Kayhan Atamyildiz Kayhan Atamyildiz A "Lean Back" continuous-play experience that removes the friction of choosing what to watch — tested across six iterations and three prototypes, and shown to increase watch time and return visits.
I led the evolution of A+E's web products toward less friction and more retention — balancing high-level orchestration with hands-on execution
The web is a crowded canvas for streaming, and every extra decision is a chance to lose the viewer. For an ad-supported product, retention is the business — so the job was to keep the journey in motion instead of stalling people on a selection screen.
To enhance A+E's ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) product, I designed a 'Lean Back' viewing experience that offers a continuous stream of content. Every click is an investment of trust — so each screen has to pay it back immediately, moving the viewer one step closer to watching. By reducing the mental tax of episode selection, the platform becomes a seamless companion to a viewer's multitasking lifestyle.
Tradeoff → Continuous play gives the viewer less explicit control over what’s next. I leaned into lean-back because the data said people wanted fewer decisions, not more.
For the "Lean Back" initiative, I led a research-driven design cycle to validate my behavioral bets. Through six design iterations and three distinct prototypes, I fine-tuned the interface based on direct user feedback to ensure a frictionless experience.
Tradeoff → Testing three prototypes cost time up front. It bought conviction — I shipped a model I'd seen work, not one I hoped would.
To stand out in a saturated market, I pushed for 'uncomfortable' innovation — rearranging the composition itself for each screen size instead of just scaling down one layout, and venturing beyond safe, traditional grids to find new ways of telling a brand's story. By balancing bold, visually striking concepts with functional usability, I created immersive environments that encouraged long-term audience retention.
Every initiative began with a mobile-first philosophy, then scaled up gracefully across desktop and tablet. For Home.Block — which reorganizes the screen around each viewer's journey — I used session data to help people continue watching right where they left off, since most viewers return on the same device. I collaborated with cross-functional teams to keep A+E's vast library cohesive and easy to navigate, whether viewed on a desktop, tablet, or mobile device.
Across the three tested prototypes, the lean-back model moved the numbers that matter for an ad-supported product: return visits, watch time, and episode completion all increased — each one translating directly into more ad impressions served, the core revenue driver for an AVOD product. Six iterations got the interface right; the final version proved it wasn't just fewer clicks, it changed how long and how often people stayed.
Betting on "lean back" meant taking control away from the viewer, which went against instinct. Three prototypes later, I trusted the data over my gut — and that's the habit this project reinforced: test the big assumption before you commit to it