TV App for Internet Network

Project Overview

Context

Liberty Global, a prominent internet provider, active in several European countries , did not yet have a dedicated TV app, while similar functionality already existed for web and mobile. As the company also develops its own TV hardware, a TV-native application was required to support core internet management features on the big screen.

Audience

The app was designed for consumers and households, supporting shared usage across different levels of technical proficiency.

Role

I was responsible for defining the core TV features and translating them into TV-specific interaction patterns. I worked end-to-end on this subproject as the sole designer, collaborating closely with the Product Owner, Business Analyst and developers.

Scope

The project covered concept development, interaction design, testing and iteration, with a strong focus on accessibility and usability within TV constraints.

Research

Before we could start designing, we did some research into TV apps. In this phase we read studies and asked a group of current users of the connect app which features they would like to see on the TV.

Interaction patterns

One of the biggest challenges of designing for TVs is interaction patterns. Because of the remote control, the number of clicks should be at a minumum, and elements should never be far away.

Reducing to core features

The TV app deliberately focused on a reduced set of core features rather than replicating the full functionality of the web and mobile platforms. This ensured clarity, predictability and ease of use within the constraints of TV interaction.

Main menu

The main menu navigates to the main pages of the app. Main pages are, for example, the start page, devices page and support. It is placed on the left side so the menu can open with one click to the left.

Navigation optimised for remote control interaction

Navigation was designed around the directional limitations of a TV remote. The interface starts with focus in the top-left corner, allowing users to open the menu with a single left input, while avoiding upward scrolling through long lists, which proved error-prone during testing.

Sub menu

When there is a need for refinement on a main page, the submenu will be an helpful. After selecting a main page, the user lands directly on this menu, where they can go down for the tiles and scroll horizontally for other selections.

Shallow navigation over deep hierarchies

The navigation structure prioritised breadth over depth, as returning to previous screens is more difficult on TV than on touch or desktop devices. Key options were surfaced in submenus to enable quick access without losing context.

Tiles

At the core of the design are tiles that provide users with the information and options they need. It's crucial that these tiles are consistently designed and offer the appropriate options for the application. For example, if the internet connection is strong, a device can be paused with just one click. However, if the internet connection is weak, users can access additional options on a detailed page.

Detail pages

When relevant, there may be detail pages behind tiles. After I mapped out which functionalities are needed for this, I designed three templates. All detail pages fit into one of these templates and adjustments such as background image and options can change. This way, the pages remain unique in functionality while the interactions remain consistent.

Accessibility within fixed layouts

Contrast and text size were critical considerations, especially as TV interfaces are not responsive. Designs were tested with less able users to ensure legibility and accessibility across viewing distances and lighting conditions.

Outcome & impact

The resulting TV app translated complex internet management functionality into a predictable and accessible TV-native experience. Usability testing showed that the menu structure worked well, while deeper navigation layers caused users to lose overview—validating the decision to keep the hierarchy shallow.

This project demonstrates my ability to adapt interaction models to non-standard platforms and to take ownership from concept through testing and iteration. Working as the sole designer on this subproject strengthened collaboration with product and engineering and reinforced the value of design decisions grounded in platform constraints.

Background & References

This project was created by MakerStreet, a collective of agencies in Amsterdam. I was end-responsible for this subproject as the sole designer, working under a design lead while collaborating directly with the Product Owner, Business Analyst and developers. All concepts, interaction patterns and designs were created by me. In addition, there was a broad stakeholder landscape with roles such as head of design, director of connectivity and other business analysts.