DIRECTV Mobile App

Product Design Lead | Phone & Tablet | Evolve a product

Video streaming app on phone & tablet for live and on-demand content.

The DIRECTV Mobile App (aka TVE) is an app offered to users who subscribe to the DIRECTV satellite service. They can use the app to stream video or control their set-top box (schedule recordings from anywhere; use the app as a remote control).

I led a team that updated the design for the complete app on mobile, tablet and web. Worked with multiple product and development teams as well as other business stakeholders (care, legal, marketing) to define, design and deliver this product.

What is the business ask?

Migrate from the current app to a new app. The new app will use a framework built to support multiple client apps. Minimize changes to the framework.

The TVE app was dated and running on a patchwork of legacy services that had been sticky-taped together over several years. The business wanted to migrate the app to AT&T's new entertainment framework (aka OV). This would -

Reduce operational costs and improve operational efficiency significantly by moving off the legacy framework that was serving only TVE and onto one shared by several clients
Open up features and functions available on the new framework

Two additional guidelines we were given were -

Minimize deltas this client creates on the new framework. Each new client-specific change creates operational overhead
There is a desire to move off the legacy framework as quickly as possible. This will mean there are time and technical constraints that will define the MVP.

What does this mean for the user?

How can we show users their top tasks are still the focus in this new app with a different UX?

An app update would switch users from the current app to the new app.

The new entertainment framework had a completely different UX. This meant that users would in effect have an app with new destinations and behaviors. How might we introduce users to this new app and quickly set context that while the app may look & behave differently, it is still focused on their needs and tasks.

The challenge was to quickly set context that their important & frequent tasks were still available and easy to do in this app.

Who are we designing for?

Older users watching a lot of live TV and a smaller group who are scheduling recordings.

Primarily older users who watch a lot of live TV and recordings.
Main viewing device is heavily skewed towards the TV.
Under-index on their use of streaming services.
Have well-formed habits & preferences.
Over-index on watching news and sports.

App usage data consistently shows most users streaming with a much smaller group using the app to schedule recordings.

What do we know?

Users & Top Tasks

A different app already using the new framework can provide valuable info on how well existing TVE users might perform their top tasks in the new app.

There is a lot of similarity in user type and top tasks between the TVE app and a different app that is already live on the new framework - the AT&T TV app. This gives us a view of how successful similar users with similar tasks have been on the new framework.

For both apps the largest segments are older users who primarily watch on the TV and are watching either live TV or recordings. The top tasks performed in either app are around streaming and recording.

I want to watch live TV (mainly news & sports programs)
I want to set a recording (mostly episode recordings)

Current Experience Audit

Identify features & functions tied to user's top tasks.

Audit of the current TVE experience to list all features and functions available
Dove deeper into each item to understand which features and functions were tied to the user's top tasks of streaming live TV and setting recordings.
Called out features that were legacy holdovers or had data showing no/low usage.
First pass understanding of which features would translate to the new framework relatively easily vs. would need redesign vs. not supported/net new design.

Usability

Similar users with similar top tasks are more successful in the new entertainment framework.

The current TVE app has known usability issues around top tasks.
The AT&T TV app that uses the new entertainment framework has no significant usability issues around top tasks.
TVE users will likely be able to perform their top tasks better in the new app. What they will be missing is context and familiarity.

Design Ask & Goals

Effortless transition for users to perform their top tasks in the new app.

Design Ask

How might we transition TVE users so they can easily perform their top tasks in the new app?

Design Goals

Clearly communicate the benefits of transitioning
Quickly set context for users of where they can perform their top tasks
Ensure top tasks are performed successfully with a minimal learning curve
Minimize TVE-specific design deltas

Measures of Success

Pre-launch testing that shows TVE users with no usability issues when performing their top tasks in the new app
Get streaming and recording usage numbers on par with old app within n weeks of new app launch

Delivery Plan

Proposed and aligned on a delivery plan with stakeholders that balanced mutual needs.

Shared our delivery plan with product and development. The plan balanced their need to show tangible progress with giving us work-ahead time on features that would need new design or large changes to the framework.

The plan was driven in large part by the current experience audit that helped us -

Identify core features tied to top tasks
Form the design POV on what features would translate to the new framework relatively easily vs. would need redesign vs. not supported/net new design

Final Design

Each feature was an individual design story.

With alignment on the delivery priority and roadmap, we were able to sprint plan the features and commit to design delivery dates.

Every feature was worked on as an individual design story. We took each of them from discovery through delivery.
Defined specific design ask and goals for each feature while keeping in mind the larger product design ask and goals.

Example of a feature designed for TVE

Remote Booking