Challenge
The previous designs of the Discovery Go apps were outdated and did not meet the necessary accessibility requirements. Furthermore, navigating through the app to find specific TV shows or series proved to be a challenging task for users.
Discovery Go Redesign
I collaborated with the digital design team to redesign the Discovery Go apps, working directly on both web and mobile designs. In addition, I worked closely with six designers, five developers, two product managers, the user research team, the accessibility team, and QA to ensure the designs were thoroughly tested before launch.
Design Goals
How Might We?
How might we redesign a streaming app to provide a seamless and personalized viewing experience for users while enhancing content discovery, engagement and accessibility?
Seamless
Ensure cross-platform compatibility and high performance with seamless integration and scalability.
Brand Awareness
Maintain brand identity with consistent and flexible design across all components and themes.
Accessibility
Comply with accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) for a usable experience for all users.
User Research
Before starting the project, the user research team conducted studies to gather insights into current app usage, brand awareness, and product usability.
Brand Awareness
A study was conducted to measure brand awareness of Discovery's portfolio of brands among both users and non-users.
Key Takeaways of Brand Awareness test
01
Participants aware of Discovery only if the brand title included the word "Discovery".
02
Discovery's popular networks, like TLC, were not well-known outside core users.
03
Discovery was the most well-known brand, with 70% awareness, compared to Motortrend's 11%.
Device Usage
Device usage data was analyzed to understand how users watch Discovery content.
Key Takeaways of Multi-Device Usage Test
01
89% of authenticated users only used 1 device
02
10% of authenticated users streamed on 2 devices
03
The most common device sequence is CTV-> App
(23% authenticated users)
Wireframes
I joined the Discovery Go team post-initial design to enhance user accessibility and ease of access. We pinpointed issues like a small navigation bar and illegible buttons. Our redesign complied with WCAG guidelines, enhancing the viewing experience. We enlarged the navigation bar and call-to-action buttons for better legibility and usability, increased font sizes, and introduced new features like closed captioning and voice search.
Iterations
Early iterations featured various layouts and component setups. We used components that were still being designed for our design system (detailed information can be found in my project "Restructuring Discovery Go Design System"). After these initial iterations, we collaborated with user research to test and gather feedback on the new designs, allowing us to iterate and refine them further. Additionally, team shareouts across the entire product team facilitated stakeholder feedback.
Accessibility
In this project, a key focus was on enhancing accessibility. The design team and I prioritized ensuring color contrast met AA/AAA guidelines for vision impairments. We improved navigation by enabling keyboard tabbing and enhanced screen reader compatibility.
Additionally, I updated images to include alt text for all visual and non-text content. Throughout the process, I collaborated closely with web developers to ensure these updates were implemented effectively.
Additionally, I updated images to include alt text for all visual and non-text content. Throughout the process, I collaborated closely with web developers to ensure these updates were implemented effectively.
Final Solutions
The project's goal was to enhance TV series discoverability and provide an aesthetic design, ultimately aiming for a seamless user experience across the apps. We designed the interface to deliver information exactly when users needed it, allowing for convenient content viewing. The clean and intuitive layout ensured effortless usability, particularly valuable for users on the go.
Outcome
Brand and Content Awareness
- Despite a tight deadline, we successfully launched an enhanced MVP for Discovery Go, emphasizing accessibility and user-friendliness. This directly contributed to our goal of enhancing brand identity and content discovery.
- Improved content recommendations and navigation resulted in an 80% satisfaction rate with personalized recommendations, significantly driving user engagement.
- 90% of users preferred the new experience for its diverse content access, strongly aligning with our goal of improving content discoverability and overall user engagement.
- Achieving WCAG compliance broadened accessibility, supporting our commitment to inclusive design practices.
Seamless Experience
- Simplifying the linking of TV providers across all apps and devices improved cross-platform compatibility and user onboarding, directly addressing previous pain points of fragmented user experiences.
- The straightforward process of initiating content viewing positively impacted user retention and overall satisfaction, aligning with our goal of providing a seamless user experience.
Takeaways
Thorough design processes were essential for creating a robust product. Effective communication with the team, organization, and end-users throughout the process was crucial. By embracing inclusive designs, we ensured that users with diverse needs could access and utilize the product. Additionally, establishing a clear handoff strategy for designs early in the project facilitated a smoother implementation process.
