social WATCH PARTY feature
Streaming is social at heart, yet Roku’s mobile app remains a solitary companion. This project introduces a feature concept that allows friends to schedule watch parties, chat in real time, and vote on movies, all without leaving the Roku ecosystem.
Project Type:
Concept Feature Design
Role:
UX Designer
Timeline:
2 weeks
overview
Streaming has become the default way we watch movies and shows, yet the experience often feels solitary. Roku’s mobile app is powerful as a remote control and content finder, but it lacks features that allow users to connect and watch together.
This project introduces a Social Watch Party feature concept, designed to let friends schedule watch parties, chat in real time, and vote on movies—all without leaving the Roku ecosystem. The goal was to imagine how Roku could evolve into a more social, community-driven experience for modern viewers..
Research & Insights
To understand the need for social features in Roku’s mobile app, I explored watch-party trends, reviewed user feedback, and analyzed competitor solutions.
25M+ people joined watch parties during the pandemic, showing clear demand for shared streaming experiences.
54% of users who hadn’t tried a watch party were open to doing so, highlighting future adoption potential.
Third-party solutions like Caavo’s Watch With Friends became popular but required browser extensions or separate apps, creating a fragmented experience.
Reviews on Roku’s app mentioned its functionality hadn’t evolved to support community-driven streaming, signaling an opportunity for innovation.
83%
Of U.S. adults use streaming services (Pew Research, 2025) |
25M+
People used watch-party tools during the pandemic
54%
Of non-users are willing to try watch parties |
Key Takeaway: There’s a clear demand for integrated, mobile-friendly social viewing, and Roku’s app is perfectly positioned to deliver it.
Problem & Opportunity
While Roku’s app already offers features like remote control, voice search, and private listening, it doesn’t support real-time social interactions. Users must rely on third-party tools that only partially integrate with Roku, leading to:
Fragmented viewing experiences
Difficulty coordinating group watch sessions
Missed opportunities for engagement within Roku’s ecosystem
Opportunity: Add native social functionality to unify streaming and community, keeping users engaged within Roku’s platform.
While Roku’s app already offers features like remote control, voice search, and private listening, it doesn’t support real-time social interactions. Users must rely on third-party tools that only partially integrate with Roku, leading to:
Fragmented viewing experiences
Difficulty coordinating group watch sessions
Missed opportunities for engagement within Roku’s ecosystem
Opportunity: Add native social functionality to unify streaming and community, keeping users engaged within Roku’s platform.
Why This watch party Feature Matters
Streaming is inherently social—friends and families often watch shows together, even when apart. Roku’s mobile app, while powerful for controlling devices, doesn’t currently enable real-time shared viewing experiences.
Adding Watch Crews, live chat, and polls directly within the Roku ecosystem:
Creates a seamless way to connect without third-party tools.
Encourages longer engagement and content discovery through social recommendations.
Makes Roku more appealing to younger, community-driven audiences.
key features
Friends Tab
The Friends tab acts as a social hub where users can see what their friends are watching, upcoming watch parties, and leave reactions or quick comments to stay connected.
Watch Crews
Watch Crews let users form private viewing groups around shared genres or themes, making it easy to join or start a movie night with friends.
Friends Tab
The Friends tab acts as a social hub where users can see what their friends are watching, upcoming watch parties, and leave reactions or quick comments to stay connected.
Watch Crews
Watch Crews let users form private viewing groups around shared genres or themes, making it easy to join or start a movie night with friends.
Chat Room
Crew chat rooms allow members to message, share reactions, and run polls to vote on what to watch next, creating a collaborative and fun decision-making experience.
Design System Overview
Key UI components and foundational design elements (color palette, typography) used to create a cohesive, scalable experience for the Roku Social Watch Party feature.
Reflection & Future Potential
Designing the Social Watch Party concept was an opportunity to rethink how Roku’s mobile app could foster shared entertainment experiences. I explored ways to bridge the gap between streaming and social interaction, staying true to Roku’s brand while adding scalable, community-driven features.
This project allowed me to strengthen my skills in:
Identifying untapped opportunities in an existing product
Designing seamless user journeys for group interactions
Building a design system that is consistent, accessible, and future-proof
Next Steps
If developed further, I would:
Conduct user testing to validate assumptions and optimize flows
Prototype live watch-party synchronization and cross-device notifications
Thank you
Blessing Gasongo
social WATCH PARTY feature
Streaming is social at heart, yet Roku’s mobile app remains a solitary companion. This project introduces a feature concept that allows friends to schedule watch parties, chat in real time, and vote on movies, all without leaving the Roku ecosystem.
