Product Development Notes
Challenges in Search on Streaming Services: Netflix Case Study by Sudarshan Lamkhede & Sudeep Das
User studies created a hierarchy of search mindsets for Netflix:
- Fetch: User wants specific item at top to play immediately
- Find: User has an idea of entertainment need but no specific item in mind (search an actors name)
- Explore: User has a much broader idea of entertainment need (searching horror movies)
There are large issues with queries for unavailable content as it’s hard to maintain a db of entire TV/movie domain across languages.
- What impact does showing unavailability messages have on user perception of the service?
- Complicates things more as meta data is unavailable to give traditional recommendation alternatives
Typing on TVs is slow, voice search & second screens are not ubiquitous —> need instant search
Global audience means recommendations need to be tuned to local cultural tastes but its hard to keep up with