+play Northstar
A system-first redesign that aligned +play’s disconnected experiences, merged Shop and Discover, and established the blueprint for Verizon’s next-generation 3.0 platform.
Client:
Verizon
Industry:
Subscription, Entertainment
Focus:
Product design, prototype
Context:
2022, Publicis sapient
Problem
The 2.0 experience felt disconnected and inconsistent. Shop ran on VDS 1.0 while Discover operated on VDS 3.0, resulting in mismatched patterns, uneven hierarchy, and separate flows across browsing, shopping, and managing subscriptions. Users struggled to move naturally through the product, and teams lacked a shared direction for how +play should evolve. The platform needed a unified system approach that aligned both the experience and the teams behind it.
Problem
The 2.0 experience felt disconnected and inconsistent. Shop ran on VDS 1.0 while Discover operated on VDS 3.0, resulting in mismatched patterns, uneven hierarchy, and separate flows across browsing, shopping, and managing subscriptions. Users struggled to move naturally through the product, and teams lacked a shared direction for how +play should evolve. The platform needed a unified system approach that aligned both the experience and the teams behind it.
Problem
The 2.0 experience felt disconnected and inconsistent. Shop ran on VDS 1.0 while Discover operated on VDS 3.0, resulting in mismatched patterns, uneven hierarchy, and separate flows across browsing, shopping, and managing subscriptions. Users struggled to move naturally through the product, and teams lacked a shared direction for how +play should evolve. The platform needed a unified system approach that aligned both the experience and the teams behind it.
Outcome
The North Star initiative delivered a clear, validated direction for +play’s future. By combining Shop and Discover into a single journey and condensing tiles to surface more content earlier, we reduced screens by 32 percent, cut steps to key actions by 18 percent, and increased above-the-fold content by 40 percent. The reworked flows dropped migration and enrollment paths by 80 percent and improved user understanding of +play’s value in testing. The initiative aligned leadership and product teams around one unified model that guided the structure for +play 3.0.
More content visible
+40%
Reduced Enroll & Migration path
-80%
Increased platform engagement
+29%
Outcome
The North Star initiative delivered a clear, validated direction for +play’s future. By combining Shop and Discover into a single journey and condensing tiles to surface more content earlier, we reduced screens by 32 percent, cut steps to key actions by 18 percent, and increased above-the-fold content by 40 percent. The reworked flows dropped migration and enrollment paths by 80 percent and improved user understanding of +play’s value in testing. The initiative aligned leadership and product teams around one unified model that guided the structure for +play 3.0.
More content visible
+40%
Reduced Enroll & Migration path
-80%
Increased platform engagement
+29%
Outcome
The North Star initiative delivered a clear, validated direction for +play’s future. By combining Shop and Discover into a single journey and condensing tiles to surface more content earlier, we reduced screens by 32 percent, cut steps to key actions by 18 percent, and increased above-the-fold content by 40 percent. The reworked flows dropped migration and enrollment paths by 80 percent and improved user understanding of +play’s value in testing. The initiative aligned leadership and product teams around one unified model that guided the structure for +play 3.0.
More content visible
+40%
Reduced Enroll & Migration path
-80%
Increased platform engagement
+29%
What we built
We created a high-fidelity, mobile-first North Star prototype that reimagined +play as a unified, scalable system.
Key elements included:
A continuous Discovery-to-Shop experience
Condensed tile system with improved hierarchy
Streamlined checkout for multi-partner purchases
Activation and onboarding flows that simplified post-purchase steps
Directing Out logic for cleaner partner transitions
Reusable patterns and flexible modules
Tailored flows for new, low-engagement, and active users
These explorations became the structural and visual blueprint for the next generation of +play.
What we built
We created a high-fidelity, mobile-first North Star prototype that reimagined +play as a unified, scalable system.
Key elements included:
A continuous Discovery-to-Shop experience
Condensed tile system with improved hierarchy
Streamlined checkout for multi-partner purchases
Activation and onboarding flows that simplified post-purchase steps
Directing Out logic for cleaner partner transitions
Reusable patterns and flexible modules
Tailored flows for new, low-engagement, and active users
These explorations became the structural and visual blueprint for the next generation of +play.
What we built
We created a high-fidelity, mobile-first North Star prototype that reimagined +play as a unified, scalable system.
Key elements included:
A continuous Discovery-to-Shop experience
Condensed tile system with improved hierarchy
Streamlined checkout for multi-partner purchases
Activation and onboarding flows that simplified post-purchase steps
Directing Out logic for cleaner partner transitions
Reusable patterns and flexible modules
Tailored flows for new, low-engagement, and active users
These explorations became the structural and visual blueprint for the next generation of +play.
What I learned
Designing for different user mindsets revealed how the system needed to flex and scale. The project reinforced how strong system thinking, visual unification, and cross-team alignment can transform a fragmented product into a clear, scalable direction for an entire platform.
What I learned
Designing for different user mindsets revealed how the system needed to flex and scale. The project reinforced how strong system thinking, visual unification, and cross-team alignment can transform a fragmented product into a clear, scalable direction for an entire platform.
What I learned
Designing for different user mindsets revealed how the system needed to flex and scale. The project reinforced how strong system thinking, visual unification, and cross-team alignment can transform a fragmented product into a clear, scalable direction for an entire platform.
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