At a Glance
The Challenge: DIRECTV's third-party app experience was basic, providing little value to users. Instead of meaningful content discovery, users faced bare-bones links that simply shuttled them to external platforms. Compounding this issue, challenging partner agreements dictated strict limitations on app placement and visibility.
The Solution: A unified Advanced Apps Carousel that consolidates app discovery into a single, feature-rich carousel with personalized recommendations, content previews, and user controls.
Impact Summary
+535%
Increase in on-demand program viewing (first 3 months).
+535%
Increase in on-demand program viewing (first 3 months).
76%
Of surveyed users found the new interface more appealing
76%
Of surveyed users found the new interface more appealing
64%
Praised the hero content feature video preview in the carousel
64%
Praised the hero content feature video preview in the carousel
"Fresh" "Intuitive" "Accessible"
How users consistently described the experience
"Fresh" "Intuitive" "Accessible"
How users consistently described the experience
The Problem
While DirecTV had long supported access to third-party apps, the experience was disjointed and outdated. Users encountered a fragmented interface with little more than static links, forcing them to exit the DirecTV ecosystem entirely to play and discover programs.
The core challenge: We needed to create a content discovery hub that:
Consolidates fragmented experiences into a unified interface.
Balances user needs with complex third-party contractual obligations.
Keeps users within the DirecTV ecosystem while accessing external content.
Navigates partner requirements (like Netflix's mandatory first-position placement)
Legacy app carousels provided only basic link-outs and content previews from individual third-party sources, displaying content regardless of user subscription status.
My Role
As Lead UX Designer, I owned:
UX Strategy & Design for the updated 3rd party apps ecosystem.
App Prioritization Model defining how content surfaces and ranks while balancing user needs with partner requirements.
First-Time User Experience design and onboarding flow.
Pin Architecture creating DirecTV's first customizable carousel.
Research & Discovery
Methodology: To validate our proposed strategies, we conducted in-person usability testing with real customers. Insights from these sessions guided our team in finalizing the project requirements and ensuring they reflected user needs.
Content Priority
All active user groups clearly prioritized continuity - the ability to resume watching in-progress programs.
For DirecTV to become users' preferred content aggregator, we needed to address this fundamental need first. Users expressed strong interest in trending content and targeted recommendations as secondary features.
User Controls
Viewers highly valued the ability to customize the order and of apps.
This wasn't merely a convenience feature it was essential for user satisfaction.
Pinning as a concept
Users responded positively to the ability to fix app tiles to specific positions.
The Pin feature was first created to meet Netflix's contract requirement: their app couldn't be moved from the first position unless a viewer chose to do it. As it happens, users actually enjoy being able to lock their favorite apps in place.
Strategic Approach
To deliver a more rounded 3rd party app aggregation experience, we reimagined the ecosystem from the ground up. These four key transformations spanning design, functionality, and integration, reflect the strategic shifts that moved the experience from fragmented and limited to unified, personalized, and partner-friendly.
Four Key Transformations:
From Fragmented to Unified I developed a cohesive framework that allowed multiple streaming apps to exist within a single, intuitive interface while respecting each platform's unique requirements.
From Static to Dynamic I developed a carousel system that evolved through each phase of a user’s lifecycle:
Cold Start: Optimized for initial discovery and onboarding
First Use: Personalized experience after selecting apps
Long-Term Use: Advanced program discovery and continue watching functionality
From Basic to Feature-Rich I designed features that would that supported each business objective:
Discovery: Showcasing third-party apps and available programs
Continue Watching: Seamless viewing experiences across apps
Upsell: Creating partner opportunities
Account Management: Enabling user control and security
The app ecosystem includes the homepage experience, the "Installed Apps" page (where users can access all apps) and a "my Apps" page (where users can manage their homepage carousel).
Unifying 3rd Party Content Discovery: DirectTV's App-Integrated Homepage Experience.
Unifying 3rd Party Content Discovery: DirectTV's App-Integrated Homepage Experience.
Unifying 3rd Party Content Discovery: DirectTV's App-Integrated Homepage Experience.
