A gender perspective in the design of a video-on-demand search engine

Abstract

Most interaction designs unknowingly discriminate against certain groups of people, and video-on-demand platforms are often included among such designs. This study presents an introduction to the adoption of a gender perspective in the user experience design of the search engine of a video-on-demand platform. User experience design includes, in essence, user needs in order to eliminate the obstacles users may encounter on their way to having a productive, straightforward and rewarding experience. This project was carried out using established user experience methods and techniques. The final design provides a prototype for an advanced search engine within a video-on-demand platform and includes all the elements in the filtering system of the main catalogue. It eliminates the gender gap and promotes women’s empowerment, thereby providing an experience where users feel comfortable and satisfied.

Introduction

Many current audiovisual products that are part of video-on-demand (VOD) streaming platforms make women feel stereotyped and invisible (Izquierdo-Castillo and Torres-Romay, 2023). How might interaction design be developed to prevent the stereotyping and invisibility of women and other marginalised groups? The answer to this question lies within the realm of information architecture – the discipline that enables users to navigate the contents of a website or, in this case, a VOD platform (Pérez-Montoro, 2010). Hence, if the aim of this study is to make women and LGBTQI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, other) groups more visible on these platforms, the information architecture must include a gender perspective. This article presents a prototype for a VOD platform interface with an advanced search option that incorporates a broader, more inclusive gender perspective to enhance the visibility of marginalised groups. This requires the development of a new interface with an integrated search engine. While creating an entirely new platform might form a niche for like-minded individuals, potentially excluding those who could benefit from education, enhancing an existing platform has the advantage of reaching a wider audience rather than catering to a specific cohort. In this way, both content and creators can contribute to bridging the gender gap. Before diving into the details of information architecture, our research builds on a prior study, which allowed us to identify essential information needs from a gender perspective within VOD platforms. We used various methodologies to examine the current context of VOD platforms, including user profiles, descriptors, terminology and the organisation of information.

Literature review

Newell and Gregor (2000) were the first to lay their cards on the table regarding the creation of a new paradigm in which designs are inclusive. In their article, they discuss the new movements of ‘Design for All’ and ‘Universal Design’. They specifically refer to all designs in general, not just web designs, and inclusivity for people with disabilities, although they state that ‘many of the ideas contained in it (Universal Usability) apply mutatis mutandis to other minority groups’ (Newell and Gregor, 2000: 6). It should be remembered that, in the 2000s, information and communications technologies were just beginning to emerge. However, these movements were already indicating a growing need for inclusive designs. Introducing the concept of ‘User Sensitive Inclusive Design’ would aid future researchers and engineers in developing more effective and improved equipment for all groups. Finally, Newell and Gregor (2000: 6) propose not the establishment of a new paradigm, but rather ‘that the methodologies of User Centred Design be extended to form a paradigm called User Sensitive Inclusive Design’.

Tornay-Márquez (2021: 35) discusses communication research from a gender perspective, which emerged through ‘feminist researchers who identified the sexist content of the media as an obstacle to accessing women’s rights and building more egalitarian societies’. These researchers from the 1960s and 1980s were significant, as they played a role in establishing a need that persists today. Feminists ‘have focused from the beginning on the promotion of women’s rights and progress towards more egalitarian societies’ (Tornay-Márquez, 2021: 36), which is why it is important for feminist theory to also consider communication from a gender perspective. This article underscores the work of these feminist researchers and the influence they have had on the shaping of subsequent media.

Feminism can be a guiding practice when crafting designs. Bardzell (2010: 1308) argues that integrating feminism into the process can ‘generate concrete new design directions and new approaches to studying users’, and highlights the specific qualities of feminist interaction design: critique-based contributions and generative contributions. Critique-based contributions involve analysing ‘designs and design processes in order to expose their unintended consequences’ (Bardzell, 2010: 1308); generative contributions involve using feminist approaches in decision-making. Costanza-Chock (2018) also delves into the essence of designing for collective liberation. However, designs often perpetuate inequalities, which is why Costanza-Chock (2018: 5) emphasises the importance of adhering to principles of design justice that reject oppressive concepts like ‘white supremacy, heteropatriarchy, capitalism, and settler colonialism’. Fiesler et al. (2016) conducted a study on integrating feminist values and processes into system designs, concluding that a significant community advocates for this integration and hopes that other communities will also embrace a feminist commitment.

