The problem

The kids profile on Google TV allows a user to create a separate space for a child, with specified restrictions on what sorts of content they can watch, how much time they can spend watching and various other parental settings. It had existed for a while but was being expanded dramatically. This expansion included a bunch of new features, as well as a marketing push and a new effort to increase engagement among existing users.

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The existing feature was pretty bare bones, and the language reflected that. The set-up process was heavy on legalese, to the point where it, inadvertently, almost felt like it was trying to dissuade parents from using it. And the coolest, most useful aspects of the feature were difficult to navigate and understand, making them seem not very cool at all.

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With the expansion, kids profiles — in some way a product of its own within the Google TV product — would need a big-picture messaging and UX overhaul. On the more minute level, it would need tons of new copy for all the new functionality. That’s where I came in.

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The process

I worked on all aspects of Google TV — anytime words were on the screen, which is nearly every screen — but for about four months kids profiles was my most consistent project. In weekly syncs with the UX lead for the project, the two of us made decisions around overall UX strategy for each flow, reviewed my copy recommendations for the flows I’d been working on, and set the priorities for the next week.

 

I also audited the existing feature as a whole, with particular attention to the onboarding process of setting up a new kids profile. I presented my recommendations for improving that flow to the product owners as well as the UX lead. We made those the first things we implemented, since there isn’t much point in creating an expanded, better feature if potential users are going to be scared off from using the feature.

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The result

In the end, we created a cohesive, user-centered kids profiles experience that serves the needs and expectations of both parents and children. The voice is a touch more playful than other parts of Google TV but still within the overall tone and feel of the product.

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A few examples of this are at right. Tricky UX issues like interrupting flows to ask a parent to log in or approve an action were handled without losing too much of that friendly voice, such as in the “Can’t open Netflix” screen. And I was able to successfully straddle that line between empowering kids to feel like this is their space while also subtly letting parents know that they’re in charge of this space, such as in the “Assistant for kids” screen.