Visual Planner
Media owners needed a better way to plan their Out-of-Home advertising campaigns. They wanted to easily understand where their target audience was and instantly see which inventory was available. Our use case was to empower them with a visual, map-based planner that integrated audience data and real-time availability. This eliminated the frustrating back-and-forth with disparate systems, allowing them to create effective campaigns with greater efficiency and accuracy. This user-centric approach not only solved a major pain point but also significantly boosted VIOOH's growth.
company
VIOOH
Deliverables
Product design User research Prototyping
Year
2021-2024
Role
Product designer
An introduction about VIOOH and OOH industry
VIOOH, launched by JCDecaux in 2018, is a global programmatic planning and trading platform for OOH advertising. The OOH industry is rapidly evolving, with increasing demand for data-driven campaign planning and real-time inventory availability. Traditionally, VIOOH managed direct and programmatic sales on separate platforms, creating fragmented workflows. Recognising the market gap, we aimed to unify these experiences and provide a comprehensive planning solution.
The Challenge
The challenge was to test and invest in new data and optimisation technology without disrupting the team's roadmap and main platform. To achieve this, the company created a VIOOH LABS initiative to test this technology. This evolved into a journey of understanding how the new tool could benefit our users and impact our company. We focused on creating user and business value through optimised visual technology.
We identified a gap in the market: the need for a unified solution integrating audience insights with real-time availability.
Understanding the problem
Media owners faced significant challenges in planning effective OOH campaigns. They relied on external tools for audience insights and location data, leading to a fragmented workflow and inaccurate inventory information. This resulted in wasted time, frustration, and lost revenue.
My role and design process
Problem statement
How might we empower media owners to plan OOH campaigns with real-time inventory insights and audience data within a single, intuitive platform, eliminating the need for external tools and fragmented workflows?
"I need to see where my inventory is located in relation to my target audience."
Discovery & Research: Struggled with the lack or real-time inventory availability
To deeply understand the pain points of media owners, we conducted contextual inquiries and user interviews. Key insights revealed that users struggled with the lack of real-time inventory availability, leading to wasted time and frustration.
This led us to our core question: "How might we empower media owners to plan OOH campaigns with real-time inventory insights and audience data within a single, intuitive platform?"
Solution and Design process : From a rapid prototype in 2021 to the main product in the roadmap in 2024
Design principles
Throughout these phases, our design decisions were driven by user feedback and a commitment to creating an intuitive and efficient planning experience. We prioritised real-time data, visual clarity, and seamless integration to empower media owners to make informed decisions and optimise their OOH campaigns.
Balancing map complexity with usability
Ensuring seamless integration with existing workflows
Adapting the tool to diverse market needs
Creating a scalable design system
Results and Impact
The Planner's adoption expanded to 10 markets, increasing user engagement by 75% within the first year. Revenue directly attributed to the Programmatic campaigns doubled from $50M in 2023 to $100M in 2024, with projections reaching $200M in 2025. This project transformed a lab prototype into a business-critical tool, solidifying VIOOH's position as a leader in programmatic OOH advertising.
Key Takeaways and Reflections
Data-Driven Iteration: Our commitment to user testing and data analysis enabled us to refine the Planner continuously, resulting in a 40% reduction in campaign planning time.
Strategic Alignment: By aligning user needs with business goals, we created a product that delivered tangible value, driving significant revenue growth.
Cross-Functional Leadership: Effective collaboration across teams was crucial to the project's success, demonstrating the power of a unified approach.
Market Adaptability: The ability to adapt the product to different markets was a key factor in its widespread adoption.
Personally, I learned the importance of balancing rapid prototyping with strategic planning, and that a close collaboration with all the teams involved is key to the success of a big project.