Entertainment Portal

DIRECTV Entertainment Portal | 2014

Context & Problem

In 2014, DIRECTV aimed to modernize its Entertainment Portal to support on-demand TV, movies, and sports—letting users stream online, order pay-per-view, and record directly to set-top boxes. This was the first project executed under Agile at DIRECTV Digital Media Group.

Role: UI Designer (collaborated with 2 UX + 2 UI designers).

Problem:
Analytics and usability testing revealed:

  • Breadcrumb navigation was underused, making it slow to move between detail and browse pages.

  • Order/Record/Ways to Watch CTAs were fragmented, leaving users confused about content actions.

  • Content availability indicators were buried, preventing users from knowing which devices supported playback.

Business Goal: Deliver a responsive, modern, simplified experience that boosted engagement and monetization.

Solution & Process

Approach: Agile process with user testing, competitive analysis, and iterative prototyping.

Key Solutions:

  • Layered navigation: Replaced breadcrumb with quick-preview overlay detail pages, allowing users to explore without losing browsing context.

  • Simplified CTAs: Unified “Watch” and “Record” actions into a single, prominent area.

  • Surfaced device availability: Placed device indicators directly above CTAs to drive faster decisions.

  • Interaction design: Added clear close icons for easy dismissals, reducing friction in exploration.

My Contribution: Defined and delivered UI refinements that transformed complex interactions into intuitive, accessible flows.

Results

Impact:

  • +15% pay-per-view purchases

  • +60% increase in streaming

  • +90% increase in recorded content

  • Won CableFax Award for Best TV Everywhere Portal Site

Outcome: Successfully delivered a responsive entertainment hub that combined modern design with measurable gains in user engagement and revenue.