Redbox

Strategic Challenge & Scaling

Redbox's internal Apple TV beta was deemed insufficient for a major launch, risking a "flop" with existing partner designs proving too "cookie-cutter". Following a successful redesign for tvOS, the next massive challenge was scaling this premium streaming experience to Xbox, Vizio, and other generic smart TV platforms while maintaining brand integrity.

This required a two-phased approach: First, a high-pressure, rapid UX redesign to deliver a fully tested Apple TV MVP. Second, a broader "10-foot" strategy requiring deep competitive synthesis to define a unified design language that felt native and intuitive across heavily fragmented hardware ecosystems.

Leadership & Strategy

As the primary creative lead, I focused on building a standardized, immersive design language rooted in deep competitive analysis. By evaluating platforms like VUDU, iTunes, and Fandango Now, we identified key "Metrics for Success": immersive aesthetics, focused selections, and simple, concise pathways. This research drove our core design synthesis, including the pivot to a "Dark Mode" UI—favored by 83% of users for living room streaming.

Beyond pixel-perfect UI, my role involved heavy stakeholder management, aligning the VP of Product Development and VP of Engineering around a unified UX vision. We had to carefully balance Apple's strict Human Interface Guidelines with Redbox's overarching brand strategy, all while adapting the user experience to fit seamlessly across diverse 10-foot smart TV environments.

To ensure this 10-foot experience was flawless, I directed the acquisition of specific Vizio and Xbox hardware for our Chicago and Portland offices, ensuring the design team validated interaction patterns on physical devices rather than relying solely on simulations.

Execution & Data-Driven Interactivity

We mapped out the entire user journey, delivering a comprehensive flow chart and critical wireframes that defined the storefront, dashboard, and gesture-based playback controls. Rather than settling for initial assumptions, we utilized iterative stakeholder and user feedback to constantly refine the architecture.

We optimized the UX specifically for the living room environment. By prioritizing familiar interaction patterns, hotkey navigation, and clear pricing hierarchies, we systematically reduced cognitive load, ensuring the experience felt completely native regardless of the underlying hardware.

Outcomes & Impact

• Unified UX Specification: Delivered a massive Product Requirements Document (PRD) that successfully unified 80-90% of the design language across diverse smart TV ecosystems, significantly accelerating market entry.
• Optimized User Conversion: By pivoting from an initial 3-up layout to a denser, data-driven title grid, we successfully resolved "buried content" feedback and directly increased digital storefront conversions.
• Platform-Native Interactivity: Successfully navigated complex technical APIs and strict platform design constraints (such as Microsoft Store rules) to deliver a seamless "10-foot experience" that users intuitively understood.