Approaching our focus on the role of online platforms, García Leiva (2019) discusses their emergence and contemporary significance. The advent of these platforms is ‘altering the configuration of the audiovisual, digital and analog industries, redefining the role of the existing agents when competing for viewers, subscribers and advertisers’ (García Leiva, 2019: 74). While García Leiva highlights an imbalanced and segmented society in audiovisual consumption, she also confirms the recent surge in subscribers on VOD platforms. This underscores the importance of researching and designing within this context.

Studying user experience (UX) is crucial because it revolves around the emotions and sensations users feel when interacting with a product. The specific example discussed by Suthiprapa and Tuamsuk (2022: 549) involves analysing users’ experiences with reference services, specifically within Thai academic libraries, to ‘understand their behaviours and attitudes’. Since a library serves as a place for ‘providing information services to support teaching, learning and research’ (Suthiprapa and Tuamsuk, 2022: 551), they deemed it relevant to delve into UX, as ‘when a library understands user experience, it can further analyse user goals’ (Suthiprapa and Tuamsuk, 2022: 553). When creating and prototyping a product, it is essential to consider UX and utilise related research methods and techniques (Sleeswijk Visser, 2009). This underscores the importance of factoring in the element of UX when developing a product.

We have also considered the relevance of the studies by Alhajri et al. (2021) and Hwang et al. (2015) in the field of UX. Both studies examined gender disparities within different contexts – an online student information system and wearable devices, respectively. These articles piqued our interest due to their focus on UX and gender perspectives, albeit in different platform contexts.

Lastly, Sibley et al. (2022) created tools to integrate intersectionality into knowledge translation, a concept partly rooted in a gender perspective. Moreover, Costanza-Chock (2018) also promotes incorporating intersectionality within design theory and practice. Sibley et al. (2022) stress the importance of inclusivity, particularly in knowledge translation. Similar to our study’s multi-method approach for prototype platform evaluation, they conducted a comprehensive review and applied methods to develop tools aimed at maximising inclusiveness. These tools could serve as valuable resources for formulating guidelines to improve knowledge translation, akin to the potential impact of our platform’s advanced search engine on other platforms. However, the most compelling application lies in considering these tools during the inception of new platforms.

Research methods

Before presenting our research methods, we would like to acknowledge some limitations. This study was conducted in an academic context with limited resources for certain methodological procedures, such as interviews or card sorting. As a result, we have a relatively small sample size, which may limit the representativeness of our data. However, we were committed to include perspectives from the LGBTQI+ community to avoid excluding another marginalised group. Initially, we included an LGBTQI+ man to provide supplementary perspectives. Later in the study, we chose to focus solely on the contributions of women, which resulted in a smaller sample size, as will be seen in the following sections.

Our research began with a literature review to assess the existing studies and findings on the subject. We then used interaction design methods in the following sequence: heuristic analysis, interviews, empathy mapping, UX persona and scenario creation, journey mapping, card sorting, content-tree development, flow chart and wireframe prototyping, and user testing. These methods helped shape the final design of the VOD platform, which we developed using wireframes. In the discussion phase, we conducted a comparative analysis of our results in the context of other studies, leading to our conclusions.

Heuristic analysis

The convergence of satisfaction, efficiency and intuition yields usability (Ferran, 2021). We utilised the heuristic analysis method to understand the usability of current VOD platforms. We evaluated them to determine which exhibited an optimal interaction design in relation to Nielsen (1994) and Hassan Montero and Martín Hernández (2003) principles: that is, encompassed factors such as visibility, connection, control, consistency, error prevention, flexibility and design. The design of our platform took inspiration from those platforms that have achieved a robust interaction design.

Interviews

Interviews provide a qualitative approach for gaining direct insights from users, facilitating a deep understanding of their needs, experiences and viewpoints. This method allowed us to gain specific insights that quantitative methods may not have captured. To explore user perspectives on the gender aspect of VOD platforms, we conducted interviews with four women and one LGBTQI+ man. These interviews aimed to gather insights on audiovisual content (including creators and stereotypes), women’s roles in the professional realm, and platform usage. We conducted these interviews both in person and via video calls to observe the participants’ reactions.

