Microsoft Movies & TV
Interaction Designer II | Redmond, WA
The Movies & TV app is used by hundreds of millions of users worldwide as the default video, Movie, and TV show player for Windows 10 devices. I led the UX design for the team for two years.
The challenge
Leading up to the 2017 "Creators update", Movies & TV was redesigned to serve a broader audience, including local file users, premium customers, and VR users. Our goal was to increase engagement for all user types while increasing premium content sales. As a Windows 10 app, it needed to scale across devices—from tablets to desktops to the 10ft experience on Xbox—adding complexity to the project.
Wireframes & Research
To improve premium content engagement, we replaced the hidden hamburger menu with an exposed pivot menu, optimized for Xbox users. With the navigation labels now visible, page names like Explore, Purchased, and Personal were carefully crafted and tested with customers to ensure clarity and simplicity.
Browsing for the right movie
We significantly enhanced the premium content browsing experience by creating a much richer area to explore available titles and several personalised recommendation sections. A New Trailers feed and a 360° video feed were also added to keep users engaged with free content.
VR updates
The 2017 Creators Update brought a demand for VR content. The Movies & TV team partnered with several production houses to create a new 360° video library within the app. The unique VR context required a new approach for VR users to interact with. The design took advantage of depth and 3D within VR to create a two-sided media controls experience. The experience won a US design patent!
Final design
The redesigned Movies & TV app delivered an exciting, engaging experience across tablet, PC, and Xbox, exceeding user engagement and business goals. Our work also influenced the broader Windows team, helping shape and elevate the newly announced Fluent Design System.
