A History Channel redesign focused on content discovery.

CONTEXT

2023 · UI/UX bootcamp

ROLE

Solo UI/UX Designer

METHODS

App store reviews, competitive audit, user surveys, prototyping

FOCUS

Mobile UX, Motion design

CONTEXT

2023 · UI/UX bootcamp

ROLE

Solo UI/UX Designer

METHODS

App store reviews, competitive audit, user surveys, prototyping

FOCUS

Mobile UX, Motion design

CONTEXT

2023 · UI/UX bootcamp

ROLE

Solo UI/UX Designer

METHODS

App store reviews, competitive audit, user surveys, prototyping

FOCUS

Mobile UX, Motion design

CONTEXT

2023 · UI/UX bootcamp

ROLE

Solo UI/UX Designer

METHODS

App store reviews, competitive audit, user surveys, prototyping

FOCUS

Mobile UX, Motion design

PROBLEM

Real users had already described the problem in app store reviews: finding something to watch took too much work.

RESEARCH

App store reviews

Three complaints kept repeating. Users liked the shows; they were frustrated by the work it took to find them, the ad load, and the cable wall.

On ad load

"I feel like I’m watching more ads than content, even with a subscription."

On the cable wall

"I haven’t had cable since 2009. This is why I don’t watch History Channel shows."

On navigation

"I have to work harder than I’d expect to find what I want to watch."

On ad load

"I feel like I’m watching more ads than content, even with a subscription."

On the cable wall

"I haven’t had cable since 2009. This is why I don’t watch History Channel shows."

On navigation

"I have to work harder than I’d expect to find what I want to watch."

On ad load

"I feel like I’m watching more ads than content, even with a subscription."

On the cable wall

"I haven’t had cable since 2009. This is why I don’t watch History Channel shows."

On navigation

"I have to work harder than I’d expect to find what I want to watch."

On ad load

"I feel like I’m watching more ads than content, even with a subscription."

On the cable wall

"I haven’t had cable since 2009. This is why I don’t watch History Channel shows."

On navigation

"I have to work harder than I’d expect to find what I want to watch."

Surveys

Surveys backed up the reviews: viewers subscribed when they could find something worth watching, not out of brand loyalty.

75%

Wanted new content surfaced on the homepage

60%

Said personalization was the most important feature

70%

Used streaming as their primary option

100%

More likely to subscribe after a free trial

Just-in-time information

One mechanic at a time, introduced when it's needed, not front-loaded.

Narration creates order

A wall of text has no reading order. A narrator's voice does. It moves through the screen and tells players where to look next.

Prompting the players

Motion, glow, or a direct cue. Without one, an empty space reads as "done," not "your turn."

Prompting the players

Motion, glow, or a direct cue. Without one, an empty space reads as "done," not "your turn."

Just-in-time information

One mechanic at a time, introduced when it's needed, not front-loaded.

Narration creates order

A wall of text has no reading order. A narrator's voice does. It moves through the screen and tells players where to look next.

Prompting the players

Motion, glow, or a direct cue. Without one, an empty space reads as "done," not "your turn."

100%

More likely to subscribe after a free trial

TAKEAWAYS

Insights that drove decisions

01

When browsing fails, people search.

Vague categories and look-alike thumbnails pushed viewers to the search bar. Fixing navigation meant fixing the category structure first.

02

Labels carry the brand promise.

Viewers couldn't tell scripted reality from historical programming at a glance, and that ambiguity cost trust.

03

Discovery is the conversion event.

Commitment happens when someone finds something worth watching, not at the paywall. The homepage is the most important surface in the app.

TAKEAWAYS

Insights that drove decisions

01

When browsing fails, people search.

Vague categories and look-alike thumbnails pushed viewers to the search bar. Fixing navigation meant fixing the category structure first.

02

Labels carry the brand promise.

Viewers couldn't tell scripted reality from historical programming at a glance, and that ambiguity cost trust.

03

Discovery is the conversion event.

Commitment happens when someone finds something worth watching, not at the paywall. The homepage is the most important surface in the app.

TAKEAWAYS

Insights that drove decisions

01

When browsing fails, people search.

Vague categories and look-alike thumbnails pushed viewers to the search bar. Fixing navigation meant fixing the category structure first.

02

Labels carry the brand promise.

Viewers couldn't tell scripted reality from historical programming at a glance, and that ambiguity cost trust.

03

Discovery is the conversion event.

Commitment happens when someone finds something worth watching, not at the paywall. The homepage is the most important surface in the app.

TAKEAWAYS

Insights that drove decisions

01

When browsing fails, people search.

Vague categories and look-alike thumbnails pushed viewers to the search bar. Fixing navigation meant fixing the category structure first.

02

Labels carry the brand promise.

Viewers couldn't tell scripted reality from historical programming at a glance, and that ambiguity cost trust.

03

Discovery is the conversion event.

Commitment happens when someone finds something worth watching, not at the paywall. The homepage is the most important surface in the app.

ITERATE

Prototypes

With the insights in hand, I prototyped three viewer moments: how people browse, how they sign up, and how they share what they’re watching.

• Content discovery, free trial onboarding, and sharing content

• Free trial

• Sharing content

DESIGN

Before & After

Three screens redesigned in response to what users reported. Each one removes a barrier they described.

REFLECT

This was a self-directed redesign, so I don’t have live metrics. The design decisions are built around the findings: filters where they’re most needed, artwork that leads instead of competes, and a free-trial CTA positioned at the moment viewers decide.

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