The original app had cluttered layouts, confusing navigation, and low engagement. Users struggled to find what they wanted or where to begin.
I explored ways to simplify the layout, reduce decision fatigue, and make the experience feel more relaxed, like TV should.
Client
Channel News Asia
Timeline
6 months
Role
UX Research · Interaction Design · Prototype
Platform
Smart TV
What was holding users back
Even though Channel News Asia delivered quality content, users often hit roadblocks while navigating the app — especially on Smart TVs. From clunky remote interactions to inconsistent visuals across platforms, the experience needed rethinking.
Old user interface
Too many entry points led to decision fatigue
Too many entry points led to decision fatigue
Too many entry points led to decision fatigue
Homepage lacked clear structure or guidance
Homepage lacked clear structure or guidance
Homepage lacked clear structure or guidance
Episode access was buried behind generic categories
Episode access was buried behind generic categories
Episode access was buried behind generic categories
No visual or UX cues for “where do I begin?”
No visual or UX cues for “where do I begin?”
No visual or UX cues for “where do I begin?”
Digging into the gaps
Even though Channel News Asia delivered quality content, users often hit roadblocks while navigating the app — especially on Smart TVs. From clunky remote interactions to inconsistent visuals across platforms, the experience needed rethinking.
Smart TV is primary for OTT
Singapore has over 28M OTT users — and 40% stream via Smart TVs.
Singapore has over 28M OTT users — and 40% stream via Smart TVs.
Remote UX needs work
Users found the UI hard to control with remotes, especially on Samsung & LG.
Users found the UI hard to control with remotes, especially on Samsung & LG.
Viewers drop off early
Engagement time was 25% lower than competing news apps.
Engagement time was 25% lower than competing news apps.
Play Store ratings
CNA's app averaged 3.4★ — with mentions of confusing layout and remote struggles.
CNA's app averaged 3.4★ — with mentions of confusing layout and remote struggles.
Competitor insights
We studied a range of Smart TV platforms — from news apps like Fox News, Haystack and CNBC to streamers like Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV and more.
To understand how they handle discovery, layout, and remote interaction. These patterns helped shape key decisions in our redesign.
Surfacing live or trending content upfront reduces clicks and decision fatigue.
Side navs that stay visible or collapse smartly let users explore without breaking flow.
QR logins and simple entry points speed up access across TV platforms.
D-pad-friendly layouts with clear focus states support lean-back interaction.
Shaping the new flow
Our goal was to reduce friction, not add features. We restructured the app to prioritize what users care about most — live content, trending shows, and saved items — all accessible through a clear, remote-friendly hierarchy. Every screen was mapped to minimize steps and make navigation feel natural across platforms.
Design System
Cards, rails, and templates to scale across content types.
Cards, rails, and templates to scale across content types.
Redesigning the Core Flows
From home to search to schedules, we restructured key screens to feel fluid, remote-first, and consistent across platforms. Each screen now guides the user — not just visually, but through focus and behavior logic that feels native to TV.
Home Screen
We prioritized live content, added auto-play logic, and surfaced personalized carousels to reduce choice fatigue.
Navigation flow, focus defaults, and fallback states were refined for seamless remote-first movement.
TV Schedule
TV Schedule
We fine-tuned focus jumps, tab transitions, and kept playback running in the background.
Sign In
Sign In
VOD content is grouped by genre priority, with focus-driven previews and instant playback.
Search
Users can quickly search using a remote keyboard, with predictive suggestions and preloaded category chips.
Results are split across News, Programmes updating instantly as users type.
OUTCOME
From scattered to structured
The redesigned experience is now available across Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku — improving clarity, structure, and ease of use.
We simplified navigation, reduced remote fatigue, and built a more consistent UI across platforms.
Curious about the full flow or want to dive deeper?
