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.