Disney+ / Home Screen
User Research
Analytics
Wireframes
Prototyping
Usability Testing
Stakeholder Meetings
When most people think of Disney, a handful of iconic titles come to mind — Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Mickey Mouse. Maybe Star Wars or Marvel for the superfans.
That brand recognition is powerful — but it was also the challenge. Disney+ wasn’t just a home for a few beloved franchises; it housed an expansive, multi-brand ecosystem of content. The problem wasn’t awareness of Disney. It was helping audiences understand the true breadth and depth of what Disney+ actually offered.
OVERVIEW
Role: Lead Product Designer
Timeline: 1 month
Team: 1 Product Manager, 3 Product Designers, 1 Data Analyst, 1 UX Researcher
Scope: Home screen
THE BUSINESS PROBLEM
Disney+ had no issues with getting subscribers, but:
~50% of failed sessions occur only on the home screen
Only 63% of TV users were seeing past the fourth row of content
72% of users who unsubscribed cited there wasn’t enough content
Less than 20% of available content was being watched
The creation and release of new content was limited, but people weren’t exploring what was already there beyond what they had assumed. We needed to increase video views while also reducing churn.
Leadership initially asked for “more titles in the home screen carousel.”
But after reviewing product data, I reframed the problem: How do we show users more value without changing their current habits?
PROCESS
We reviewed exit data, CTRs, and user interactions, then challenged assumptions about how users perceive catalog breadth. We found that TV users often stopped scrolling after a few rows because the layout didn’t invite exploration.
Users weren’t exploring the catalog because the UI suggested less content existed than actually did, limiting engagement and increasing churn.
We then focused on these key areas:
breaking up the monotony,
announcing new titles,
focusing on the first few rows,
and giving users an easy way to see more without changing their current behavior.
And that last part is key. If the interface subtly encouraged exploration — through scroll behavior and content surfacing — users would perceive greater value and engage more deeply.
Instead of a full redesign, I focused on lightweight behavioral shifts.
CONCLUSION
The project was cut short by a larger business initiative. Disney+ had decided to create a new app for its South American audience which would house mature content (PG-13 and above) as well as live sports, Star+.
Some of the ideas were used in the initial design of Star+ such as the home screen, continue watching tiles, and genre tabs.