Project Type:
Concept Feature Design
Role:
UX Designer
Timeline:
2 weeks
overview
Streaming has become the default way we watch movies and shows, yet the experience often feels solitary. Roku’s mobile app is powerful as a remote control and content finder, but it lacks features that allow users to connect and watch together.
This project introduces a Social Watch Party feature concept, designed to let friends schedule watch parties, chat in real time, and vote on movies—all without leaving the Roku ecosystem. The goal was to imagine how Roku could evolve into a more social, community-driven experience for modern viewers..
Research & Insights
To understand the need for social features in Roku’s mobile app, I explored watch-party trends, reviewed user feedback, and analyzed competitor solutions.
25M+ people joined watch parties during the pandemic, showing clear demand for shared streaming experiences.
54% of users who hadn’t tried a watch party were open to doing so, highlighting future adoption potential.
Third-party solutions like Caavo’s Watch With Friends became popular but required browser extensions or separate apps, creating a fragmented experience.
Reviews on Roku’s app mentioned its functionality hadn’t evolved to support community-driven streaming, signaling an opportunity for innovation.
83%
Of U.S. adults use streaming services (Pew Research, 2025) |
25M+
People used watch-party tools during the pandemic
54%
Of non-users are willing to try watch parties |
Key Takeaway: There’s a clear demand for integrated, mobile-friendly social viewing, and Roku’s app is perfectly positioned to deliver it.
Problem & Opportunity
While Roku’s app already offers features like remote control, voice search, and private listening, it doesn’t support real-time social interactions. Users must rely on third-party tools that only partially integrate with Roku, leading to:
Fragmented viewing experiences
Difficulty coordinating group watch sessions
Missed opportunities for engagement within Roku’s ecosystem
Opportunity: Add native social functionality to unify streaming and community, keeping users engaged within Roku’s platform.
While Roku’s app already offers features like remote control, voice search, and private listening, it doesn’t support real-time social interactions. Users must rely on third-party tools that only partially integrate with Roku, leading to:
Fragmented viewing experiences
Difficulty coordinating group watch sessions
Missed opportunities for engagement within Roku’s ecosystem
Opportunity: Add native social functionality to unify streaming and community, keeping users engaged within Roku’s platform.
Why This watch party Feature Matters
Streaming is inherently social—friends and families often watch shows together, even when apart. Roku’s mobile app, while powerful for controlling devices, doesn’t currently enable real-time shared viewing experiences.
Adding Watch Crews, live chat, and polls directly within the Roku ecosystem:
Creates a seamless way to connect without third-party tools.
Encourages longer engagement and content discovery through social recommendations.
Makes Roku more appealing to younger, community-driven audiences.
key features
Friends Tab
The Friends tab acts as a social hub where users can see what their friends are watching, upcoming watch parties, and leave reactions or quick comments to stay connected.
Watch Crews
Watch Crews let users form private viewing groups around shared genres or themes, making it easy to join or start a movie night with friends.
Friends Tab
The Friends tab acts as a social hub where users can see what their friends are watching, upcoming watch parties, and leave reactions or quick comments to stay connected.
Watch Crews
Watch Crews let users form private viewing groups around shared genres or themes, making it easy to join or start a movie night with friends.
Chat Room
Crew chat rooms allow members to message, share reactions, and run polls to vote on what to watch next, creating a collaborative and fun decision-making experience.
Design System Overview
Key UI components and foundational design elements (color palette, typography) used to create a cohesive, scalable experience for the Roku Social Watch Party feature.
Reflection & Future Potential
Designing the Social Watch Party concept was an opportunity to rethink how Roku’s mobile app could foster shared entertainment experiences. I explored ways to bridge the gap between streaming and social interaction, staying true to Roku’s brand while adding scalable, community-driven features.
This project allowed me to strengthen my skills in:
Identifying untapped opportunities in an existing product
Designing seamless user journeys for group interactions
Building a design system that is consistent, accessible, and future-proof
Next Steps
If developed further, I would:
Conduct user testing to validate assumptions and optimize flows
Prototype live watch-party synchronization and cross-device notifications
Thank you
Blessing Gasongo
social WATCH PARTY feature
Streaming is social at heart, yet Roku’s mobile app remains a solitary companion. This project introduces a feature concept that allows friends to schedule watch parties, chat in real time, and vote on movies, all without leaving the Roku ecosystem.
