Work Brief
During my 6-week work with Whatnot as a part of USC Industry Lab, I developed a TV remote tailored for Whatnot's prospective livestream shopping feature on television in a team of three. We presented our solution with prototypes and strategy to the VP of Design & Senior Designer.
Role
Design Consultant
Timeline
Oct - Dec 2023
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Skills
User Research, Experience Design
How might we make live-stream shopping simple for seniors in the television space?
THE PROBLEM
WhatNot offers a distinct service, connecting buyers and sellers through live auction streaming. While it has primarily operated via a mobile app, the television platform remains an unexplored opportunity for the company.
After our initial research and brainstorming, we decided to explore how we can optimize the experience for seniors.
Our brainstorming sessionTHE SOLUTION
A simple and accessible way to shop on the big screen.
Whatnot Digital Remote
Voice Command Activation
Voice Command Activation allows older users to navigate their devices effortlessly. Simply press the "Press to Command" button and speak your commands aloud.
Personalized Display
Easily customize the interface to match preferences, ensuring a comfortable and tailored experience for every user.
Get Assistance Easily
Press the “Help” button to learn what each button does. If the text is hard to read, use the “Read Aloud” feature for easier understanding.
THE PROCESS
Research
We began by researching our chosen stakeholders, seniors. The findings reinforced our confidence in our decision, even though it was an unconventional choice.
U.S. viewers aged 65 and above watched for over four hours.
After confirming that seniors are the largest TV audience, we looked into their usage of online shopping.
Boomers (ages 55-74) are 31% of the online shopping population.
Verto Analytics
We confirmed that a significant number of seniors engage in online shopping, which validated our decision to focus on this demographic.
User Interview
Once we validated our chosen stakeholder group, we proceeded to engage with actual users to test our hypothesis.
We inquired about their habits related to watching TV and online shopping.
Key Takeaways from User Interviews:
Drawing from these user interviews, we established the following success criteria for our final product:
How can we enhance interaction for seniors?
This was a key question we needed to fully grasp before beginning the design. Through extensive research, we identified that an intuitive platform for seniors must incorporate the following:
Designing Interaction
After defining our stakeholder group and their motivations, we transitioned to the design phase. Alongside my fellow designers, Calix and Joanna, we each crafted unique versions of the remote, guided by our interpretations of the established guidelines.
Joanna’s Mockups
Calix’s MockupsMy MockupsOur designs varied significantly, so we revisited our guidelines to determine how to integrate the best elements. We liked my focus on senior accessibility, Calix's emphasis on customizability, and Joanna's main interface layout. This collaborative approach led us to our second iteration of the remote, combining our strengths to create a more effective and user-friendly product.
Final IterationKEY LEARNINGS
Customization is a form of empowerment
This empowerment comes from giving users control over their interaction with technology, making them feel more confident and independent.
Accessibility Over Aesthetics
To assess icon recognition among seniors, I conducted two tests with my interviewees. The results revealed that simple line drawings and clear shapes were easier for them to understand and use.
If I had more time…
If I had more time, I would make the interface more tactile and user-friendly for seniors by using larger buttons and intuitive layouts that mimic familiar physical controls.