WatchNext
In a world where entertainment options are endless yet often overwhelming, have you ever found yourself endlessly scrolling through Netflix, only to feel more frustrated than entertained? Those moments of indecision can stretch into hours, leaving you exhausted before you even hit play.
That’s where WatchNext comes in—a lifeline for the content-hungry and time-strapped! Imagine an app that cuts through the noise, tailored specifically for those moments when you crave something fresh but don’t have the luxury of time to sift through countless options.
Born out of the need for efficiency during the Covid-19 lockdown, WatchNext is a game-changer in the way you discover shows and movies. With just a few taps, you’ll unlock a world of tailored recommendations that resonate with your unique tastes. No more endless scrolling or feeling like you’ve exhausted every popular option; instead, let WatchNext guide you to hidden gems you never knew you were missing.
Duration
December 2019 – May 2020
[6 Months]
Role
UX/UI Design, Visual Design,
Personal Project
Tasks
Rapid Prototyping, Interaction & Experience Design
Tools
Adobe Suite (XD, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator), Figma, Procreate, Miro
Disclaimer:
I recently reached out to a few tech-savvy friends, curious about the possibility of retrieving viewing history from Netflix. To my surprise, they informed me that it’s not possible—Netflix doesn’t provide public API access. While I may not fully grasp all the technical details behind this, it only fuels my determination to keep exploring innovative solutions in the tech world. Who knows? Maybe someone out there will crack the code and find a way to make this happen soon enough! The journey of discovery is just as exciting as the destination.
BACKGROUND
Netflix's 'Search' Feature Doesn’t Work Well!
As a Millennial, I've been a Netflix enthusiast for the past four years, and the pandemic only amplified my love for it. With more time on my hands, I found myself glued to the screen, eager to discover new movies and TV shows. However, I soon realized that finding quality content was becoming a challenge. Every day, I'd spend 15 to 20 minutes scrolling through the seemingly endless options, searching for that perfect movie or series to watch. The constant search for fresh and exciting content was becoming a daily struggle.
Netflix’s 'Search by Category' feature allows viewers to discover new options for a particular category. However, once you've binge-watched your way through a category, the feature doesn't optimize itself to exclude those shows or movies that you've already watched, leading to an endless and time-consuming search.
"If Netflix had the option to exclude the content that you have already watched from the search results, users would be able to explore new content a lot faster!"
DISCOVERY
But How Are Millennials Discovering New Content?
To understand this, I conducted some informal user research to understand the challenges of how other millennials (like myself) in my network (close family and friends) are discovering new, quality content on Netflix, and also, if they are spending a significant amount of time doing so.
And let me tell you, the results were eye-opening! Here's a sneak peek of the findings:
Users prefer to search
'Top IMDb movies' on Google
Users find it 'Painful' to go through the
same search results every time
Users do a 'Specific Search' now as they have already exhausted the featured sections
Users have started to explore movies
belonging to 'Past Decades'
As it turns out, many millennials have resorted to searching on other platforms, such as Google, IMDb, etc., rather than being overly specific in their Netflix search criteria. However, here's the catch: they've already watched the popular, must-see content! And they want a way to easily exclude them from their search results.
In order to specifically address this pain point, there should be a quickly accessible feature for users to exclude their history (already watched movies or shows) from Netflix's search results.
Likewise, imagine having the ability to filter content based on ratings from trusted sources like IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. And finally, a filter based on the decade would be really nice to have!
It's time to revolutionize the way we discover content on Netflix!
How Can This Be Beneficial To Netflix?
As one of the prominent tech companies, it's time for Netflix to listen to its customers and help them save time in discovering new quality content. Using Netflix's Search feature is a waste of time with endless scrolling that leads to frustration amongst users who have already watched the popular content.
How To Solve This Problem?
Simply put, if a user is on the hunt for fresh content on Netflix, they need a way to effortlessly narrow down their options and find what they are looking for without wasting their time scrolling aimlessly. Having a more focused search space would help users easily discover high-quality content aligning with their personal preferences.
BRAINSTORMING IDEAS
How can we make it easier for the users to narrow down their search space on Netflix to discover new content in order to stop wasting their time?
With the pandemic keeping us cooped up at home, my husband and I decided to take advantage of the extra time and have a fun brainstorming session together. After analyzing and prioritizing, we came to the following ideas:
Implement the Toggle Option
Eliminate the hassle of sorting through irrelevant content by removing already watched movies/series.
Implement Content Tagging
Empower users to organize content into clearly defined segments for easy accessibility and seamless navigation.
Enhance Search Capabilities
Streamline content discovery to narrow down search results for a more efficient experience by swiftly filtering suggestions.
