ResumeNew feature design for
New feature design for
PlayBuddy: An AI Companion for Smarter Movie Recommendations
PlayBuddy: An AI Companion for Smarter Movie Recommendations
The AI-Powered Movie Companion
Introduction
A Never-Ending Dilemma
A Never-Ending Dilemma
You open Netflix after a long day, hoping to unwind, but after scrolling endlessly, you still can’t decide what to watch. Sound familiar? You're not alone—millions of users face this paradox of choice daily. As a product designer passionate about enhancing user experiences, I wanted to explore this problem and design a smarter solution.
You open Netflix after a long day, hoping to unwind, but after scrolling endlessly, you still can’t decide what to watch. Sound familiar? You're not alone—millions of users face this paradox of choice daily. As a product designer passionate about enhancing user experiences, I wanted to explore this problem and design a smarter solution.
My Role
UX Research, UI Design & Interaction Design
Skills
Conversational UX, Interaction Design & Emotional Design
Tools Used
Figma, FigJam, ChatGPT & Jitter
Timeline
3 Weeks
Why is Choosing a Movie So Hard?
Why is Choosing a Movie So Hard?
Understanding the Problem
From my research, the biggest challenges users face when picking a movie are
From my research, the biggest challenges users face when picking a movie are
Decision Fatigue – Netflix alone has over 17,000 titles! Too many choices lead to frustration and wasted time.
Lack of Personalisation – Existing recommendations rely on past watch history but fail to adapt to real-time moods and social context.
Time Sensitivity – Users may want different content depending on whether they have an entire evening or just an hour.
Decision Fatigue – Netflix alone has over 17,000 titles! Too many choices lead to frustration and wasted time.
Lack of Personalisation – Existing recommendations rely on past watch history but fail to adapt to real-time moods and social context.
Time Sensitivity – Users may want different content depending on whether they have an entire evening or just an hour.
Research & Insights
Research & Insights
To understand how people select movies, I conducted a survey, and here’s what I found:
82%
said they struggle with movie selection frequently.
67%
mentioned that they rely on friends or IMDb ratings to decide.
90%
admitted they often end up watching nothing due to indecision.
92.3%
would love an AI-based personalised recommendation system.
Competitor Analysis
How Other Streaming Platforms Solve the Decision Dilemma
How Other Streaming Platforms Solve the Decision Dilemma
I studied how competitors like Disney+ Hotstar, Prime Video, ZEE5, Sony LIV and Jio Cinema tackle this problem. Most rely on generic trending lists or broad categories, but none provide a conversational, context-aware recommendation system.
I studied how competitors like Disney+ Hotstar, Prime Video, ZEE5, Sony LIV and Jio Cinema tackle this problem. Most rely on generic trending lists or broad categories, but none provide a conversational, context-aware recommendation system.
The Solution
PlayBuddy
PlayBuddy
A Conversational AI for Effortless Movie Selection
A Conversational AI for Effortless Movie Selection
The Glowing Floating Button
Placed in the bottom-right corner for easy thumb access, this button opens a chat-based interface for effortless content discovery. The subtle glow ensures visibility without distracting from the browsing experience, making it intuitive and accessible anytime.
Placed in the bottom-right corner for easy thumb access, this button opens a chat-based interface for effortless content discovery. The subtle glow ensures visibility without distracting from the browsing experience, making it intuitive and accessible anytime.
When you open Netflix, a floating button appears in the bottom-left corner, right within your thumb’s reach. Just tap it, and PlayBuddy is ready to assist.
When you open Netflix, a floating button appears in the bottom-left corner, right within your thumb’s reach. Just tap it, and PlayBuddy is ready to assist.
Initiating the Experience
New user
Simply start typing or let AI find the right questions for you.
Initiating the Experience
New user
Simply start typing or let AI find the right questions for you.
The Faster Way to Find Your Movie
Through research, we discovered that the three key factors in choosing a movie are
Time, Company, Mood.
PlayBuddy simplifies this by asking the right questions - so you get the perfect pick without endless scrolling.
The Faster Way to Find Your Movie
Through research, we discovered that the three key factors in choosing a movie are
Time, Company, Mood.
PlayBuddy simplifies this by asking the right questions - so you get the perfect pick without endless scrolling.
The Magic of AI Understanding
The Magic of AI Understanding
If you can’t define how you feel, PlayBuddy adapts. Instead of predefined choices, it chats with you—asking intuitive questions to detect your mood naturally.
If you can’t define how you feel, PlayBuddy adapts. Instead of predefined choices, it chats with you—asking intuitive questions to detect your mood naturally.
Tailored to Your Mood, Perfect for Your Night.
Tailored to Your Mood, Perfect for Your Night.
No generic lists—just personalised picks with insights like:
Why You’ll Love It - Mood Fit
No generic lists—just personalised picks with insights like:
Why You’ll Love It - Mood Fit
The Feedback Loop
The Feedback Loop
By tracking your preferences, it fine-tunes future suggestions—making every pick better than the last.
By tracking your preferences, it fine-tunes future suggestions—making every pick better than the last.
A Quick Comparison
Why This Works Better Than Netflix’s Current System
Why This Works Better Than Netflix’s Current System
Content Discovery
Content Discovery
Netflix - Endless scrolling, overwhelming choices
Netflix - Endless scrolling, overwhelming choices
PlayBuddy - Chat-based AI makes selection quick & easy
PlayBuddy - Chat-based AI makes selection quick & easy
Decision Making
Decision Making
Netflix - Manual searching, hit-or-miss picks
Netflix - Manual searching, hit-or-miss picks
PlayBuddy - AI-driven, precise recommendations
PlayBuddy - AI-driven, precise recommendations
Mood Adaptation
Mood Adaptation
Netflix - No emotional intelligence
Netflix - No emotional intelligence
PlayBuddy - Understands your mood & suggests accordingly
PlayBuddy - Understands your mood & suggests accordingly
Social Context
Social Context
Netflix - Doesn’t consider who you’re watching with
Netflix - Doesn’t consider who you’re watching with
PlayBuddy - Adapts recommendations based on company
PlayBuddy - Adapts recommendations based on company
Time Sensitivity
Time Sensitivity
Netflix - No quick-watch suggestions
Netflix - No quick-watch suggestions
PlayBuddy - Recommends based on your available time
PlayBuddy - Recommends based on your available time
Feedback Loop
Feedback Loop
Netflix - Relies on past watch history
Netflix - Relies on past watch history
PlayBuddy - Learns & evolves with your taste
PlayBuddy - Learns & evolves with your taste