About
Streaming Service delivered one of the largest libraries of international content through our localized apps with professional subtitles in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese. Every month, over 1 billion minutes of TV and movies were streamed across the service.
The Team
I partnered with product, engineering, research, content, and marketing to improve the viewing experience.
“I would like to keep watching where I left off”
“I would like to discover more new shows”
“I don’t want to pay for the service”
“I cannot find some titles”
Based on App Store and Google Play reviews, customer-support feedback, email, and social channels.
Validated through product data and user interviews.
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
The DramaFever app requires no explicit onboarding as it only takes seconds for a customer to discover content and start watching - the result of hundreds of hours of testing, and taxonomy research.
DISCOVERY
Personas brought viewer needs into product planning before interface design began. They helped the team build an understanding of audience motivations, evaluate design decisions from a viewer’s perspective, and stay focused on the people using the service.
Skills: Online polls & surveys, user observation, empathy and journey maps, in-person interviews.
Persona deck created by Jesse Kim
UX flows
Navigation structure reflects DramaFever users’ top needs: resume watching, stay up-to-date with the latest releases and browse content by topics. Ten out of ten users were able to navigate the app with ease.
USABILITY TESTING
Multiple rounds of testing and design iteration improved the app’s MVP experience.
DESIGN SYSTEM
The shared design system helped the team extend DramaFever patterns to the Warner Archive iPad app and DC Comics in just two weeks.
View the related design-system case study here
The universal video player reduced development time and provided a cohesive experience across DramaFever, DC Comics, Warner Archive, Boomerang, and other products.
INTERNAL TOOLS
Subtitling is a crucial part of our current business. Most content is foreign and needs to be translated with subtitles for our primarily English-speaking audience. As we expand our offerings internationally to other geographic areas, our subtitling needs are also growing to be able to support subtitles for countries to match the primary languages spoken for different regions. As we are now expanding into Latin America, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles are becoming more prevalent to support these users.
TECHNOLOGY
DramaFever apps support 4K video, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, multiple subtitle tracks, offline viewing, Chromecast, AirPlay, and more across web, mobile, and OTT platforms.
Bonus
Users loved our mascot, the Pigrabbit, and we’ve given them a way to express their feelings through iMessage better.
Goal: To increase loyalty, stand out from the competitors, provide DF experience outside of the app
Illustrator © Hyunji Kim
More than 24,000 App Store reviews
This App is literally amazing to use I use it all the time and it’s so easy to find shows. They have literally thousands to choose from and they keep the shows up to date with the newest episodes. Even if you don’t have premium, it’s still an advantageous app.
Amazing selection of dramas, easy and dependable app. Can store your favorites and go back to them whenever you like. Like the feature and translations are usually on point. DramaFever, FIGHTING!!! 💕🤗
“It's the quality of the production, of strong, scripted, serialized stories ... if you watch two episodes, there's a good chance you'll stay up all night to watch the remaining 20.”
– NBC NEWS
Outcomes
The redesign connected content discovery, playback, and localized subtitles across devices. My UX/UI design contribution covered the navigation, viewing experience, and shared product system. Mobile viewership grew by more than 50% and mobile revenue doubled in less than a year—team outcomes alongside the broader content and product strategy.
Mobile viewership increased by more than 50%, and mobile revenue doubled, in less than a year.
Reached the top 10 grossing entertainment apps in the App Store and Google Play alongside HBO, Netflix, and Hulu.
Revenue grew by 250% in one year after the redesign and a cohesive product strategy for an ad- and subscription-supported video-on-demand business reaching more than 21 million users.
Delivered Android and iOS apps rated between 4.5 and 5 stars.
App Store and Google Play subscriptions increased by 100% in six months through activation, engagement, and retention work; the growth strategy was featured at three Google I/O and Playtime events.
“I've had the pleasure of working with Mikhail at Warner Bros. for over 2 years. During this time, we worked together on multiple iOS and Android apps at different stages in their product lifecycles. He is creative, enthusiastic and lightning fast, but the thing that sets him apart from other designers is his resourcefulness. Mikhail is able to tackle any problem you throw at him without hesitation and often comes up with solutions that both delight and impress…”
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