Netflix Feature: Flix Mix
Creating interactive features and ways for people to connect in a long-standing streaming service.
Netflix restricted password sharing outside of a designated "household" − unless you pay extra. While there was an increase in revenue following the immediate change, sentiments have been negative, with users feeling betrayed over the company whose original marketing strategy encouraged password sharing behavior initially (USA Today). With users having an overall negative view, this could lead to a slow decline of the overall makings of Netflix.
Problem
With the increase in security to prevent password sharing and the encouragement for more users to pay for their own accounts, Netflix could offer more personalized experiences for their users to feel like they have a purpose/incentive in continuing to subscribe to their own account.
Solution
Target Audience
Subscribers to Netflix that have been affected by the password restriction protocol.
Roles
UX Research, UI Design, Prototyping, User Testing
Project Duration
October ‘23 - December ‘23
Platform
Tools Used
Figma, Maze
Desktop
Conducting Research
Research Goal
I wanted to understand and empathize with how users were affected by the restriction of password sharing so that we can create an new and integrated feature that would delight the users and keep user retention.
Competitive Analysis
I conducted a competitive analysis on four other streaming platforms based on how cost efficient and personalized it can be for users.
Each platform obviously had its own unique set of shows and movies that made it stand out, however, in terms of building a community or social aspect, an aspect I deemed personal for its users, only Disney+ appeared to have anything remotely close to that with their Group Watch Party.
“Live” feature that allows for Cable TV
Multi-layered categorization allows user to get more specific
Too many add-ons at an extra cost
Price included in Amazon Prime
Large library with the ability to stream and purchase content
Doesn’t differentiate between what is free with Prime and needs to be purchased
Categorizes to specific fanbases
Group Watch Party allows users to watch shows together
Audience/niche is limited
Utilizing sidebar and top navigation
Categorizes into specific fanbases
Generic trailer posters lead to an overall more cluttered UI
User Interviews
5 interviews took place over Zoom, with age ranging from 23 to 28 years old. Two participants were restricted from Netflix as a result of the password sharing restriction, and three were slightly inconvenienced, but still made it work. These people, on average, watch Netflix 4-5 nights a week, using a mixture of devices from mobile, tablets, laptops, to television.
After the interviews, I used an affinity map to find the common threads between all of their experiences, and to visually map out and categorize all the data.
With all the data consolidated and all the ideas and insights visually represented in front of me, here were my main takeaways:
4/5 got recommendations from their social circle
3/5 look on the homepage for their next show/movie
4/5 required verification from sources outside of Netflix to start watching a new show/movie
3/5 see talking about show/movies as a regular topic amongst their social circle
Everyone enjoys watching Netflix with their friends and family
Define
Persona
Using the questions, I imagined two individuals who might be able to help me answer these questions. Meet Phil and Trisha! They helped me consolidate all the research into empathetic individuals with thoughts, feelings, and concerns for whom I would be building the new feature for.
Feature Set
Using feedback from my interviews, I began brainstorming solutions and charted them out on an Impact/Effort Matrix to visualize what were the most effective solutions for Trisha and Phil’s needs for bonding and enjoyment.
Here are the features that I focused on:
Integrating followers
Displaying what others are watching/have watched
Comparing watch habits with other followers
Sketching it Out
Referencing the task flows, I began sketching to visualize out some of the most prioritized ideas and concepts that were to be integrated into Netflix’s new follower system. For this I used a mixture of reference photos of Netflix to integrate my idea as well as sketches for anything else that was completely new.
For these I focused on integrating the ability to compare watch habits and what others were watching.
For these I focused on where to find followers. I wanted to make sure they were as out of the way as possible because this was still not the main purpose of Netflix. While people should be able to interact with one another, it’s not meant to be a social media platform. Alternatively, they can also use the search bar to search people up.
Usability Testing
Using Maze, I conducted usability testing with 10 participants to determine if this new feature had met my goals. Because this is only conceptual, I could not tap into the larger Netflix user base and determine whether or not this would retain users. However, getting user feedback was still crucial in understanding if this feature would bring an added layer of delight for the user. For the testing, I focused on feature discoverability, ease of navigation, and how delightful it was.
What worked:
There were no troubles navigating to their own profile
The overall UI was seamlessly integrated
2 felt the name ‘Flix Mix’ is fun and delightful
3 people expressed that it would make finding shows to watch with others much easier
Pain Points/Opportunities:
4 people either had trouble finding the new feature or didn’t find it
2 people found the transition to the new feature to be overwhelming
2 people were confused about where to click to mix with follower
Iterations
Creating a Space
“If Netflix implemented a new follower feature, I might see it as it's own section” - Participant 1
Followers were hidden in the ‘profile’ section, causing a lot of friction just to find people
The intention of followers was not understood in terms of how it would serve Netflix
Tucked away, but easily accessible
Followers is now easily accessible in one click
Improving Discoverability
“I had trouble finding [the new feature]. Probably would be easier placing it on the top/profile.” - Participant 5
Offers no explanation of what the feature is and what it offers to the user
Integrated but invisible; easily skipped
Explanation of new feature is clearly visible and offers an understanding of what it is
First thing that appears when clicking on ‘Follower’s tab
Integrating Followers
“I would want the follow features to be with the Flix Mix section so it doesn't pop up when I don't want it to.” - Participant 10
Didn’t know where to find followers
What was the purpose of followers if it didn’t somehow involve Netflix’s library?
One of the first things seen in the followers tab, differentiated by the circular shape
Having followers right next to Flix Mix offers an idea of how the follower system is to be used within Netflix
Reflection
Working with already existing branding standards set up a unique challenge of finding what the company was missing and could work upon. I found adding a new feature to Netflix to be a very fun experience as the sphere for change in streaming platforms has remained relatively minimal. I learned that in the real world this process requires a lot of collaboration, as there were many points in the process where I considered the feasibility of possibilities. An example of this was when I wanted to implement a data-heavy design on the results page and would have benefited from an engineer’s perspective. However, that did not prevent me from getting invaluable feedback from testing as well as from mentors and peers. They allowed me to consider different angles, including levels of enjoyment, practicality, and accessibility for the user, as well as financial gain, user retention, and back-end coding for the business.
Next Steps
We all have some guilty pleasures we enjoy watching that may feel embarrassing to tell about. Expanding on this project, I would definitely address the privacy issue of allowing followers to see what you’re watching. Ultimately, Flix Mix is supposed to be fun and provide users with an opportunity to see what watch habits they have in common with their friends and provide an easier time figuring out what they should watch together if they choose to. Adding an additional layer of being able to change the privacy of your account/what you watch and/or requiring both users to consent to the Flix Mix would be more ideal.