In 2024, I led Product Design for DIRECTV's Advanced Apps Carousel, a unified homepage carousel that enables users to discover third-party apps and content. This solution increased app engagement while enhancing the platform's merchandising capabilities through streamlined content discovery.
In 2024, I led Product Design for DIRECTV's Advanced Apps Carousel, a unified homepage carousel that enables users to discover third-party apps and content. This solution increased app engagement while enhancing the platform's merchandising capabilities through streamlined content discovery.
In 2024, I led Product Design for DIRECTV's Advanced Apps Carousel, a unified homepage carousel that enables users to discover third-party apps and content. This solution increased app engagement while enhancing the platform's merchandising capabilities through streamlined content discovery.
At a Glance
The Challenge: DirecTV's third-party app experience was basic, providing little value to users. Instead of meaningful content discovery, users faced bare-bones links that simply shuttled them to external platforms. Compounding this issue, challenging partner agreements dictated strict limitations on app placement and visibility.
The Solution: A unified Apps Carousel that consolidates app discovery into a single, feature-rich carousel with personalized recommendations and user controls.
Impact Summary
+535%
Increase in on-demand program viewing (first 3 months).
+535%
Increase in on-demand program viewing (first 3 months).
76%
Of surveyed users found the new interface more appealing
76%
Of surveyed users found the new interface more appealing
64%
Praised the hero content feature video preview in the carousel
64%
Praised the hero content feature video preview in the carousel
"Fresh" "Intuitive" "Accessible"
How users consistently described the experience
"Fresh" "Intuitive" "Accessible"
How users consistently described the experience
Impact Summary
Enhanced Discovery
across multiple streaming platforms from one interface
Increased Engagement
surveyed users found the new interface more appealing
Reduced Churn
by positioning DTV as a comprehensive content aggregation hub
Improved Merchandising
with direct homepage promotion of third-party content
The Problem
While DirecTV had long supported access to third-party apps, the experience was disjointed and outdated. Users encountered a fragmented interface with little more than static links, forcing them to exit the DirecTV ecosystem entirely to discover programs.
The core challenge: We needed to create a content discovery hub that:
Consolidates fragmented experiences into a unified interface.
Balances user needs with complex third-party contractual obligations.
Keeps users within the DirecTV ecosystem while accessing external content.
Navigates partner requirements (like Netflix's mandatory first-position placement)
The legacy app carousels provided only basic link-outs and content previews from individual third-party sources, displaying content regardless of user subscription status.
My Role
As Lead UX Designer, I owned:
UX Strategy & Design for the updated 3rd party apps ecosystem.
App Prioritization Model defining how content surfaces and ranks while balancing user needs with partner requirements.
First-Time User Experience design and onboarding flow.
Pin Architecture creating DirecTV's first customizable carousel.
As Lead UX Designer, I owned:
UX Strategy & Design for the updated 3rd party apps ecosystem.
App Prioritization Model defining how content surfaces and ranks while balancing user needs with partner requirements.
First-Time User Experience design and onboarding flow.
Pin Architecture creating DirecTV's first customizable carousel.
Research & Discovery
Methodology: To validate our proposed strategies, we conducted in-person usability testing with real customers. Insights from these sessions guided the final project requirements:
Content Priority
All active user groups clearly prioritized continuity - the ability to resume watching in-progress 3rd party programs.
For DirecTV to become users' preferred content aggregator, we needed to address this fundamental need first. Users expressed strong interest in trending content and targeted recommendations as secondary features.
User Controls
Viewers highly valued the ability to customize the order and visibility of apps.
This wasn't merely a convenience feature it was essential for user satisfaction.
Pinning as a concept
Users responded positively to the ability to fix app tiles to specific positions.
The Pin feature was first created to meet Netflix's contract requirement: their app couldn't be moved from the first position unless a viewer chose to do it. As it happens, users actually enjoy being able to lock their favorite apps in place.
Strategic Approach
To deliver a more rounded 3rd party app aggregation experience, we reimagined the ecosystem from the ground up. These four key transformations spanning design, functionality, and integration, reflect the strategic shifts that moved the experience from fragmented and limited to unified, personalized, and partner-friendly.