Project Type:
Concept Feature Design
Role:
UX Designer
Timeline:
2 weeks
overview
Streaming has become the default way we watch movies and shows, yet the experience often feels solitary. Roku’s mobile app is powerful as a remote control and content finder, but it lacks features that allow users to connect and watch together.
This project introduces a Social Watch Party feature concept, designed to let friends schedule watch parties, chat in real time, and vote on movies—all without leaving the Roku ecosystem. The goal was to imagine how Roku could evolve into a more social, community-driven experience for modern viewers..
Research & Insights
To understand the need for social features in Roku’s mobile app, I explored watch-party trends, reviewed user feedback, and analyzed competitor solutions.
25M+ people joined watch parties during the pandemic, showing clear demand for shared streaming experiences.
54% of users who hadn’t tried a watch party were open to doing so, highlighting future adoption potential.
Third-party solutions like Caavo’s Watch With Friends became popular but required browser extensions or separate apps, creating a fragmented experience.
Reviews on Roku’s app mentioned its functionality hadn’t evolved to support community-driven streaming, signaling an opportunity for innovation.
83%
Of U.S. adults use streaming services (Pew Research, 2025) |
25M+
People used watch-party tools during the pandemic
54%
Of non-users are willing to try watch parties |
Key Takeaway: There’s a clear demand for integrated, mobile-friendly social viewing, and Roku’s app is perfectly positioned to deliver it.
Problem & Opportunity
While Roku’s app already offers features like remote control, voice search, and private listening, it doesn’t support real-time social interactions. Users must rely on third-party tools that only partially integrate with Roku, leading to:
Fragmented viewing experiences
Difficulty coordinating group watch sessions
Missed opportunities for engagement within Roku’s ecosystem
Opportunity: Add native social functionality to unify streaming and community, keeping users engaged within Roku’s platform.
While Roku’s app already offers features like remote control, voice search, and private listening, it doesn’t support real-time social interactions. Users must rely on third-party tools that only partially integrate with Roku, leading to:
Fragmented viewing experiences
Difficulty coordinating group watch sessions
Missed opportunities for engagement within Roku’s ecosystem
Opportunity: Add native social functionality to unify streaming and community, keeping users engaged within Roku’s platform.
Why This watch party Feature Matters
Streaming is inherently social—friends and families often watch shows together, even when apart. Roku’s mobile app, while powerful for controlling devices, doesn’t currently enable real-time shared viewing experiences.
Adding Watch Crews, live chat, and polls directly within the Roku ecosystem:
Creates a seamless way to connect without third-party tools.
Encourages longer engagement and content discovery through social recommendations.
Makes Roku more appealing to younger, community-driven audiences.
key features
Friends Tab
The Friends tab acts as a social hub where users can see what their friends are watching, upcoming watch parties, and leave reactions or quick comments to stay connected.
Watch Crews
Watch Crews let users form private viewing groups around shared genres or themes, making it easy to join or start a movie night with friends.
Friends Tab
The Friends tab acts as a social hub where users can see what their friends are watching, upcoming watch parties, and leave reactions or quick comments to stay connected.
Watch Crews
Watch Crews let users form private viewing groups around shared genres or themes, making it easy to join or start a movie night with friends.
Chat Room
Crew chat rooms allow members to message, share reactions, and run polls to vote on what to watch next, creating a collaborative and fun decision-making experience.
Design System Overview
Key UI components and foundational design elements (color palette, typography) used to create a cohesive, scalable experience for the Roku Social Watch Party feature.
Reflection & Future Potential
Designing the Social Watch Party concept was an opportunity to rethink how Roku’s mobile app could foster shared entertainment experiences. I explored ways to bridge the gap between streaming and social interaction, staying true to Roku’s brand while adding scalable, community-driven features.
This project allowed me to strengthen my skills in:
Identifying untapped opportunities in an existing product
Designing seamless user journeys for group interactions
Building a design system that is consistent, accessible, and future-proof
Next Steps
If developed further, I would:
Conduct user testing to validate assumptions and optimize flows
Prototype live watch-party synchronization and cross-device notifications
Thank you
Blessing Gasongo