Designing a Smartphone TV Remote App

Role: UX Designer & Researcher | Timeline: 4 Months | Tools Used: Figma, Guerilla Testing, A/B Testing, Excel, Python (T-tests)

Modern TV remotes are often clunky and outdated, failing to meet the demands of today’s smart TV interfaces. Our project aimed to design a smartphone app that reimagines the remote control experience, making it intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable. With user-centric insights, we tackled the navigation challenges of smart TVs to deliver a streamlined solution.

Problem Statement

Traditional remotes frustrate users with their overcomplicated button layouts and lack of intuitiveness. The challenge was to create a streamlined app that prioritized essential controls while remaining accessible to all types of users. Our initial research highlighted the following challenges with traditional TV remotes:

Overcomplicated Navigation: Excessive clicks required to access apps and menus.
Inefficient Typing: Using arrow keys for text input is frustrating and error-prone.
Replicated Problems: Existing mobile remote apps mimic physical remotes, carrying over usability issues.

These problems result in user frustration, errors, and a lack of engagement with smart TV features.

Process and Approach

Step 1: Existing Patent Analysis

We did an exhaustive search on existing smart TV remotes and identified their pain points. Key findings included:

Difficulty navigating apps and menus due to excessive clicks.
Typing was impractical, leading users to avoid certain features.
Remote apps replicated traditional remote issues instead of solving them.

Step 2: Prototyping and Customization

Our low-fidelity prototypes focused on core functionality and early structural ideas:

Simple wireframes emphasized layout and organization.
Explored key elements such as:

User Profiles and Settings: Personalized settings for different users.
Favorites and Last Used Sections: Quick access to frequently used apps or functions.
Catalog and Navigation Concepts: Basic grid and infinite scrolling layouts.

Our mid-fidelity prototype focused on:

A customizable homepage with user-specific carousels (e.g., "Favorites" and "Last Used").
Improved search functionality for easier content discovery.
A simplified remote drawer for essential controls.

Step 3: Guerilla Testing

We conducted tests with users to refine the design. Feedback included:

What worked: Users appreciated the customizable homepage and streamlined navigation.
What didn’t: Users struggled with unclear labels and lacked feedback during interactions.

Step 4: A/B Testing

We tested two prototypes to compare efficiency:

Prototype A: Categorized programs in a rectangular grid layout.
Prototype B: Organized programs in a hexagonal layout with infinite scrolling.

Results:

Prototype A reduced clicks and errors due to visible options.
Prototype B was preferred for infinite scrolling, despite requiring more clicks.

Outcome

The final design successfully addressed user pain points:

Simplified navigation and search features reduced user frustration.
Clearer labels and feedback improved the overall experience.
Customizable layouts offered a personalized and engaging interface.

Users reported higher satisfaction, fewer errors, and a more intuitive experience compared to traditional remotes and existing mobile apps.

Deep Dive into the Project

Take a closer look at the project with this in-depth PowerPoint presentation, covering detailed design decisions, user feedback insights, and refined solutions beyond the surface overview.

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For a detailed overview of the project, including research insights, prototypes, and final outcomes, download the complete PDF report.

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