For broadcaster VRT we developed new propositions for the future of public broadcasting, using a Design Thinking approach: human-centered, integrated and fast – ‘learning by doing.’
New media are rapidly taking over – especially among young people. Their new world unfolds on their smartphones, watching Netflix, YouTube, or Instagram. Flemish public broadcaster VRT wants to reconnect with this generation. Their brief? Find new ways to reach them in the context of “third spaces”: those lost moments in between home, school, and work. Together we developed new propositions using a Design Thinking approach.
We quickly set out to find insights and meaningful propositions, working in a user-centered, holistic and multidisciplinary way. Our designers teamed up with a digital specialist, television maker, and business strategist at VRT. Together we involved users in every step of the process. All these different perspectives brought valuable insights in a short period of time.
To trigger ideas, we wrote very tangible scenarios: waiting for the bus to school on a rainy day, riding the train home tired from work, waiting for takeaway food, or what about the coffee break in-between classes?
Being very specific in these scenarios helped us gain essential insights about user needs during these particular moments. Each insight immediately triggered ideas, captured in simple sketches. And after a couple of rounds of testing and refining, we ended up with a range of exciting propositions.
We use an iterative approach: fast design sprints, creating concepts and quickly building prototypes, and reviewing and selecting together. We test ideas with users, improve them based on the feedback and immediately test again. It’s incredible what we do within a couple of days! In this iterative way, we build better innovations that meet the needs of the target group.
The VRT board already embraced our ‘Snackable TV’ concept. It’s a platform for high-quality short videos on the go. User’s available time and mood defines a personalized stream of content. In several iterations we worked towards an interactive prototype and UX design, providing a solid base for the VRT to develop further internally.