Optimizing the Subscription Upgrade Flow

Company: DIRECTV
Role: Senior UX Researcher (Project Lead)
Timeline: 2025
Team: Product, Design
Method: Rapid, two-round moderated usability evaluation
Participants: 15 total across two rounds
Platforms Tested: TV upgrade flow prototypes

1. Problem & Context

DIRECTV was introducing a new One-Click Subscribe experience to enable existing customers to upgrade their subscriptions and add content packages directly from the TV interface. This flow was business-critical. It needed to reduce upgrade friction, increase add-on attachment rates, and improve conversion — while ensuring customers clearly understood what they were purchasing before committing.

Early design explorations raised concerns about package comprehension, pricing transparency, and readiness to proceed with upgrades. The team needed rapid user feedback to de-risk the experience before release.

I led a two-round iterative usability study to evaluate comprehension, decision-making, and confidence in the upgrade flow, and to guide design refinement.

2. Research Objectives & Key Questions

To what extent do customers understand what they are being offered in the upgrade flow?
Is pricing and package information clear and trustworthy?
Are customers ready and confident to proceed with an upgrade?
Which layout and information hierarchy best support decision-making?

3. Method & Rationale

We conducted two rounds of rapid moderated usability testing to identify comprehension issues, iterate designs, and validate improvements.

Moderated sessions enabled probing of mental models and hesitation points, while rapid turnaround between rounds allowed design refinements to be tested within the same development window.

4. Execution & Logistics

Round 1

Participants completed guided upgrade tasks using three prototype variations
Tested multiple customer scenarios and device contexts
Captured think-aloud feedback, confidence ratings, and behavioral observations
Identified comprehension gaps and mental-model mismatches

Round 2

Participants completed guided upgrade tasks using two refined prototype variations
Adjusted customer type, screen flows, and scenarios based on Round 1 learnings
Evaluated clarity, confidence, and readiness to proceed
Compared revised layouts and information hierarchy

5. Synthesis Process

I synthesized moderated session observations, confidence ratings, hesitation points, and open-ended feedback into themes highlighting mental-model alignment, comprehension risks, and layout effectiveness.

Findings were translated into prioritized design recommendations to guide immediate iteration.

Prototype Flow Comparison — Round 1 vs Round 2

Round 1

Round 2

6. Key Findings

Round 1 — Mental-model mismatches and comprehension gaps

Participants struggled to understand what content was included in upgrade options.
Pricing and package structure created hesitation and low confidence.
Many participants were not ready to proceed with an upgrade without additional clarification.
Visual design was perceived as clean, but information hierarchy did not support decision-making.

Round 2 — Iterative improvements increased clarity

Revised layouts and content hierarchy improved package comprehension.
Participants expressed higher confidence in understanding upgrade outcomes.
Elements from both tested prototypes performed well and were selected for further refinement.
Remaining friction points were isolated for targeted follow-up design work.

Confidence and Usability Comparison — Round 1 vs Round 2

Confidence and Readiness Comparison — Round 1 vs Round 2.png

Ratings reflect small-sample moderated usability testing averages and are directional.

Iterative design improvements increased user confidence, ease of use, and alignment with customer expectations in the upgrade experience.

7. Recommendations

Adopt high-performing layout and information hierarchy elements from both prototypes.
Continue simplifying package descriptions and pricing presentation.
Introduce contextual reassurance messaging to support decision confidence.
Conduct lightweight validation testing after final design refinements.

8. Impact

Identified mental-model mismatches that posed risk to upgrade conversion.
Informed rapid design iteration within active development timelines.
Reduced monetization risk by improving clarity and decision readiness.
Enabled evidence-based refinement of a business-critical upgrade experience.

9. Confidentiality Note

All visuals and product references in this case study have been anonymized and redacted to respect company confidentiality.