This project explores the concept of a Netflix Mini Player, designed to allow users to continue watching their current show or movie while browsing for the next title.
As a UX Engineer, I focused on bridging design and engineering:
- Design Thinking: Understanding user pain points and opportunities.
- UX Engineering: Prototyping the feature with real-world technologies to demonstrate feasibility.
✨ A small feature can transform the user experience by giving viewers more control, flexibility, and seamless multitasking.
Currently, Netflix requires users to stop or pause playback when navigating away from the video detail page. This creates friction for binge-watchers who want to explore new content without interrupting their current stream.
Key Pain Points:
- Interrupted viewing when searching for new shows.
- Lack of flexibility compared to competitors with mini players.
- Missed opportunity for increased engagement.
The Netflix Mini Player concept introduces:
- 🎥 A floating video window that persists while browsing.
- 🖱️ Lightweight and distraction-free controls (pause, close, resize).
- 📱 Responsive design across devices.
- ✅ Non-intrusive placement to balance browsing space with active viewing.
This approach aligns with Netflix’s core mission: “entertainment without limits.”
- Figma design: https://guide-hedge-09852749.figma.site
- Next.js – React Framework for building modern UIs.
- Tailwind CSS – Utility-first styling.
-
Research & Empathy
- Identified frustration in the current Netflix browsing flow.
- Benchmarked against competitors (YouTube, Hulu, Prime Video).
-
Define & Ideate
- Created user journeys for browsing + multitasking scenarios.
- Sketched possible mini player interactions.
-
Prototype & Engineer
- Built a working React prototype.
- Integrated animations and state handling.
- Optimized performance to avoid re-render issues.
-
Testing & Feedback
- User testing with mock sessions.
- Iterated on placement and accessibility features.
- Small UX improvements can have a huge engagement impact.
- UX Engineers bridge the gap between design vision and technical feasibility.
- This project demonstrates how I:
- ✅ Identify user needs.
- ✅ Translate insights into design concepts.
- ✅ Engineer performant, real-world prototypes.
Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/your-username/netflix-miniplayer.git
cd netflix-miniplayer