Empathy mapping

Based on the interviews, we created an empathy map with four sections: what the participants SAY, what they THINK, what they FEEL and, finally, what they DO. This map allowed us to distil shared ideas and thoughts among the interviewees, helping us to understand their commonalities and differences. It played a crucial role in crafting the subsequent UX personas.

UX persona and scenario creation, and journey mapping

UX personas and scenarios are common techniques in interaction design. A UX persona represents a user archetype, sharing characteristics, motivations and goals with a user group. On the other hand, a UX scenario provides a detailed description of the actions, thoughts and emotions of the UX persona when interacting with the design. These tools helped us to understand user behaviour and thought processes. The journey map visually depicted the UX scenario, showing user thoughts, touchpoints, challenges, emotional trajectories and potential opportunities based on their interactions with the design.

Card sorting

Card sorting is a method that helps us to understand how users group and categorise information. This technique allows us to tailor the organisation and design of information in a final product to align with users’ vocabulary and preferred structure. It contributes to user-centred design and complements the other research methods discussed in this article. We used card sorting to build the information architecture for our information retrieval system, focusing on VOD platforms with a gender perspective. Our goal was to understand user interaction with the content, how they categorised information and the terminology they used. We curated a set of cards, considering gender and sexual diversity, and including technical terms like ‘genre’ and ‘document type’. Three 26-year-old women participated in the card-sorting process, helping us to determine appropriate classifications and category names for our target audience.

The content tree

A content tree visually represented the outcomes of our card-sorting exercise, which specifically focused on the platform’s advanced search engine – a central component of the project. This tree hierarchy revealed the platform’s taxonomy, including various categories, subcategories and their corresponding elements.

Prototyping and user testing

In prototyping our design, we used flow charts to visually map out user processes, emphasising technical aspects like logging in, searching for content and problem-solving. Wireframes depicted the platform’s structural appearance, excluding artistic elements. We conducted user testing by presenting wireframes to volunteers and gathering their input on specific actions. These methodologies provided indicators of the potential effectiveness of our final design.

Findings

Having employed the methods in the sequence elucidated in the preceding section, we made the following findings.

Heuristic analysis

We used heuristic analysis to evaluate Netflix, Disney+ and Pluto TV. All three platforms have made a substantial effort to create user-friendly interfaces for seamless navigation, especially Netflix and Disney+. Pluto TV stands out with its superior information structure, offering more specific subcategories for refined searches. While all three platforms cater to user needs well, there is room for improvement. Netflix excels in usability and error prevention, making it the most robust platform. Disney+ impresses with its minimalist and intuitive design, while Pluto TV distinguishes itself with its efficient content management. In conclusion, our analysis revealed that Netflix has the most exemplary interaction design and usability. Therefore, we decided to use the Netflix interface as the foundation for our own design, with the goal of delivering an optimal UX.

Interviews

The responses in the interviews indicated that content quality is more significant than the presence of female empowerment or a gender perspective on a platform. However, the participants expressed that female empowerment and a gender perspective should exist alongside content quality. The gender of the creator did not particularly interest them. All of the respondents reacted positively to the concept of enhancing the visibility of LGBTQI+ groups and women through a gender perspective – a sentiment embraced across all platforms. However, there is a noticeable absence of female characters reflecting the authentic traits of real women, as opposed to those conceived by male directors.

The interviews also provided insights into the structure and components that are essential for a platform, extending beyond the gender perspective, which remains integrated into other facets of the platform. These aspects are significant and warranted consideration as we developed the VOD platform, requiring the incorporation of fundamental elements such as:

An intuitive search engine equipped with advanced search functionalities;

Mobile and web applications;

An original language version, accompanied by subtitles in multiple languages;

Diverse content catering to all audiences, from children’s cartoons to adult viewership;

A comprehensive data sheet for all content;

A section dedicated to personalised recommendations based on user preferences;

The utilisation of distinct colours for content presentation;

The availability of filtering options;

Provision for creating a watchlist.

