Over-The-Top platform "OTT" Platform
Creating a User-Centered OTT Platform by Unifying Local Content with a Global-Ready Experience
Stage 1. User Research
Engaged with 25 participants in the Benelux region through interviews and usability-focused surveys to uncover viewing habits, payment preferences, and expectations for OTT services. Complemented this with competitor analysis and benchmarking against leading platforms in 2015 (Netflix, HBO, Videoland).
Findings emphasized the need for seamless onboarding, transparent payment flows, and clear separation of subscription vs. add-on content, while also ensuring multilingual accessibility.
Stage 2. Ideation & Conceptualization
Collaborated with stakeholders in Norway to map user journeys for three critical flows:
Onboarding and account creation
Subscription and payment
Purchase of add-on content outside the subscription model
Through workshops and sketching sessions, we explored different interaction models for smooth subscription management and clear distinction between included vs. extra-fee content.
Early concepts emphasized:
Seamless sign-up experience with minimal form fields.
Transparent pricing to build trust in a competitive market.
Cross-device continuity, allowing users to start on one device and finish on another.
Stage 3. Design Execution
Wireframing
Developed 30 detailed wireframes covering the full onboarding flow, payment process, and purchase of additional content not included in the subscription.
Wireframes were created to ensure clarity and reduce drop-offs during conversion-heavy processes.
Prototyping
Built an interactive prototype simulating realistic user flows.
Allowed stakeholders to test and experience the platform’s critical paths before development investment.
UI Exploration
While the main scope focused on wireframes, basic visual exploration was carried out to align with modern OTT aesthetics of the time: clean layouts, high-contrast imagery, and intuitive navigation patterns.
Stage 4. User Testing & Iterations
Organized two rounds of usability testing with the original 25 participants:
Round 1: Evaluated clarity of onboarding and payment steps. Findings revealed users struggled with extra-fee content differentiation.
Iteration: Adjusted the flow to clearly separate subscription vs. add-on content, added progress indicators, and simplified payment forms.
Round 2: Improved flows tested successfully, showing increased task completion rates and reduced confusion in the purchase process.
Stage 5. Final Presentation and Documentation
Delivered a comprehensive presentation and documentation pack to the Norwegian client, including:
Research findings and competitor benchmarking.
Personas and user journey maps.
Wireframes and annotated prototypes.
Usability testing outcomes and iteration history.
Recommendations for future design evolution and scaling beyond Benelux into the wider European market.
Outcome
This project demonstrated the importance of clear, frictionless onboarding and payment flows in OTT services, especially in competitive European markets where trust and transparency are vital.
It also highlighted how localized research even with a relatively small sample size can surface powerful insights that differentiate a product from global competitors.
Through this experience, I sharpened my ability to:
Conduct end-to-end UX processes from research to prototyping.
Balance business goals with user needs in high-stakes conversion flows.
Collaborate across cultures and markets while maintaining a user-centered design approach.
