In our initial year, the pivotal user group we're targeting is the "authors." It's imperative that they have a compelling motivation to contribute content, including crafting engaging text descriptions, and more. To effectively engage this group, our platform needs to convey the right message. To gain deeper insights into our users, I developed a User Profile and outlined the Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework.

The information gathered from User Profiles played a key role in defining our position within the Competitors Matrix. Furthermore, it was instrumental in creating a hypothesis to address the questions mentioned earlier. This approach was vital in identifying key features that not only improve social interactions on the platform but also substantially increase content uploads and user engagement. The features include:

Consider the possibility of establishing a conventional blog or a Facebook group dedicated to film enthusiasts as a precursor to platform development. This preliminary step could help in audience building and community formation.

To revamp the Home Page effectively, I've explored two promising directions: promoting file uploads and fostering community integration. These concepts warrant thorough testing to gauge their impact.

For the first concept, I've opted to adopt a strategy similar to that of our competitors. The Home Page will feature multiple sliders, each aligned with various hypotheses. To pinpoint the most engaging content, we plan to seek user feedback, helping us determine which type of content deserves prominence:

To ensure a seamless and user-friendly experience for individuals uploading and managing films on our platform, I meticulously designed a Customer Journey Map. This visual representation allows us to delve deep into the user's perspective, identifying critical touch points, emotions, and pain points throughout their interaction with our platform. By analyzing each step of their journey, we can make informed decisions to enhance their overall experience and address any potential challenges they may encounter. This CJM serves as a valuable tool in our ongoing efforts to optimize the user experience and create a platform that exceeds our users' expectations.

In order to validate and refine our user experience, I developed a UX concept that focuses on testing two critical components of our platform.

Our primary goal is to assess user interest and motivation in using our platform. Additionally, we aim to gather valuable insights that can inform the creation of new design concepts. To achieve this, we will evaluate existing design concepts based on the following parameters:

Our objective is to measure the usability of the design concept for the "Uploading Films and TV Series" feature. This involves evaluating how easily users can interact with and navigate the design concept. We will assess the existing design concept using the following parameters:

Following these tests, we will collect data on the specified parameters and provide recommendations for improvement based on the results. This iterative process ensures that our platform offers a user-friendly and engaging experience while meeting the needs and expectations of our target audience.

To create a compelling platform that captivates and retains its users, our strategy focuses on integrating social functionalities like discussions, recommendations, and user reviews. This approach is aimed at enriching user engagement by making our platform not only a hub for accessing content but also a vibrant community for cinema enthusiasts.

We intend to reach our target audience through Facebook advertising. Our target audience profile is as follows:

To better understand our audience's engagement with cinema, we've crafted a User Selection Questionnaire focused on their viewing habits, review-writing frequency, interest in discussions about cinema, and creativity in improving movies. The insights gained will guide us in tailoring our platform to their needs, offering incentives like movie tickets to ensure genuine interest without solely attracting participants through monetary compensation.

We may offer incentives related to cinema, such as movie tickets. However, we need to be cautious when providing monetary compensation to avoid attracting individuals who may not be our target audience.

The essence of user testing formed the foundation for actionable insights and platform enhancements. This summary captures the structured approach to gathering both qualitative and quantitative feedback, from initial engagement to in-depth evaluations. Our aim was to fine-tune the user experience, ensuring the platform not only meets but surpasses user expectations. Here's a concise overview of our methodical user testing journey.

The user testing phase began with engaging participants through a series of ice breaker questions to ease into the session. Questions ranged from their preferences in movie genres to their thoughts on the most recent films they watched. This initial interaction helped establish a comfortable dialogue.

Following the warm-up, the focus shifted to concept testing. Participants were introduced to the prototype, encompassing the home page and other key general pages, providing them with a clear understanding of the platform’s concept.

The qualitative research segment aimed to delve deeper into users' interactions with the platform. It explored their interest in specific features, the potential for social connectivity based on common interests, and their content preferences. Additionally, the discussion covered user motivations for content contribution and their views on the inclusion of a forum or discussion feature. Feedback on potential product enhancements and the likelihood of recommending the platform to friends was also collected.

In the usability testing portion, participants interacted with the prototype by completing specific tasks, such as adding a popular TV series to their list, including detailed information like episode descriptions and trailers. This exercise aimed to identify any usability issues and gather expectations for feature functionality.

For a more structured analysis, the System Usability Scale (SUS) was employed. Participants rated various statements related to system use and complexity on a scale from 1 to 5. This quantitative research helped in evaluating the system’s ease of use, integration of functions, consistency, and user confidence.

The culmination of this testing phase was the preparation and analysis of the results, aimed at refining and enhancing the platform based on user feedback and insights.

In developing the Moviespace streaming service's web admin panel, five key insights have significantly influenced our UX/UI design strategy, offering a pathway to create a more engaging and user-friendly platform:

By focusing on "authors" aged 16-38 with varying computer proficiency, we've tailored our platform to cater to their desire for recognition and connectivity. This approach informed our decisions on design elements and functionalities that facilitate engagement and a sense of belonging.

The need for a strong community vibe was clear, emphasizing features that encourage discussions, recommendations, and reviews. This fosters a sense of recognition among users, encouraging more content uploads and active participation.

Through A/B testing, we're exploring ways to highlight content uploads and community features on the homepage. Feedback from these tests is crucial for determining content prioritization, aiming to craft an inviting and dynamic first impression for users.

Utilising Customer Journey Mapping (CJM) has been invaluable in understanding user interactions, emotions, and frustrations. This perspective helps in fine-tuning the user interface to address pain points and enhance overall satisfaction.

Engaging in rigorous prototyping and user testing for both the main platform and the admin panel has been instrumental. These activities not only validate our design decisions but also uncover areas for refinement, ensuring the platform is intuitive and enjoyable for both users and administrators.

This project has enriched my grasp of user-centric design, underscored the value of fostering community, and highlighted the iterative process of developing products. It further emphasized the critical role of data in making informed decisions and the necessity of carefully planned user engagement strategies. These lessons will profoundly influence my approach to product design moving forward, ensuring that user requirements are always a primary focus in my projects.