Dialog TV: Evolving Entertainment for 1.2 Million Homes

Background

Dialog TV, a leading DTH service provider in Sri Lanka and Nepal, serves a user base of 1.2 million subscribers. The company set out to introduce Sri Lanka’s first hybrid set-top box (STB)—a groundbreaking solution that merges the flexibility of Android TV with the functionality of a traditional STB. This innovation aimed to deliver an enhanced viewing experience, combining streaming freedom with broadcast reliability.

My Role

UX Design, Style Guide, UI design & Mentoring

Designing for TV: Challenges

• TV UX is unique
Unlike mobile or desktop interfaces, TV design prioritises ease, immersion, and clarity for a seamless viewing experience.

• Balancing innovation with familiarity
The challenge was to redesign the experience while maintaining the essence of the existing product.

• First project as a fresher
As my first major project, I faced personal challenges in adapting to a large-scale design process.

• Overcoming hurdles
Navigating new workflows, stakeholder expectations, and technical constraints became an essential part of my learning curve.

Design Process

I was onboarded one month into the the project - replacing the out-going designer, and this being a very fast-paced project, my main goals were -

1. Reaching the completion line in 2 months (this was a massive project involving 100+ screens)

2. Designing a clean UI with modern look and feel

3. Manage timelines and work between myself and an intern

I took over after the previous designer completed the project discovery and IA. After a few knowledge-sharing sessions, I began wire-framing with insights from their TV UI expert. I started my first task - by looking at inspirations and collecting the components i liked (I was still figuring out my process at this point) and gathering any helpful resources.

Key Design Decisions

Top VS Left Navigation

I wire-framed both the approaches - the overall stakeholder inclination was towards the left navigation - because of the scalability it provided for a complex platform we had and the consistent app-like feel this provided.

Focus Pattern

Another crucial aspect was determining how to highlight the focused element:

1. Keep the focused element fixed while repositioning the surrounding cards.

2. Shift the focus dynamically as the cards scroll.

We choose the system with the Fixed focused element considering the benefits it offered:

Electronic Program Guide

The biggest challenge of this project was redesigning the EPG guide, balancing user familiarity with the existing interface and the need for improvement.

After weighing the pros and cons, I created the wireframes with a clear focus on:

• Simplifying components

• Gradually revealing information

• Displaying only what’s necessary, avoiding information overload

Visual Design

We adopted a UI style which had it’s foundations in Material design and uniqueness of Dialog’s design language.

Project Recap

This being my first project was an exciting journey, marked by both successes and challenges.

• Working closely with my CEO, I quickly learned the value of strong mentorship.

• The experience allowed me to fail fast and learn even faster, fostering personal and professional growth.

• The fast-paced environment kept me engaged and highlighted the importance of effective time management.

• I gained valuable insights into resource management by:

• Strategically involving an intern to accelerate delivery.

• Delegating tasks like reusing components and sourcing assets.

• Ensuring the team stayed focused on high-impact design work.

The hybrid set-top-box was launched in the Sri-Lankan market in early 2020 for all of it’s 1.2 mn users