Lasso

The first generation of streaming video services, led by Netflix, Hulu, and others, has been a competition measured by the breadth and quality of content. Each platform strives for binge-worthy exclusives and original programming. The result for customers, however, is access to thousands of movies and TV shows divided across multiple walled gardens with access to content heavily obscured by algorithms and business incentives.

This means Netflix and the like often offer biased or inaccurate content suggestions, leaving users to unhappily browse for extended periods of time when looking for something to watch. Lasso was designed to be a second-generation streaming platform, acting as a consolidated library for the content offered by existing publishers.

My process began with research and a competitve analysis. More than 50% of streaming video subscribers under 45 subscribe to more than one service. 63% have a cable subscription in addition to one or more streaming services. It is ridiculous to require these users to keep a running list of where and how to watch their favorite TV and movies. It is unethical design to bury legitimate content under dozens of Netflix (or Hulu, or Amazon) Originals. Entertainment should not require boredom or frustration. Paying customers deserve a smart and human-centered browsing experience.

Keeping this in mind, I analyzed Netflix, Hulu, Youtube (streaming services) and 1Password (account consolidation) looking for strengths, weaknesses, and common design patterns.

After auditing the competition, I created a series of personas and scenarios to better understand the motivations of the end user. While these people and situations are entirely imagined, I believe that creating detailed and authentic personas early on in the design process is crucial to solving real problems in a way that resonates with real people.

By actively brainstorming edge use cases, I could also begin building a preliminary feature list early in the project lifecycle. High-priority personas denoted core user scenarios and were used as success metrics throughout the project lifecycle.

Once the interactive prototype was ready, I drafted a usability test based on common user scenarios. I set key goals for the test along with a description of ideal participants. The usability test was designed to last about 15 minutes, including a brief introduction from me, some background questions for the participant, and several basic tasks such as "Please find and play an episode of The Office". I took notes throughout the test as well as screen recordings. I then compiled the results into a usability summary which included difficulty ratings for each task, direct quotes from users, and other insights.

One of my most important goals when user testing was to ensure that the Lasso onboarding process was simple and easy to understand. A smooth onboarding experience was critical to getting new users into the app and quickly demonstrating value. I also used user testing as an opportunity for user research, learning more about user's browsing habits and how they digest information. Testing results were generally positive, but did reveal opportunities for improvement that might have otherwise gone unnoticed; these include minor changes such as making copy more descriptive, and more major changes such as introducing in-app tooltips to explain key features.