Sharp Smart TV
A Smarter and Smoother Viewing Experience
Sharp SmartCentral 4.0 is an advanced user interface designed for Sharp's AQUOS 4K TV line. This line integrates seamlessly with smartphones and tablets, providing users with a unified experience for discovering and accessing content from various sources, both online and offline. The design emphasizes minimalism and user-friendliness, ensuring that users can navigate and enjoy their media without interruption.
Redesigned Sharp's SmartCentral 4.0 platform for the AQUOS 4K TV line, creating a clean and intuitive multi-device experience.
Focused on balancing simplicity with advanced controls for users of all skill levels.
Boosted user interaction by 20% and content consumption by 15% across TV, tablet, and mobile interfaces.
Collaborated with two designers and the Sharp team to lead user research, create wireframes, and develop mood boards that aligned the final design with both user needs and Sharp’s business goals.
Initial Findings
Too Much Content, Not Enough Clarity
Smart TV platforms are often cluttered and overwhelming. Sharp’s existing UI struggled to keep things organized, making it difficult for users to discover and enjoy content smoothly.
A Push to Boost Engagement and Stand Out
The goal was to increase user engagement and content consumption across Sharp’s AQUOS 4K TV line. At the same time, the design had to clearly differentiate SmartCentral 4.0 from its competitors with a seamless, intuitive experience.
A TV for Everyone
Sharp needed a smart TV interface that could support casual viewers and tech-savvy users alike. The platform had to integrate multiple content sources and devices without sacrificing clarity or ease of use.
How Might We
Deliver a frictionless entertainment experience that adapts to varying user expertise?
Make browsing, searching, and watching content feel effortless across devices?
Present a wealth of content in a way that feels simple, inviting, and easy to navigate?
What We Had to Solve
Make TV Viewing Feel Effortless
Design a smart TV platform that removes friction and invites users to enjoy content with ease. The interface had to feel light, responsive, and visually clear, even during multitasking or casual browsing.
Improve Content Discovery and Engagement
Encourage users to explore more by making navigation feel simple and rewarding. Boost user interaction through an interface that guides, not overwhelms.
Build One Experience Across Many Screens
Ensure seamless control across TV, mobile, and tablet with a consistent design system. Each touchpoint needed to feel like a natural extension of the others, from browsing to playback.
How We Tackled It
01
Understanding the Smart TV Landscape
We studied platforms from Sony, Samsung, LG, and Sharp’s previous models. This revealed strengths and pitfalls in their design approaches, helping us find gaps we could improve.
02
Designing for Different User Types
We mapped out UX tiers for basic, intermediate, and advanced users. Each group got tailored UI cues, from simplified navigation to profile-level customizations. This approach helped us serve diverse needs without one-size-fits-all compromises.
03
Exploring the Right Visual Voice
We developed three distinct mood boards to explore personality, tone, and motion: "Conservative" focused on clarity and load time, "Under the Hood" prioritized typography and flow, and "Cinematic" added depth with transparency and focus. The chosen direction offered immersive visuals while staying lightweight and approachable.
04
Crafting Modular Wireframes
We created hundreds of wireframes to build clean, repeatable user journeys. Each interaction emphasized clarity, easy access to content, and minimal cognitive load. Whether watching TV or browsing the app, users always knew what to do next.
05
Building for Cross-Device Continuity
We designed mobile and tablet experiences to mirror the TV UI in tone and logic. This gave users fluid control across devices, especially when browsing, casting, or switching content. A unified interaction model made the ecosystem feel seamless.
The Outcome
20%
Boost in User Interaction
15%
More ncrease in Content Consumption
A Platform
That Adapted to Everyone
Discover Experience
Out of the Box Experience
What I Learned
Simplicity is Powerful
This project taught me that stripping away clutter doesn't mean removing functionality, it means surfacing the right elements at the right time. Creating space in the UI gave users confidence and control, no matter their comfort level with technology.
Smart Doesn’t Mean Complicated
Working on SmartCentral reinforced the idea that even the most powerful features need to feel simple. Good design helps users feel in control, not overwhelmed.
Balancing UX for All Skill Levels
From grandparents to power streamers, every user deserved an elegant, accessible experience. Designing for varying expertise helped build a product that truly welcomed everyone.
