Case Study
Case Study
Enhancing the Netflix experience with "Watch Together" sessions
Enhancing the Netflix experience with "Watch Together" sessions
Case Study
Enhancing the Netflix experience with "Watch Together" sessions
Role
Product Designer (Razorpay Design Assignment)
Role
Product Designer (Razorpay Design Assignment)
Tools
Figma Notion
Tools
Figma Notion
Timeline
August 2025
Timeline
August 2025
Overview
Since lockdown, I’ve tried every “watch together” tool out there — Teleparty, Zoom, Discord, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams.
Every single one fell short.
Sometimes I couldn’t see my friends while sharing the screen
Sometimes there were sync issues
Sometimes calls cut off after 40 minutes
I wanted to solve the problem I’d been living with for 5+ years: make watching Netflix with friends feel like sitting on the same couch.
Overview
Since lockdown, I’ve tried every “watch together” tool out there — Teleparty, Zoom, Discord, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams.
Every single one fell short.
Sometimes I couldn’t see my friends while sharing the screen
Sometimes there were sync issues
Sometimes calls cut off after 40 minutes
I wanted to solve the problem I’d been living with for 5+ years: make watching Netflix with friends feel like sitting on the same couch.
The Challenge
Netflix is great at making solo watching effortless. But watching together still means juggling third-party tools.
That creates:
Fragmented experience — video on Netflix, conversation on another platform.
Limited interactivity — chat feels disconnected from the show.
Technical friction — sync issues, device limitations, or account barriers.
The Challenge
Netflix is great at making solo watching effortless. But watching together still means juggling third-party tools.
That creates:
Fragmented experience — video on Netflix, conversation on another platform.
Limited interactivity — chat feels disconnected from the show.
Technical friction — sync issues, device limitations, or account barriers.
Understanding the Users
Through personal experience and quick user research, I identified four core audiences:
Friends living apart (students, young professionals)
Families separated by travel
Couples in long-distance relationships
Fandom communities hosting watch parties
Most of them watch on TV or Web — together making up roughly 80% of Netflix viewing devices. That became the anchor for my design decisions.
Understanding the Users
Through personal experience and quick user research, I identified four core audiences:
Friends living apart (students, young professionals)
Families separated by travel
Couples in long-distance relationships
Fandom communities hosting watch parties
Most of them watch on TV or Web — together making up roughly 80% of Netflix viewing devices. That became the anchor for my design decisions.
Design Approach
The goal was to replicate that “we’re on the couch together” feeling. That meant:
Seeing friends while the content plays
Staying perfectly in sync without fiddling with controls
Keeping the interface uncluttered but interactive
I mapped the experience into a core flow:
Create a session from the content detail page
Invite friends instantly with a link or code
Watch & interact with synced playback, video thumbnails, and chat/reactions
Design Approach
The goal was to replicate that “we’re on the couch together” feeling. That meant:
Seeing friends while the content plays
Staying perfectly in sync without fiddling with controls
Keeping the interface uncluttered but interactive
I mapped the experience into a core flow:
Create a session from the content detail page
Invite friends instantly with a link or code
Watch & interact with synced playback, video thumbnails, and chat/reactions
The Solution
1. Frictionless Joining
I added two equally quick ways to join — a direct link or a simple 4-digit code. The code can be entered from a “Join Watch Party” option under the profile menu.
Impact: This approach makes the feature adaptable for both web and TV, which together account for roughly 80% of all Netflix viewing devices.
2. Interaction Without Losing Focus
I wanted interaction to be part of the experience, not a distraction from it. Many apps layer video tiles over the content or push chats into separate windows. A collapsible side panel with two tabs — Chat and Video — that slides in when needed and disappears when not.
3. Flexible Controls
Clear role management with permission settings to control playback, mute controls, and quick invite buttons.
Impact: Makes the session feel more like “being together” and helps the host manage the group easily.
The Solution
1. Frictionless Joining
I added two equally quick ways to join — a direct link or a simple 4-digit code. The code can be entered from a “Join Watch Party” option under the profile menu.
Impact: This approach makes the feature adaptable for both web and TV, which together account for roughly 80% of all Netflix viewing devices.
2. Interaction Without Losing Focus
I wanted interaction to be part of the experience, not a distraction from it. Many apps layer video tiles over the content or push chats into separate windows. A collapsible side panel with two tabs — Chat and Video — that slides in when needed and disappears when not.
3. Flexible Controls
Clear role management with permission settings to control playback, mute controls, and quick invite buttons.
Impact: Makes the session feel more like “being together” and helps the host manage the group easily.
Key UX Decisions
Link + 4-digit code: two frictionless ways to join, making it scalable for both web and TV.
Collapsible panel: chat & video calls alongside content.
Host settings: playback permissions, reaction toggle, privacy.
Multiviewer: Adding video calls with content for a more immersive experience.
Key UX Decisions
Link + 4-digit code: two frictionless ways to join, making it scalable for both web and TV.
Collapsible panel: chat & video calls alongside content.
Host settings: playback permissions, reaction toggle, privacy.
Multiviewer: Adding video calls with content for a more immersive experience.
Impact & Reflection
If implemented, this feature could:
Keep users on Netflix instead of switching to other apps.
Increase watch time through more social engagement.
Strengthen Netflix’s position as a shared entertainment platform.
Designing this reminded me that the best ideas often come from your own frustrations. You already know the edge cases, the moments that matter, and the trade-offs worth making.
Impact & Reflection
If implemented, this feature could:
Keep users on Netflix instead of switching to other apps.
Increase watch time through more social engagement.
Strengthen Netflix’s position as a shared entertainment platform.
Designing this reminded me that the best ideas often come from your own frustrations. You already know the edge cases, the moments that matter, and the trade-offs worth making.
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