A research-backed redesign of the History Channel app, with a focus on enhancing user experience and improving engagement.
History Channels Mission Statement
"Raise awareness about the vitality of history, promote history education, and encourage the preservation of historic archives and sites."
Challenge
Redesign the History Channel app to improve user experience, increase engagement, and better showcase the channel's content.
Goal
Increase accessibility and create a more engaging experience that meets the needs of both the users and the business.
Time frame
1 month
Tools
Problem
Solution
The app is currently experiencing low user reviews and engagement even though users have nowhere else to access the exclusive content.
A thorough redesign backed by research will cause new and returning History fans to rediscover the value of History Channel and be inclined to invest in the app and share its content with their network.
Why is this happening?
What can we do?
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Limited availability of content with out premium
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Requirement of cable
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Lack of customization and viewing autonomy
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Underrepresentation of quality content
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Excessive advertisements
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Give the user autonomy by allowing them to filter their options
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Eliminate necessity for cable
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Promote new and highly rated programs
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Clearly organize the content
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Design a interactive and satisfying interface
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Increase user retention - leading to a lower necessity for ads
DISCOVER
Competitive Analysis
To kick off the design process, I analyzed features from seven competing streaming services and identified the strengths and weaknesses of the three most relevant ones.
Feature Analysis
Through the feature analysis, I learned that the most common features among popular streaming services are "watch later" personalization, recommendations, free trials, and ad-free viewing.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of Netflix, Shudder, and MagellanTV taught me areas for improvement on the History Channel app, such as the elimination of ads, personalization, and representation of quality content.
User Research
User Reviews
With the help of existing reviews of the History Channel app, I was able to identify some of the main pain points among users
Surveys
Through surveys, my goals was to discover:
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What appeals to a broad audience when it comes to streaming services
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Which streaming services are most popular and why
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What motivates users to invest in a streaming service
Said qauality of content is what will ultimately influence them to subscribe to a new service
50 %
Said that Netflix is their streaming service of choice
85 %
70 %
Don't have cable
40 %
Choose content based on rating
100 %
Are more likely to invest in a product if they receive a free trial
60 %
Think personalization is the most important feature they look for in a streaming service
Results collected from the survey. Participants were recruited through a series of online UX communities.
DEFINE
Personas
Using main insights from my research, I developed two user personas that embody the target audiences of the History Channel.
The returning user
Bill
Long-time fan of the History Channel and huge history buff. He is not very tech-savvy and finds it challenging to remember how to use new interfaces.
Goals
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Continue watching his favorite shows
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Easily find programs that he and his wife can both enjoy
Wants and needs
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Simple, hierarchal navigation
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To effortlessly identify categories and genres
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Episodes that pick up where he left off
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Summarized description of content
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Reduction of ads
The new user
Evora
Enjoys watching historical programming. She values accurate information and wants to learn more about the past.
Goals
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Easily distinguish between factual documentaries and entertainment-focused programming
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Access engaging content that she can watch anywhere
Wants and needs
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Thoroughly categorized content
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A way to filter reality TV from documentaries
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Labels to easily identify the genre of the program
IDEATE
User Flows
Based on the three personas, I created a flow that would fulfill their goals and needs
Prototype
With the flows and prototypes in mind, I created a fully functioning mid-fidelity prototype
DESIGN
Style Guide
For the style of the redesign, I decided to stay loyal to the History Channel typography and color scheme
Before and After
The following portrays the issues and how they were addressed by a redesign
