FELIX — DIGITAL VIDEO 2 YEARS BEFORE NETFLIX

REVOLUTIONARY PRODUCT

Defined the future for online streaming media

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

We defined, designed and developed Felix as a fully functioning online streaming media concept while Netflix was still just offering DVD’s online two years prior to their streaming product. Even today, many years later, it would compete as one of the best streaming product experiences in the market.

The idea of digital video was just emerging and Blockbuster was renting DVD’s on every corner. The client for this project wanted a way to allow their customers to watch movies via the internet without a DVD. A media extender box was the business plan and it seemed very promising.

The media extender solution was however, focused on the technology and initial iterations were nearly impossible to use. They entailed a computer running windows, that had access to the internet, installing and running a program, connecting cables and a very clumsy box with an even clumsier interface.

The approach was to step back, examine the market demographics and define product personas that were most likely to use and pay for this. Next we completed a lifecycle analysis of the end-to-end experience and considered the user in their environment. Task flows were developed and a story began to take place. Simplify, focus on ease of use, and allow remote control navigation.

Felix had overwhelming acceptance but never launched as the client was unable to sway the entertainment industry into giving digital media rights the same consideration as physical media. Two years later, Netflix was successful in these negotiations and the rest is, well... history.