DIRECTV wanted to meet customer desire to watch network and Internet-delivered content on mobile devices. I worked collaboratively with a fellow designer, product manager, our engineering team and the executive leadership team in order to align our satellite content categories into DIRECTV’S first digital experience for the small screen.
We began by defining our problem space and understanding our customers’ wants and needs prior to any discussion of architecture and layout.
The first step into the area was an iPad App available in the iTunes Store.
Additional Roles - User Research, Shared Interaction Design Shared with Teammate
Goals
Customers can easily watch live TV and On Demand content on an iPad.
Customers can conveniently set recordings anytime, anywhere.
Customers can control any of their set top boxes with their iPad.
UX Vision
Empower viewers to get what they want by unleashing favorite programs from the family room.
Approach
Waterfall process beginning with user research and design.
Research
Strong mental models existed for watching television and shifting into a new paradigm required a design that took that prior knowledge and expectations into account. This design had to work for a wide variety of customers from youth to elderly and novice to expert.
We conducted a competitive analysis to understand the landscape and inform our feature list.
So that we could experience what customers experience and understand the interactions we converted a conference room into a space that housed devices made by competitors.
I created a study and led the design team on visits to customers’ homes in order to observe how individuals and families use tablets plus uncover overt and latent needs.
Scenarios & Flows
There were three different types of customers that subscribed to DIRECTV and were interested in using a tablet to interact with their television viewing or interested in viewing content outside of the home on a mobile device. Mapping out the primary goals, tasks and paths identified the essential screens and interactions.
Site Map
One of the initial steps of the design process was to categorize each content category and create a structural framework that would be flexible and support the digital services.
Sketching
Held team brainstorming session. At the end of the session one aspect of the interface did not receive total agreement and that was the main menu. Some thought a vertical implementation would yield a better user experience while others thought a horizontal layout was more ideal. We decided to go with a horizontal implementation and usability test with our customers. If we saw usability issues with it we would change the design and implement a vertical menu.
Wireframes
I have depicted the screens that would be used the most often and had the highest potential to cause confusion. These screens are different than what customers were used to seeing on their television screens. The set top box interface is quite different than these screens.
In-Home Usability Testing
Evaluated the user experience by observing customers use a prototype inside and outside their homes. The horizontal menu layout performed well. The problem was that customers were confused as to what programs could and could not be viewed outside of the home and why. We needed to add labels in the right places so that things were clear.
Solution
Customers can watch live TV, On Demand and DVR playlist content as well as set recordings anytime, anywhere. A success rate of 90% was achieved in usability testing. Satisfaction measured met the “very satisfied” level.
This product differentiates DIRECTV from other content providers including cable television and web-based deliver systems and meets customers’ desire to access content on mobile devices.