Empathy map

The common attributes shared among the interviewed individuals encompassed being VOD users, feminists, gender-sensitive and experiencing a sense of invisibility. Broadly speaking, the majority SAID they lacked awareness regarding the gender of audiovisual creators, expressed motivation for a platform with a gender perspective, and perceived an inherent injustice. Their THINK perspective revolved around the absence of representation and they took pride in their thoughts. As for their actions (DO), their primary engagement with platforms was for entertainment purposes. Ultimately, their emotional state (FEEL) oscillated between feelings of helplessness and feelings of empowerment, often coupled with an underlying unawareness of existing discrimination. While certain concepts may appear contradictory, a consensus emerges: even if gender and discrimination might not have been at the forefront of their consciousness, on reflection, they acknowledged the dearth of female representation.

UX persona and scenario creation

Our user profile is Laia, a 25-year-old woman who is deeply committed to feminism and staying informed (Figure 1, Appendix 1). She recently completed her university degree, and her professional career is in its early stages. Laia primarily uses her smartphone or laptop to access audiovisual content through VOD platforms and social networks, and she spends a significant portion of her day online. She is an avid consumer of audiovisual and musical content, driven by personal motivations. She values spending time with her friends and seeks entertainment with informative elements. She frequently uses diverse platforms offering advanced search functionalities.

In the UX scenario, we find Laia fatigued after work, intending to unwind with a film that offers relaxation and intellectual engagement. She spends about half an hour browsing the menu and settles on a romantic comedy, only to encounter sexist stereotypes in the female character portrayal, leaving her frustrated and disheartened. Seeking solace, she calls her friend Anna, who suggests a platform offering better gender perspectives. Laia tries it and easily finds a film that aligns with her criteria, leaving her happy with her choice.

Journey map

The journey map depicts Laia’s desire to unwind by watching television (Figure 2, Appendix 1). As she explores the menu, she anticipates discovering something enjoyable yet intellectually stimulating. Unfortunately, her search yields no satisfying results, marking a notable pain point. This experience provokes a shift in her emotional state, registering as ‘frustrated’. A potential remedy emerges: the platform could offer high-quality content. Opting for a romantic comedy out of weariness, Laia’s sense of frustration deepens on realising the presence of sexist content and perpetuated stereotypes. Addressing this issue by finding quality, non-sexist content stands as a potential solution. Contemplating calling Anna, Laia’s mood brightens when she heeds her friend’s suggestion to sign up for a new platform. Subsequently, using the new platform leaves her thoroughly impressed, with her emotions transitioning to a state of ‘delight’.

Card sorting

The classification and categorisation that was determined suitable for our target audience included:

Type of content: ‘What do you want to watch today?’, visual content, and category;

Genre: genres and content, genre, and genres/rating;

Basic information: about the platform, visual content information, and settings.

Based on our analysis, we determined that the optimal arrangement would include categories on the left, genres in the middle, and platform information on the right or at the bottom. This arrangement is reflected in the content tree, which illustrates the architectural layout derived from the card-sorting process.

Content tree

The information expected by users when interacting with the search engine is structured as follows. At the top levels, there are broad descriptors, including content types (e.g. ‘What do you want to watch today?’), genres, direction, leading collective, moods and age groups. On this level, there are filters to fine-tune the search, including date ranges, parity seals, Bechdel test results, feminist rankings and LGBTQI+ special. The parity seal ensures that the content meets gender equality and diversity standards. On the other hand, the Bechdel test is used to assess gender representation in fiction, whether audiovisual or not. To pass the Bechdel test, a work must include at least two named female characters who interact with each other, and their conversation must not primarily revolve around a male character. As we move to the lower tiers, the information is further divided into relevant subcategories (Figure 3, Appendix 1).

Prototyping

Flow chart

The process of accessing content using the advanced search system begins with logging in to the application. Users can access the platform through an existing profile or by creating a new one. After accurate data input, the main catalogue screen becomes visible. If they make a mistake, users are redirected to the login screen with an error message. Here, users have the option to retry or reset their password.

