Roku needed a scalable UX to support the growing number of channels (like Netflix) and features (like search) that were coming to the platform. They needed a simple-to-use interface to launch streaming channels, as well as discover new content.
A UX team of 3 (including myself) Invented, designed, and shipped the primary navigation system for the Roku OS Platform. I was responsible for the look and feel, UI customization capabilities, as well as the design system(s) that powered it all.
Themes turned into a multi-million dollar business. Roku can deploy sponsored themes promoting a service or show that can reach the entire Roku user base. Themes also allowed Roku to customize the look and feel of the UI for our co-branded TV partners, a key differentiator from other smart TV platforms. Themes is considered a key moment of delight for Roku users. Overall, it has been a very successful capability.
I created and maintained the firmware theme xml my entire 11 years at Roku. The theme engine became the first design system of Roku OS, acting as a technical gatekeeper for UI consistency and scalability. I worked with content and hardware partners and design dozens of themes for sponsored takeovers and co-branded TV experiences. I created theme templates and documentation to enable others to create their own themes, as well as documented how themes can be utilized within the Roku SDK.
For our search results screen I had created a well designed layout with posters and text sized for plenty of breathing room as expected for a modern product. The CEO gave me feedback to make it bigger, to the point where I felt the UI was starting to look “clunky.” To address the feedback I set up a side-by side comparison in our bullpen to gather feedback from my co-workers in different departments. I set a chair 10’ from the TVs, asked to participants which design they preferred. To my surprise, 9 out of 10 participants preferred the increased legibility of the larger text and artwork to the more refined layout.
That’s not true of course, but many times over in our data and research we observed that words in a 10' TV UI cannot compete with visual power of content. For example, we asked existing Roku users if they had ever used Search while showing them the Roku home screen. An overwhelming number of participants replied “oh... I never knew that was there.” As a result, Roku UI text became secondary information to be paired with a strong visual for primary interactions. Shout out to my UX writers! I’ll say that text is crucial when it comes down to setup, solving an problem, or when there is intent to purchase.
Our Shoji panel design allowed for a massive ad to be placed on the home screen next to the channels grid. While this ad placement is a key revenue driver for Roku, the UX team had concerns about its overwhelming size. Over the course of several user studies, both in the lab and in the field, we asked a line of questioning around the home screen ad. We’ve learned that the user perception varies depending on the ad content. For example, if we showed an ad promoting a Movie or TV show, users would not consider it an ad at all. If the ad was promoting a product like toothpaste, that was considered offensive and tarnished the overall perception of the product.
Roku OS is described as the "first purpose built OS for streaming." This is a key differentiator in that the Roku platform only focusses on the TV streaming experience, while their top competitors Android TV and Fire TV are build on the generic platform built for mobile devices.
When we asked users "why do you choose Roku?" The response most often is that "it just works." Users would describe how they could effortlessly find and launch Netflix and be watching content within a few seconds. Other platforms would have long launch times or awkwardly timed app updates. Roku's focus on performance leads to satisfaction and overall value of the product in the eye of the user.
