Previously seen TV shows were still showing up in the recorded list (because future shows was still set to record) and messaging issues around recording options were customer pain-points. I worked on this project to improve series recording management.

Role: Lead Product Designer

Platform: TV

Skills: Requirements Gathering, Wireframing, Conceptualization, Prototyping, Stakeholder Demo and Presentations, Modular Designing, Stakeholder Demos and Presentations.

THE ASK
Improve user accuracy in managing DVR recording.

Product Design Goals

  • Improve the interaction model for deleting a movie/series and editing series options.

  • Improve legibility and visual hierarchy.

  • Provide clearer messaging for series options

Customer Pain Points

Deleting a Series Episode does not provide option to cancel series recording.

To cancel a series recording (using DIRECTV Remote):

from Live TV → Press LIST → Left → Up → Right → Down → OK → Down (n) → OK → Down → Right → Right → Down → OK

Based on past Eye-Tracking analysis and benchmark studies,  most users are cancelling series recordings (through series manager):

from Live TV → Press LIST → Left → Up → Right → Down → OK → Down (n) → OK → R

(Anecdotally, no one uses this way)

Cancel “The Insider” series recording (using DIRECTV remote)

Leverage Key Findings from AT&T TV RITE Testing

A RITE (Rapid Iterative Testing and Evaluation) study previously conducted on AT&T TV revealed users struggled with deleting, cancelling, and managing their recordings.

The study looked at recommendations to optimize and improve how users are able to manage their recordings.

I leveraged key findings from the study for the DIRECTV Improve DVR Management Project.

User Flows

From the RITE study, I created user flows for all possible use-cases, entry-points, and explored how the path to series options could be improved.

I conducted in-house peer critique sessions and reviewed each approach with the development team.

Key Considerations

I explored user flows based on these considerations:

  • Will users notice the option to stop future recordings after deletion?
  • Do we ensure this is done in context of series deletion?
  • What was their intent?
  • Will they notice a page-change from landing page to series episodic page?
  • How might we arrange/label series options to users in a clearer, more comprehensive way?

Visual Explorations

Series Options

I conducted peer reviews on flow/layout options to display episodic level content, manage series and look at possible entry-points to cancel future recordings.

Series Options - Groupings and Nomenclature

With the copywriter, I also explored the most viable ways for series options, basically exploring visual hierarchy, grouping and nomenclature for each option.

Key Takeaways

  • Options with too much visual similarity between landing and episodic section were problematic since users couldn’t notice the page-change.
  • Manage Series CTA more noticeable when separated from the left menu.
  • Series options that were clearly labeled and grouped together helped users understand when managing series.

Hero Version

I conducted final reviews with development and leadership team to arrive at the hero version, ready for user testing.

Prototyping

Working with user research team, I developed a prototype in InVision to test how the proposed interaction design impacts users’ understanding and expectations of the edit options screen.

Study Goals:

  • Do users understand the new interaction model for deleting a movie/series using the trash can?
  • What is the comfort level on the proposed Stop Future Recording flow?
  • Do users understand the messaging around recording options?

User Testing Results

  • Manage Series: Participants were able to successfully edit and cancel their recording in the Manage Series button within series folder. (Improvement in time to task by 86%)
  • Contextual Cancel CTA: The contextual cancel future series CTA was purposeful to participants, and 95% participants preferred this method of cancelling.
  • Set Series Recording: All participants were able to set a series recording (with 90% accuracy), which was a previously identified usability issue in the 2019 benchmark study.