On the platform’s home page, users can either perform a specific content search or casually browse the catalogue without a specific goal. When seeking particular content, accessing the advanced search engine allows users to specify their desired features from the content tree’s outlined characteristics. After making selections, a list of results is presented, which may or may not meet the user’s criteria. If the desired content is found, it can be accessed for viewing. Otherwise, users can return to the advanced search filters to initiate another search (Figure 4, Appendix 1).

Wireframe and user testing

In this study, wireframes were created in line with our prototyping goals. We incorporated elements based on the content tree, outlining various accessible pages for user testing and eventual implementation on the live platform. Our goal was to provide users with an advanced search system that catered to their specific preferences, including a gender perspective and the inclusion of LGBTQI+ groups.

During user testing, we identified areas requiring modification and pages needing restructuring. We also noted missing elements, like the option to search by generation or activate a night mode. The feedback from our test users revealed design oversights, prompting necessary refinements. The final wireframes with the appropriate adjustments are presented in Figures 5 to 11 (Appendix 1).

The volunteers suggested improving the visibility of the advanced search button, as it was not immediately apparent. In contrast, they found the filter to be more conspicuous and accessible, leading to its more frequent use. In response to this feedback, we made a substantial change to our information retrieval system. For the advanced search function, we introduced a pop-up window immediately on entering the platform. The objective was to enhance the visibility of women and the LGBTQI+ community, ensuring easy access to their audiovisual contributions.

Including elements such as the parity seal and Bechdel test results with widespread visibility was crucial. These markers should be present across an advanced search system, filtering the interface, search results, and film data sheets. In addition to their role in content filtering, these elements serve an educational purpose, showing an explanation of the terms easily understandable.

Discussion

In this project, user testing was pivotal in ensuring the functionality of both the advanced search engine and the platform interface for users. The design proved highly effective, allowing for further enhancements. However, to comprehensively validate the study’s effectiveness, we conducted a review of similar research. Unfortunately, there is a lack of research on the gender perspective, especially within the realm of interaction design, highlighting a distinct need. Through discussions, we assessed the platform’s user-friendliness and its impact on other creators. While we did not find a study directly parallel to ours, we came across insightful articles on gender perspectives and communication.

The studies by Alhajri et al. (2021) and Hwang et al. (2015) conclude that discernible gender differences are not of substantial consequence. While our study primarily involved women, one male interviewee’s perspectives closely echoed the sentiments of the female participants. Based on our findings, gender differences do not appear to significantly affect the UX. Thus, the design of our platform could be suitable for other audiences, eradicating filter bubbles formed by distinct structures and content. The implementation transforms into a universal system that is accessible for both genders.

Our research findings highlighted the lack of quality content on existing platforms, prompting us to consider creating a new platform with fresh, high-quality content – a potential flagship feminist platform. However, in this article, we advocate for an alternative approach to prevent potential filter bubbles and avoid restricting the platform’s usage solely to those already deeply interested in such topics. Our objective is to refine existing platforms, ensuring their capacity to engage diverse audiences and offer an inclusive experience with a gender perspective. Our ambition is for everyone to participate in and relish such an enriching encounter.

Furthermore, the under-representation of women in senior roles within the field of UX in high-tech industries, as highlighted by Kumar et al. (2012), contributes to the limited consideration of gender perspectives in design – a concern raised by our interviewees in the audiovisual sector. Following our study, it is imperative to establish a system that enhances visibility for women and LGBTQI+ groups. Even if the number of women in senior roles does not witness proportional growth, the visibility of their work is paramount. Such progression would foster an equilibrium within the audiovisual sector, rectifying the gender imbalance.

Finally, the studies by Sibley et al. (2022) and Costanza-Chock (2018) propose a new framework of intersectionality that incorporates an intersectional perspective when designing applications. This approach helps with the development of inclusive tools that contribute to enhancing social well-being. While our gender-focused project also considers the LGBTQI+ community, intersectionality encompasses various other aspects that must be considered when creating any tool.

Conclusion

In concluding the design process, we have arrived at our final considerations. Initially, our hypothesis centred on ending the invisibility and stereotyping of women on VOD platforms. While our focus was on women, we realised that other groups could also benefit from these enhancements, prompting us to extend our design considerations to the LGBTQI+ community.

