SDA

Samsung Design America (SDA) was an advanced design studio in Los Angeles, California, for electronic devices.

Role

Working for SDA as a designer, my manager assigned me to reimagine the "Smart TV" Samsung app. My role was directly lead visual designer and project coordinator of the project. Responsibility was ideation, interaction, roadmaps, and visual design. 

Note: Smart TV is a traditional television set with integrated Internet and interactive Web 2.0 features that allow users to stream music and videos, browse the internet, and view photos.

Problem

Our challenge was to integrate mobile as part of the experience and knowledge that "Media Hub" for mobile and Smart Hub" for TV are different content and do not connect. We notice the lack of organization on the TV app, making it increasingly complex for users to discover and manage the content they are interested in.

Above shows the original "Smart Hub" and "Media Hub" applications.

Approach

I worked side-by-side with a junior UX designer, product manager, and HQ Korea design team to define requirements, research, gather data, and perform user testing to understand the user behavior, pain points, and goals. Organize design thinking session to produce innovative ideas.

Discovery

We tested the current Samsung TV app with users for first feedback. We did a competitive analysis, mood boards, and research for new trends.

Findings

Our user research feedback found out that most of our users didn't find the experience easy to use, and the audience commented that it looks dated. Some users also found the mobile device's experience was different from the TV, and the physical control was complicated and challenging to use.

Solutions

First, we decided to organize the TV content by categories and make it part of the main navigation showing sub-navigation in each category.
We allowed cable programming visible while browsing at the first level of the TV app. We made it able to add multiple accounts.
And with all the constrain in the mobile app, we decided to keep "Media Hub" and add a new "Smart TV" section. We added the capability to use the mobile device as a control remote. 

Above shows the Smart TV home screen.

Above shows the Smart TV music, photos, live programming, account, and settings screen.

The tablet concept was depending on user Smart TV behavior; it will reflect any activity that the user made on the TV experience as well as using the tablet app as the control remote –A total seamless experience.

Above shows the Smart TV home, TV guide, and settings screen.

Above shows the Smart TV mobile screen.