identified areas of improvements to enhance the navigation experience

HBO Max

a summative study

Research Questions

Do users understand if a show has been
added to “My List” and Downloads?

Can users differentiate between
“Just Added” and “My List”

Methods

19 remote moderated 1:1 usability test via Zoom
Screening tools (Google Form) for
recruiting participants

Skills

Usability Testing
Organization
Observation
Moderation Guide
Empathy
Data Analysis
Collaboration

Research impact

The collected data provided insights into the various surprises users experienced with the different functionalities and how they could be improved upon.

The recommendations primarily focused on increasing visual and sensory feedback to minimize
user cognitive effort and improve the interaction between the user and the app.

The team was able to meet each milestone
on time and receive overwhelmingly
positive feedback from the stakeholders.

Timeline

6 Weeks, Summer 2022

Participants

20-60 years old
10 women, 8 men, 1 non-binary
Experienced using the HBO Max app

Research

Add an interactive visual cue, like a pop-up notification that serves to communicate to the user that the system is working.

Ensure language articulates a feature's purpose clearly and succinctly so that users do not have to decipher vague jargon.

Leveraging users' previous interpretations with "person" icons and app badges so that it takes less cognitive effort.

Incorporate app badges so that users have visual confirmation.

Create an option where users can drag and sort their shows using haptic technology

Process

Participants Recruitment

Since June 2022, the proportion of U.S. households with streaming services has grown to 88% (113 million households). As popularity continue to grow, it’s important for streaming service providers to continue explore the needs, motivations and challenges their users.

Participants were recruited using a convenience sample. Participants were screened and scheduled within a few hours of initial contact. Once a session was confirmed, participants were sent a Zoom link and reminders were sent a day before the scheduled session. The efforts taken to recruit participants in different geographic locations are reflected in the diversity represented in our sample. Demographics of participants are listed below:

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Ages between 20-60 years old
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10 women, 8 men, 1 non-binary 
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Secondary research was done to explore user pain points and overall user sentiment toward the app. Specifically, the team read the app reviews and comments on social media platforms to gauge the latest user feedback. Collected data was used to formulate research objectives and methods, and the methods guided the development of a timeline to ensure each milestone was met on time.

Session goals, participant rights, and consent were discussed at the beginning of each session. Upon receiving consent, participants were invited to join a 30 mins-45 mins usability testing session. The sessions were recorded to ensure the quality of data collection. After each session, I reviewed and organized my notes to uncover the commonalities shared among the participants. These notes were then shared and discussed with the research team. Common user frustrations with the components of user profiles were highlighted. The study addressed all four research questions and recommendations were created based on the collected data. The team and I prepared a presentation to to share 4 of the key findings and insights with stakeholders.

With nearly 77 million subscribers worldwide, HBO has become widely popular. I was part of a student UX research team that wanted to improve the streaming experience for users around the world. My team and I conducted a usability test on the HBO Max app and explored how subscribers keep track of movies and shows, how they would watch them offline, and how satisfied they were with the navigation experience. I was involved in recruitment, scheduling, research design, moderating sessions and data analysis.