KEY FUNCTION
Allow Users To Eliminate Redundant Results Options
By incorporating a toggle option in the search filter, users can eliminate redundant and repetitive results, saving them from the tedious task of scrolling through countless options. With a simple toggle option, they will be able to discover new content a lot faster!
This simple yet effective feature would be made possible by downloading the user's history from Netflix, which can be easily done by simply having them sign in with their Netflix account.
PROTOTYPING
Designing Sketches and Wireframes
With the insights from my research in hand, I set out to bring my vision to life with visual sketches.
I focused on designing screens that would best facilitate the tasks I wanted the user to complete, bringing attention to the innovative features I wanted to include. My sketches showcase my initial ideas for integrating the History and Watchlist sections, offering a glimpse into how users will be able to effortlessly navigate and discover new content.
Implementing On-Boarding
The user onboarding process kicks off by emphasizing the value proposition and showcasing the benefits of the app on three easy-to-understand screens. During the process, the user will be prompted to log in to their Netflix account.
Saving Watched History Data
With just a simple sign-in to their Netflix account, users can unleash the full potential of the app. By selecting their preferred individual account, they can easily retrieve their personal "History" data and discover new content tailored to their unique viewing preferences.
Switching Multiple Acounts
With the touch of a button, multiple users can access all of their "previously seen / already watched" Netflix content on the "History" screen, which is the first point of entry inside the app.
Previously Watched on Netflix!
Entering the app, users are immediately greeted by the History screen, where they can easily access all the content they've already watched on Netflix. They can quickly sort through their viewing history and add any must-watch shows or movies to their Watch List, in case they want to revisit the content again!
Interaction for History Screen
With the option to move their already-watched content from the History section to the Watch List, users can easily access and revisit their all-time favorite shows and movies with just a few clicks! Say goodbye to endless scrolling and hello to a curated viewing experience!
Content Tagging between History & Watch List
Don't miss out on the crucial detail that users may have viewed content on some other platforms as well, which Netflix might not know about!
With the content tagging option, users can take control of their viewing history and keep track of what they've watched, no matter where they watched it! Simply move content to "History" or "Watch List" as users see fit, so they can easily find it again later or avoid it altogether!
And, by marking items as "History" after they've watched them, they can keep future search results and their "Watch List" clutter-free!
"Every time a user sees poor or questionable-quality content, they can immediately move it to the "History" section, so that they never have to see it again!"
Search Netflix's Content
After experimenting and playing around with the History and Watch List screens, the user can discover a world of endless entertainment possibilities with the "Search" screen! Users can access the latest and greatest content just like on Netflix's home screen, with their favorite options like "Recently Added" or "Top 10 in Canada"—and so much more!
Get ready to dive into a sea of options and never run out of things to watch again!
"The Netflix Search feature can be frustrating at times – even though it knows what I've already watched, it still pretends to be dumb and then shows them again in the Search results!"
Implementing Toggle Option
To address this problem, I implemented a Toggle button that would effortlessly filter out content for users from their history that they had already seen. This will save them time and provide them with much clearer, more relevant search results, which they will not have to sift through to find something new to watch!
"Another major problem with Netflix's Search feature is its inability to incorporate the audience's ratings!"
Enhancing Search Capabilities
With the added IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes rating filters, users can easily find the highest-rated movies and TV shows with just a few clicks. And, to make the search even more personalized, users can now explore and narrow down their results based on different decades and sort by year of release and rating!
Get ready to discover hidden gems and never waste time on a bad movie again!
LEARNINGS AND IMPACTS
SAVE at least 50% of the TIME that goes into
Searching for new content on Netflix!
I was driven to tackle this problem because I was feeling frustrated with the limitations of Netflix's Search feature.
I waste at least 15 to 20 minutes of my time every day scrolling through endless options. I eventually ended up making the habit of using Google, IMDb, and Rotten Tomatoes first and then opening Netflix.
But after talking to my friends and family, I realized that this problem was not just limited to me but was a much more common struggle amongst Netflix users that has not been addressed yet.
Future Work
Imagine a future where all your favorite streaming platforms are seamlessly integrated into one cohesive experience. No more toggling between apps or losing track of what you've watched—everything you need would be at your fingertips.
This ambitious vision could involve creating a universal platform that aggregates content from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and more. You’d be able to search across all services simultaneously, instantly finding movies and shows that match your interests, regardless of where they’re hosted.
Personalized recommendations would take it a step further, analyzing your viewing habits across platforms to suggest new content tailored just for you. Plus, a centralized watchlist would let you track shows and movies from different services in one place, eliminating the frustration of searching for what to watch next.
While there are technical and licensing challenges to overcome, the potential for an integrated streaming experience is exciting. As technology evolves, who knows? This future could be just around the corner, transforming how we enjoy our favorite content!
Thank you for reading this project!
I would really appreciate your feedback.
Please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] 
