Stockholm Olympics

Background

Viewership at the Tokyo Olympics dropped 42% from the last games.

As a storied brand with years of history, the Olympics are a chance for host nations to showcase their unique cultural heritage with millions of viewers around the world. But, it all goes for nothing if nobody is actually watching the Olympics.

Can we create better media experiences for future Olympics so this doesn't happen again?

For a hypothetical future Winter Olympic games in Stockholm, we wanted to re-examine what the viewing experience could embody, and how a dedicated Olympic streaming service could elevate the Olympic brand.

Challenge

How can future Olympic Games leverage technology to create better viewing experiences?

Important Detail

The Olympics represent all types of media consumers.

In talking to potential users about how they consumed Olympic content, we came to a realization that the full spectrum of sports viewers was represented in the audience. Thus, the diversity of the user base would require a flexible system that can cater to every single kind of media consumer.

Could we centralize where Olympic content is held?

Our approach was to create a streaming platform specifically for the Olympics. We realized we could provide a different type of streaming experience to improve viewer comprehension of the sports they were watching, and to create a sense that the Olympics is bigger than everyday streaming content found on NBC Peacock.

Solution

A streaming platform that gives users the controls to the broadcast interface.

Our core focus when imagining a streaming platform for the Winter Olympics was how we could use widgets to create a more customized viewing experience, with interchangeable widgets catered to specific user needs across digital mediums. This in turn set the framework for a flexible viewing system for all kinds of viewers.

Setup

Personalize user preferences to inform widgets.

First-time setup allows you to choose specific topics and information that can augment your viewing experience, which then translates to specific widgets later on.

Streaming in Use

Create personal HUDs (heads up display) to reflect preferences.

By presenting personalized information widgets in a HUD-type experience, the extra layer of information is neatly layered into the viewing experience and allows for a flexible system that works across multiple breakpoints and AR capabilities.

Immersion

Allowing for simultaneous personalized HUDs in AR.

To take it a step further, we designed an AR experience where individuals can simultaneously watch the same sport in the same room, complete with unique viewing experiences. Hopefully, in the future, AR glasses are commercially available and a viable product.

Brand Design

Designing new branding for a stand-alone platform.

To really drive home that this was a unique platform designed for the Olympics, my team and I created a new visual identity to separate this platform from typical streaming experiences. We then proofed it by testing it in Olympic mockups and settings.

Logo

Creating Stockholm's new visual identity cornerstone.

The cornerstone of the Stockholm Olympics; the logo was designed jointly between me and Erin as the key visual element that encapsulates the Swedish brand principles.

Style Guide

Evoking pre-existing Swedish design.

Our art director, Grace, chose a typeface and color palette that enhances the brand cues in cultural elements across Sweden’s geography.

Identity in Use

Designing Olympic-specific artifacts.

Finally, we sought to apply our brand identity across various Olympic visuals, maintaining a cohesive look and feel throughout pictograms, signage, medals and mascot.

I also created a couple animations visualizing how 3D things can be translated into 3D low poly art.

Process: Discover

What kind of media users are there?

We wanted to represent major viewing experiences as a good starting-off point, to test if our personalization framework would hold up.

We categorized our users into four basic personas that speaks to different types of media consumers, thus creating specific widgets for a varied viewing experience.

Breaking down each persona into both tv viewing and mobile experiences, we took a look at the overall user journey in how these viewers would get from startup, to personalization, to viewership.

In the process of diagramming the user flow, it became clear to us that onboarding was a major pain point throughout the process, but immediately afterwards being able to browse widgets and customize the experience was a more satisfying experience.

Thus, in the final screens we sought to link the onboarding and personalization aspect as much as possible, both visually and logistically.

Process: Design

What does an Olympic widget look like?

After identifying personas, we created widgets that corresponded to each user's viewing needs and wants.

We then applied the brand identity to the widgets, in order to create a cohesive set.

The next step was to think through the mobile experience and tv streaming experience laid out through the user flows. For this, it was important to understand at which point customization should occur, and realizing that there was only one point between the two in which it was neccesary.

Finally, the HUD went through a couple iterations as proof of concept for the widgets, as they needed to be able to function as standalone components in AR in conjunction with 2D streaming.

Process: Test

Do the widgets match up to their users?

If the widgets were meant to represent typical viewing experiences, we wanted to test widgets with people, and then tweak what they could look like to better serve their particular function.

This testing was done in user batches based on their viewer types, so we attempted to pair certain groups of widgets with perceived viewer types in order to see if there were unmet needs.

Process: Refine

Putting it together

The complete viewing experience is then crafted and connected, bringing together brand identity with a unique streaming service.