Mediacorp

Mediacorp is Singapore’s leading digital entertainment company, offering news, radio, and on-demand video through its flagship platforms MeWatch and MeListen. As part of the product design team, I worked across multiple feature enhancements, helping to improve accessibility, usability, and consistency across platforms used by millions of Singaporeans. This case study focuses on the design of a new Playback Speed feature for TV, web, mobile web, iOS, and Android. In addition to design work, I also contributed to product management activities such as sprint planning, stakeholder management, and market and trend analysis to benchmark similar experiences across global streaming platforms. I was involved in every stage of the process, from requirements gathering and wireframes to high-fidelity prototypes and collaboration with developers, ensuring a consistent and seamless experience across all devices. The result was a simple and intuitive playback control that improved user engagement and accessibility across Mediacorp’s ecosystem.

I began by studying how major streaming platforms such as Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify implement playback speed controls. The goal was to understand both user expectations and common usability pitfalls. Research highlighted that while playback speed is a popular feature, its implementation varies widely — from Netflix’s limited speed options to YouTube’s more flexible controls. Surveys showed that over 70% of users regularly adjust playback speed to save time or aid comprehension, especially for podcasts and educational content. Academic studies also indicated that moderate speed increases (1.25x–1.5x) can improve engagement and information retention without harming understanding. This analysis informed design decisions for Mediacorp’s new playback speed feature, ensuring it balanced accessibility, performance, and user control across all platforms.

I conducted a detailed competitive analysis comparing playback speed controls across major streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video. The study evaluated key design factors including control placement, interaction methods, persistence, visual feedback, and accessibility across devices. Findings showed that most platforms offered playback speed controls only on specific devices, with limited customization and inconsistent interaction patterns. For example, Netflix and Disney+ provided playback controls on apps and desktop browsers but not on mobile web, while few supported persistent speed settings or keyboard shortcuts. These insights highlighted clear gaps in consistency and accessibility, guiding the design direction for Mediacorp’s cross-platform playback speed feature to ensure it was uniform, discoverable, and simple to use across all devices.

I documented detailed UX specifications to define how playback speed controls should behave across all Mediacorp platforms. These specs outlined access levels, content availability, and default settings to ensure consistent functionality. A complete user flow mapped every possible scenario, from first-time use to playback continuation and reset conditions. I also defined clear persistence rules so that custom playback speeds would carry over within a viewing session but reset appropriately to prevent playback or quality issues. This documentation served as a bridge between design and development, ensuring that interactions, logic, and edge cases were clearly communicated and aligned across teams.

After launch, the playback speed feature saw strong adoption across all platforms, with thousands of users enabling it within the first month. Analytics showed that users who adjusted playback speed spent on average 18% longer per session compared to those who didn’t use the feature. The number of completed video plays also increased, suggesting viewers appreciated the added flexibility in how they consumed content. User feedback was consistently positive, especially from those watching long-form dramas and educational programs, where control over playback pace improved both engagement and accessibility. The results reinforced the value of giving users more control over their viewing experience, and the feature has since become a standard component across Mediacorp’s video products.