Video App Builder

Timeline: Q1-Q2 2022

Role: Lead Designer

JWP wanted to win enterprise broadcasting contracts. They were asking for a “lean-back” experience — Netflix-style TV apps — but most didn’t have engineering teams to build and maintain them.

The mandate was clear: I needed to create the “WordPress for TV apps.” Fast.

Setting up a video app is pretty complex, and requires a lot of little pieces to come together:

  • Content organization

  • Shelf and library curation

  • Branding controls

  • Configuration management

  • Third-party deployment management (a la Applicaster)

Problem space

The audience for this tool weren’t engineers, they were content operators and marketing managers. So the challenge wasn’t about building a TV app, exactly; it was about enabling non-technical users to operate with confidence.

I partnered with Product to understand the desired workflow:

01.
Add or remove videos

02.
Reorganize layouts

03.
Adjust branding elements

04.
Export to third-party platforms

05.
Deploy the app

The Solution

Direct visual mapping to the final product

Inspired by Don Norman’s principle of mapping, I designed rearrangeable “shelves” that look exactly how they will appear in the TV app. This keeps the interface tactile and intuitive. Users manipulate a representation of the app itself, as opposed to tweaking panels of disconnected settings.

Bilateral layout: curation vs. configuration

The interface is split into two zones. The left side controls everything visible to end users: media, libraries, shelves, and branding. Content editors do most of their daily work here. The right side controls “set-it-and-forget-it” configuration settings. This separation keeps each workflow metaphorically precise, preventing users from having to think too much at the outset.

Fullscreen editing mode

Reordering shelves and adjusting layout required precision and concentration, which can be difficult on one screen where real estate is at a premium. I introduced a distraction-free fullscreen mode that isolates content and shelves, allowing editors to comfortably spread out. This improved ergonomics for frequent layout changes and campaign-driven updates.

Guess what? We got the contracts. This implementation:

  • Build relationships with major broadcasting contracts

  • Opened a new enterprise market segment

  • Enabled non-technical operators to manage TV apps

  • Created a scalable configuration system for OTT deployments

The Impact

Our potential client was able to configure and deploy their TV app with minimal friction. This secured us a lucrative contract, but it also allowed JWP to grow from a video platform into an app-enablement platform.