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Netflix Reviews & Social Feature

UX Research & App Prototype

Role: UX Researcher & UI Designer

Timeline: 3 Months

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Tools: Figma Design, FigJam, Google Forms, Google Slides

Synopsis: Netflix Social Features introduces an in-app social layer where users can post reviews, rate shows, and connect with friends.

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Netflix Logo

‍Context

Netflix is a leading streaming platform with millions of users worldwide, yet Netflix lacks social interaction features. Our goal was to design an integrated social layer that allows users to post reviews, rate shows, and connect with friends directly within the app.

Problem

Netflix users often leave the platform to search for recommendations on social media or external review sites. This creates friction in the user experience and ultimately reduces engagement within Netflix.

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Goal

Design a social feature that:

• Enables posting and reading reviews/ratings for shows

• Allows users to connect with friends and view their activity

• Maintains Netflix’s core viewing experience without disruption

Examples of the survey questions and charts

Research Method:

• Conducted Google Surveys with multiple-choice and rating questions.

• Gathered insights on user satisfaction, social expectations, and preferred features.

Key Findings

• 88% of respondents enjoy Netflix primarily for its content.

• 72% rated Netflix’s social aspect as 1–2 (very low) on a 1–5 scale.

• 66.7% of users enjoy viewing feeds on social media, suggesting a desire for similar engagement on Netflix.

Analysis of Research/Insights

Users expressed a strong desire for trustworthy recommendations without having to leave Netflix. Currently, social interaction on the platform is minimal, which presents an opportunity to introduce community-driven engagement. Features such as reviews, ratings, and visibility into friend activity align well with user expectations and could significantly enhance the overall experience.

How Might We

• How might we make Netflix more social without disrupting its core experience?

• How might we provide reliable recommendations within the app?

• How might we allow users to connect and share viewing habits easily?

Ideating/Solutions

During ideation, we brainstormed features such as a friends page with curated lists, profile customization with privacy settings, and a live activity feed similar to Instagram Notes. Ultimately, we narrowed the scope to focus on reviews, ratings, and friend connections to ensure the project remained feasible.

Design Process

• Lo-Fi Wireframes: Defined layout for social features, established core navigation patterns

• Mid-Fi: Added interaction details, refined userflows

• Hi-Fi: Applied Netflix's visual language, designed polished UI components, created an interactive prototype in Figma

‍Features:

View Full Protoype: https://www.figma.com/file/V5SqIGy6OZXWvdlcRt0iFm/Hifi-Final?node-id=0-1&t=XDrngxk4ifMcafxa-0

Styleguide, Slidedeck, Figma File

Style Tile

Outcome

After completing the final prototype, our team presented the propsed features and user flows to participants who had previously taken the initial survey. Participants were asked to evaluate whether the social features such as reviews, ratings, and friend activity would encourage them to stay within the Netflix app when deciding what to watch. The majority of participants indicated that the propsed features would reduce the need to leave Netflix for recommendations, validating the core design goal of minimizing off-platform friction.

Reflections

One of the main challenges was deciding which features to include while balancing ambition with feasibility. Through the process, I learned the importance of conducting user research, prototyping in Figma, and prioritizing usability over aesthetics. Looking ahead, future improvements could include adding friend-curated lists, exploring journaling and mindfulness integration, and gathering more user data to enhance the experience.

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