Our heuristic analysis revealed a remarkable uniformity among all VOD platforms, with a pervasive template-like approach. Except for Filmin, a platform that offers a significant content with a gender perspective, most platforms neglected to address the LGBTQI+ community or implement gender-perspective techniques to benefit women. As a result, beginning the design process centred on an information retrieval system geared towards a gender perspective, and LGBTQI+ visibility evolved from being essential to forming the cornerstone of our project.

Originally, our goal was to create an entirely new platform. However, insights from the interviews revealed a potential pitfall in developing a VOD platform from scratch focused on feminist content and a gender-perspective-based structure that prominently featured LGBTQI+ content. Such an approach risked being perceived as ‘too niche’ and the platform might not be used by the target audience.

Our aim was to avoid turning the platform into an exclusive filter bubble for women and LGBTQI+ individuals. Instead, we wanted to provide users with the freedom to select content without the limitations of the prevailing androcentrism. While the interviewees from various groups, including women and the LGBTQI+ community, expressed a positive inclination towards fostering inclusivity, they did not see a pressing need for a highly specialised platform. However, the empathy map highlighted critical areas requiring improvement within VOD applications, such as the presence of content of superior quality, authentic portrayal of female characters, and greater visibility of female creators on existing VOD platforms. Introducing an entirely new VOD platform filled solely with content aligning with a robust feminist ethos could inadvertently foster isolation within the specific target audiences.

Resolving the quandary of inclusivity led us to the decision not to create a new platform but to enhance existing ones. This choice does not imply that improving VOD platforms is a straightforward task. Designers and, in our case, information specialists must make rigorous efforts to achieve optimal UX design. Thus, our UX persona was modelled on a discerning young woman with profound intellectual curiosity and a keen interest in gender-perspective matters. The input of three volunteers who matched the attributes of our UX persona helped us develop the information architecture through card sorting, allowing the participants to organise cards as they saw fit. Although hybrid models presented intriguing possibilities, they did not yield results as optimal as those afforded by a fully open model. The participants unanimously supported the inclusion of an LGBTQI+ collection, both as a genre and as a theme. While the nomenclature could have posed challenges, the participants considered genre as encompassing categories like humour, horror or science fiction, while theme pertained to aspects like female creators, forming distinct collections. Thus, our proposed enhancements extended beyond the mere repositioning of information; they encompassed the advanced search engine, parity seal, feminist ranking and Bechdel test.

As the project neared its conclusion, we embarked on the prototyping process and conducted user testing. Our prototyping derived from insights gleaned through the card sorting. The primary design hinged on the user journey, spanning from the platform entry point to content discovery (Figure 4, Appendix 1). Wireframes aligned with this foundational structure, shaping our final prototype. User testing unveiled a fresh perspective, provided by the women previously interviewed, thereby influencing a revised viewpoint. Crafting an advanced search engine within platforms holds value only if users can readily locate and navigate it. Yet, this is not always the case. Furthermore, user preferences indicated a penchant for multiple layers of filtering, all with a seamless, effortless experience. It is uncommon for users to extensively utilise advanced search functionalities, especially if these features remain inconspicuous. Consequently, our final design merges all of the elements of advanced search within a user-friendly pop-up window, which users can dismiss at will, ensuring that both filtering options and the main catalogue remain visible. The advanced search refines and streamlines the search process, catering to users seeking precise content tailored to their requirements. Preset filters assist the user in refining their search, steering clear of open-ended searches. The inclusion of the feminist ranking and Bechdel test is crucial, aligning with our overarching goal of fostering awareness and education.

Consequently, our final design seamlessly integrates all facets of the advanced search system into the main catalogue’s filtering mechanism. This holistic approach not only bridges gender disparities and empowers women, but also culminates in a UX marked by ease, satisfaction and delight.

In view of our findings, we deem that, while a dedicated application for women or LGBTQI+ individuals might not be required, their visibility on mainstream platforms is undeniably crucial. As women researchers, the imperative of visibility and the advancement of feminism and education resonates with us. Consequently, we assert that enhancements related to creators and content are vital. Despite the relatively modest size of the examined sample, we obtain certain pivotal notions for these enhancements that are helpful to extrapolate to other designs. This study might be used as a starting point for prospective investigations into VOD platforms and information retrieval and search mechanisms.