Four Key Transformations:
From Fragmented to Unified I developed a cohesive framework that allowed multiple streaming apps to exist within a single, intuitive interface while respecting each platform's unique requirements.
From Static to Dynamic I developed a carousel system that evolved through each phase of a user’s lifecycle:
Cold Start: Optimized for initial discovery and onboarding.
First Use: Personalized experience after selecting apps.
Long-Term Use: Advanced program discovery and continue watching functionality.
From Basic to Feature-Rich I designed features that would that supported each business objective:
Discovery: Showcasing third-party apps and available programs.
Continue Watching: Seamless viewing experiences across apps.
Upsell: Creating partner opportunities.
Account Management: Enabling user control and security.
The app ecosystem includes the homepage experience, the "Installed Apps" page (where users can access all apps) and a "my Apps" page (where users can manage their homepage carousel).
Key Innovations
Consolidated app experience
Combining the previously fragmented homepage app experience into a singular prominent discovery engine.
The homepage app experience was built as two carousels. The first, the continue watching experience, a consolidation of the most recently watched programs from all sources. The second, the discovery experience, a way to discover programs from signed in or non-member apps.
The homepage app experience consists of two carousels: “Continue Watching”, a traditionally formatted row that consolidates recently viewed content from all 3rd party platforms, and “Discovery”, a double-layered carousel featuring curated content from logged in and logged out apps.
Content Preview Engine
For the first time, users can see which titles were available across all apps right from the DirecTV homepage, without clicking away.
When logged in, apps could show curated picks tailored to what viewers had been watching, or display recommendations chosen by the platform itself.
The program previews a viewer sees depend on the subscription status of each app. If you’re not subscribed, you'll get a wider range of general recommendations. If you are subscribed, the suggestions are tailored to your viewing habits, showing programs you’re most likely to enjoy.
User Controls
With the introduction of the Advanced Apps carousel, DIRECTV enabled users to personalize their experience by allowing them to “pin” preferred apps. This feature ensures that a user’s favorite apps remain accessible from a consistent location within the carousel, streamlining navigation regardless of how frequently each app is used.
Research & Discovery
Methodology: To validate our proposed strategies, we conducted in-person usability testing with real customers. Insights from these sessions guided our team in finalizing the project requirements and ensuring they reflected user needs.
Content Priority
All active user groups clearly prioritized continuity - the ability to resume watching in-progress programs.
For DirecTV to become users' preferred content aggregator, we needed to address this fundamental need first. Users expressed strong interest in trending content and targeted recommendations as secondary features.
User Controls
Viewers highly valued the ability to customize the order and of apps.
This wasn't merely a convenience feature it was essential for user satisfaction.
Pinning as a concept
Users responded positively to the ability to fix app tiles to specific positions.
The Pin feature was first created to meet Netflix's contract requirement: their app couldn't be moved from the first position unless a viewer chose to do it. As it happens, users actually enjoy being able to lock their favorite apps in place.
Key Innovations
Consolidated app experience
Combining the previously fragmented homepage app experience into a singular prominent discovery engine.
The homepage app experience was built as two carousels. The first, the continue watching experience, a consolidation of the most recently watched programs from all sources. The second, the discovery experience, a way to discover programs from signed in or non-member apps.
The homepage app experience consists of two carousels: “Continue Watching”, a traditionally formatted row that consolidates recently viewed content from all 3rd party platforms, and “Discovery”, a double-layered carousel featuring curated content from logged in and logged out apps.
Content Preview Engine
For the first time, users can see which titles were available across all apps right from the DirecTV homepage, without clicking away.
When logged in, apps could show curated picks tailored to what viewers had been watching, or display recommendations chosen by the platform itself.
The program previews a viewer sees depend on the subscription status of each app. If you’re not subscribed, you'll get a wider range of general recommendations. If you are subscribed, the suggestions are tailored to your viewing habits, showing programs you’re most likely to enjoy.
User Controls
With the introduction of the Advanced Apps carousel, DIRECTV enabled users to personalize their experience by allowing them to “pin” preferred apps. This feature ensures that a user’s favorite apps remain accessible from a consistent location within the carousel, streamlining navigation regardless of how frequently each app is used.
Other Case Studies
Other Case Studies