Radio Times mobile app

Project overview

Radio Times is the oldest broadcast listings magazine in the world and one of the most beloved brands in the UK, with over a million monthly readers and thousands of loyal subscribers, many of whom have been reading it for generations. Its influence on British culture can hardly be overstated - beyond being a trusted tastemaker, it has shaped everyday language (including phrases like 'back to square one') and remains an integral part of Christmas for many families.
While many TV enthusiasts still enjoy sitting down with a paper magazine and a highlighter to plan their week, the way people discover and watch TV and film has changed dramatically over the past decade. Streaming services, on-demand viewing and algorithm-driven recommendations have transformed the landscape and the magazine alone has struggled to keep up.
In 2023, Radio Times set out to create a modern digital service that could support this new reality without losing the soul of the brand or leaving its loyal audience behind.
The result is a multi-award-winning mobile app that addresses the biggest user problems in today’s streaming-first world that we continue to evolve and improve.

My role

I led the UX design of the new Radio Times app from discovery and product definition through to final specifications and launch.
My responsibilities included:

• Research strategy and execution (qualitative and quantitative)
• Early ideation and concept validation
• Interaction design
• Stakeholder alignment across product, editorial and commercial teams
• Multiple rounds of usability testing and iteration

The challenge

The entertainment landscape has become increasingly fragmented and complex. Where listings magazines once helped viewers discover great TV and plan what to watch, they are no longer sufficient for navigating a world of multiple streaming platforms, catch-up services and overwhelming choices.
Our challenge was to create a digital companion to the magazine that:

• Solved real, everyday problems users face when deciding what to watch
• Reduced cognitive load rather than adding complexity
• Worked equally well for live TV and streaming
• Was accessible, inclusive and intuitive to use, particularly for senior users who form the majority of our subscriber base

Discovery and research

We started with many unknowns and were clear that thorough research would be key to avoiding a superficial 'digital version of the magazine'. Our goal was to deliver genuine value, not add to the digital noise. I focused on understanding users’:

• Habits and behaviours
• Mental models around TV and streaming
• Pain points and unmet needs
• Expectations of the Radio Times brand in a digital context

• Focus group
• Moderated in-depth interviews
• Behavioural observation and discusssion
• Ongoing learnings synthesis with stakeholders

Key insight: watching TV has become a chore

What was once a simple, relaxing activity is now overwhelming:

• Too much choice
• Content spread across multiple platforms
• Poor visibility of what’s available where
• Difficulty remembering and returning to things of interest

Core users missions

From the research, four primary missions emerged:

1. Discover interesting things to watch
2. Find out how and where to watch them
3. Keep track of things they want to watch
4. Decide what to watch when they sit down in front of the TV

Ideation and prototyping

Before landing on the final design, the ideas were sketched and then wireframes in low fidelity. Concepts went through multiple rounds of usability testing with target audience before landing on a final solution and high fidelity design.

Final design

The app's style guide was created paying homage to the print magazine legacy. We used familair colours and branding and adapted the typefaces to fit the digital environment while still conveying the 'editorial' feel. Accessibility was a key consideration with high contrast and large, readable text to address the needs of our core audience.

Development and delivery

I worked closely with product managers on scope and prioritisation, with engineers to ensure feasibility and smooth handover and with editorial teams to reflect their expertise authentically in the product experience, creating space for collaboration and contribution across disciplines.

Impact of the project

This project was one of the most fulfilling of my career. It reinforced my belief that the best products come from deep understanding of the users, not surface-level polish.
By grounding decisions in research and listening carefully to users, we were able to create a product that felt innovative while respecting both the Radio Times legacy and modern user needs.
Leading this work strengthened my practice as a designer balancing vision, evidence and cross-functional collaboration to deliver meaningful outcomes and successful products.
The project took significant time and effort, but the results were worth it.

• The app was quickly adopted by users and received strong App Store reviews
• It won PPA Digital Product of the Year
• It was featured multiple times by Apple in App Store recommendations