SonyLIV
Consistently enhancing the user experience for SonyLIV
Creating a better experience with a robust design system, a fresh redesign, and seamless streaming solutions across devices.
Launched in 2013, Sony Pictures Networks Indiaβs SonyLIV is Indiaβs first OTT (over-the-top) platform. It offers a mix of live television, movies, web series, and sports content. Over the years, it has expanded its library with SonyLIV Originals, regional content, and premium sports streaming, making it a key player in Indiaβs digital entertainment landscape. They aimed to create an intuitive SonyLIV experience across all devices.
Driven by fruitful brainstorming sessions and design thinking, we aimed to deliver the best OTT streaming experience with SonyLIV.
Challenge
With SonyLIV, one of the key challenges was to ensure the appβs smooth functionality across different systems and devices, whether it is Android, iOS, television, desktop, or tablet - the app should feel seamless and engaging for all users. Another challenge was to maintain the design system and key elements like illustrations to ensure consistency throughout.
The new logo update in 2020 made way for a UI redesign opportunity which reflected the new brand identity across all touchpoints. We also worked to enhance the overall user experience by designing the dark mode of the platform.
Industry
EntertainmentServices
UI UX designMotion graphic designWeb developmentCreative Quotient
UI UX designersMotion graphic designerFront-end developers
Our approach
Our collaboration went beyond two teams - it brought together teams from multiple disciplines to create a seamless, unified experience across the platform. We closely worked with the product team to tackle key challenges and ensure a consistent design look and feel all throughout.
We focused on adapting different user flows and streamlining the adaptation process while maintaining visual and functional harmony. A structured approach, combined with rigorous testing, enabled us to close the design loop efficiently and deliver a polished, intuitive, and high-quality experience. In collaboration with the SonyLIV team, we designed smooth, engaging experiences across several genres like entertainment, live sports, as well as remarkable sports events like Olympics and Asia Games.
Understanding the users
Entertainment lovers
These users enjoy binge-watching TV shows, movies, and SonyLIV originals including regional and family-friendly content. They might access the SonyLIV platform across multiple devices, seeking an intuitive, enjoyable experience throughout.
Sports fans and streamers
These are the users who tune in to SonyLIV to watch live cricket, football, WWE, and other major sports events. They seek real-time sports updates and exclusive sports content instantly available on all devices, with an immersive, live experience.
Frictional adaptation across different devices. Lacked user-centricity. Needed a smooth experience.
Intuitive, visually cohesive design. Maintained a robust design system.
User-friendly experiences. Transformed the UI in alignment with the new logo.
Keeping up with the design system
In close collaboration with the SonyLIV team, we built a strong, uniform design system to create a seamless and consistent user experience across all screens and devices. By standardizing the foundational and core components like colors, typography, buttons, cards, and navigation, we streamlined the systemic function of each element. Finally, we documented comprehensive guidelines for better clarity and ease of use for everyone involved, designers and developers both.
Bringing LIV Original Shorts to life
To materialize SonyLIVβs Original Shorts, we began with thorough research about short-form content, followed by benchmarking key competitors to understand processes, performances, and best practices. With a focus on intuitive navigation, engaging UI, and platform-wide consistency, we set the foundation for a seamless and immersive short-form entertainment viewing experience across all devices.
Maintaining consistency in artworks
For a unified and visually engaging experience, we worked with the SonyLIV team to define artwork guidelines for the platform as well as all devices. These guidelines form the backbone of a cohesive design front which help us maintain clarity, brand identify, and deliver a premium look and feel at every touchpoint. With established guidelines, the SonyLIV experience becomes distinctly recognizable across platforms, making it easier for the users to navigate and engage with the content.
Diving into the quiz quest with QOTY!
We worked in tandem with the client to design the website for a unique, multi-platform quizzing mega event called Quizzer of the Year (QOTY). The website presented the quizzer initiativeβs offerings in a clear and concise manner. We created and tested multiple design iterations based on the requirements. Primarily catering to students, teachers, and parents, we ensured that all the relevant information and registration details were easily available and accessible to all the users.
Making it fully functional with code
We catered to the dynamic development requirements with efficient solutions that supported the vision of making the platform fully responsive. Critical information like the legal and compliance pages were structured for full WCAG accessibility, clear navigation, and optimized readability. Finally, we added delight by developing lively recommendation pop-ups integrated with CleverTap that effectively engage viewers and seamlessly guide them to whatβs next.
Delivering scores - right on time!
From building pages for schedules and medal tallies to managing real-time updates for major events like the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Euro Cup, and many more, we did not miss covering any sports event! Similarly, we built various campaign pages tailored to specific events and promotions, like QOTY, to share updates with the users. These pages allowed the users to be on top of recent updates, while also substantially increasing user engagement in all campaigns.
