Naro tv
2023
Naro
Core Product Lead
My Impact
As a Core Product owner, I set the direction and delivery steps to meet the needs of our customers in priority order. I worked closely with the Creative Director to ensure congruency between the brand and the product. I also influenced the design system and added multiple patterns based on testing within the product experience. Beyond Core Product experience, I took on designing the homepage, which led to a cross-pollination of ideas on the product and marketing side. In addition, I contributed ideas to the strategy for conversion.
Background
Naro is a startup with a mission to take viewers on memorable video journeys through Japanese culture. Each new course led by Japanese masters who haven't shared their experience before is to inspire, educate, and give new ways of seeing the world. I got involved in the early phases of product definition and creating an MVP.
Goal
My focus was on the Core Product and the viewing experience. It needed to match the brand and its premium positioning and showcase the beautifully crafted videos. The product had to be scalable to accommodate additional future functionality—connecting people through the inspiring content. Additionally, parts of the website at the point of contact with the customer needed resolving before launch, like the homepage design.
Challenge
As with all projects taking off the ground, prioritization and balancing delivery feasibility with aspirations was paramount. I worked back and forth between immediate shipping priorities and the north star vision to optimize the nearest work for the long-term direction.
Solution
My work resulted in an elegant yet vibrant web app with minimal UI to keep users immersed in their viewing experience. Player MVP experience facilitates efficient navigation to the desired section. It also lets the user watch without interruption (the controls stay in the background).
The homepage gives an overview of what Naro is and celebrates the courses by showcasing the value and versatility of the Masters. It has some quirky accents of colour that link to the uniqueness and vibrancy of the Master teachers and the videos themselves—a reflection of the brand direction. We tested multiple designs to find appealing layouts in different markets, drive clarity for customers and increase conversion rates.
