improving their likelihood of exploring further.
Over 75% of users felt the updated design better showcased available content, improving their likelihood of exploring further.
68% of users stated they would recommend the updated title screen to others, reflecting positive reception and usability.
68% of users stated they would recommend the updated title screen to others, reflecting positive reception and usability.
Next steps:
Next steps:
The updated title screen showed promise, but tracking KPIs like retention, content interaction, and user satisfaction will assess its success. Ongoing user feedback will guide future refinements to keep meeting user needs.
The updated title screen showed promise, but tracking KPIs like retention, content interaction, and user satisfaction will assess its success. Ongoing user feedback will guide future refinements to keep meeting user needs.
TEST A
TEST A
TEST B
TEST B
Final designs
Final designs
The final outcome of this project was an optimised, content-rich title screen experience for the Whatch app, designed to tackle the issues of engagement loss and limited content discovery. The new title screen encourages users to explore deeper, add titles to their watchlist, and share them with friends. The updated title screen is now used on both iOS and Android platforms, effectively transforming it into a hub for content discovery and improving business growth.
The final outcome of this project was an optimised, content-rich title screen experience for the Whatch app, designed to tackle the issues of engagement loss and limited content discovery. The new title screen encourages users to explore deeper, add titles to their watchlist, and share them with friends. The updated title screen is now used on both iOS and Android platforms, effectively transforming it into a hub for content discovery and improving business growth.
"The design looks clean and intuitive, making it easy to navigate through the app."
"The design looks clean and intuitive, making it easy to navigate through the app."
"The design looks clean and intuitive, making it easy to navigate through the app."
Reflections
Reflections
Keep evolving your workshops
Keep evolving your workshops
Running workshops is a great way to align a team, but experimenting with new formats can bring even more value. For this project, I tested a competitor analysis workshop that proved incredibly effective. It reinforced how important it is to tailor workshops to the problem at hand, ensuring the insights are focused and actionable.
Running workshops is a great way to align a team, but experimenting with new formats can bring even more value. For this project, I tested a competitor analysis workshop that proved incredibly effective. It reinforced how important it is to tailor workshops to the problem at hand, ensuring the insights are focused and actionable.
Balance familiarity with innovation
Balance familiarity with innovation
This project deepened my understanding of app patterns in entertainment and social apps. I learned how to use familiar design elements while introducing fresh ideas. By balancing these elements, I was able to lessen the cognitive load on users, helping them navigate the app with ease while still enjoying innovative features.
This project deepened my understanding of app patterns in entertainment and social apps. I learned how to use familiar design elements while introducing fresh ideas. By balancing these elements, I was able to lessen the cognitive load on users, helping them navigate the app with ease while still enjoying innovative features.
A user-centric approach to membership sign-ups
A user-centric approach to membership sign-ups
Royal Institute of Philosophy • Web • Sep-Nov 2024
Royal Institute of Philosophy • Web • Sep-Nov 2024
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