TVNZ • CTV

Autoplay Trailers

Feature

The autoplay trailers feature enhances content discovery on the CTV platform by automatically playing trailers with user controls for autoplay and audio settings.

Role:
User Experience Designer and Video Editor

1. Project Goals

  • User Goals:
    • Allow users to easily preview content through autoplay trailers in the hero section while browsing.
    • Provide users with control over autoplay settings, including options to enable/disable autoplay and mute audio playback.
  • Business Goals:
    • Increase viewer engagement by making content discovery more dynamic and immersive on the CTV platform.
    • Drive viewership for featured content and upcoming releases through autoplay trailers in the hero section.

2. Research and Define

  • User Research: Conducted surveys and interviews with target users to understand expectations and preferences for autoplay features on CTV apps.
  • Competitive Analysis: Analysed autoplay implementations on similar platforms, identifying user-friendly features and areas for improvement.
  • Insights: Users valued autoplay for content discovery but preferred control options to turn autoplay on or off and mute audio playback.

3. Ideate and Prioritise Solutions

  • Concept Development: Brainstormed solutions that balance autoplay functionality with user control, such as adding an autoplay toggle and audio management options within the settings page.
  • Prioritisation: Focused on providing autoplay trailers with clear control settings  for playback and audio control in the setting page

4. Prototyping

  • Prototype Creation: Developed a high-fidelity prototype with an actual video and audio autoplay trailer in the hero section using Figma’s video feature. Mapped keys on a third-party remote control to simulate an at-home experience of watching a program.

5. User Testing and Feedback

  • Testing Sessions: Conducted in-person usability testing with diverse user groups to observe behaviour with autoplay trailers, assess trailer relevance, and gauge the ability to access autoplay control settings.
  • Key Findings: Users appreciated autoplay for content discovery, with many valuing easy access to stop or disable autoplay and mute audio.

6. Refinement and Iteration

  • Refinements: Adjusted the delay before autoplay begins and ensured smooth transitions between autoplay trailers and static hero content.

7. Implementation

  • Development Collaboration: Coordinated with developers to implement the autoplay feature, focusing on optimising performance across various CTV devices.
  • Launch Strategy: Due to company restructuring and limited resources for trailer production, the project was ultimately put on hold.