Product Case Studies

BingeWire: A Case Study in Building Spoiler-Safe Chats

Streaming platforms now release full seasons at once, and viewing rates vary wildly. That puts group chat discussions at risk of spoilers, and that leads to silence.

The Problem

When streaming shows, people often avoid group chats until they “catch up.” A single spoiler can ruin the entire experience. From my own viewing habits and conversations with friends, I noticed a pattern: people either go silent or create fragmented side chats. This makes streaming a solitary activity instead of something shared and fun.

Industry research backs this up. According to a Statista survey, over 50% of viewers said spoilers negatively impact their enjoyment. With streaming platforms releasing full seasons at once, binge speeds vary, and the problem is only growing.

The Hypothesis

If fans had a place to talk episode by episode, they would re-engage with their groups more often. This would create higher retention for the product and stronger user satisfaction. My working hypothesis: gating chat access by episode would increase active participation by at least 30% compared to a standard open chat.

The Solution

I designed BingeWire, a chat feature that unlocks discussions only after a viewer marks an episode as watched. This ensures no one sees spoilers until they are ready.

Key features I scoped in MVP:

Episode-Gated Chat Rooms: Users can only access the chat once they complete that episode.
Group Creation: Friends create private viewing groups tied to a show.
Progress Tracking: A lightweight tracker to log episodes watched.

Trade-offs: I chose to prioritize simplicity and adoption speed over more advanced ideas like spoiler filters or AI-based content scans. Episode gating is intuitive and requires no training for users.

Analytics & Metrics

Here’s how I would measure success if tested:

North Star Metric: Percentage of group members who actively post or react in chat per episode.

Supporting metrics:

Activation: % of users who create or join a group within first week
Engagement: Average chat activity per group per episode
Retention: % of groups that remain active through the full season
Virality: New groups created per existing group (word-of-mouth spread)

Mock Data Example:

Baseline from open group chat: 40% participation rate
Predicted improvement with episode-gating: 55–60%
With 100 groups of 5 users each, this shift would mean ~75 more active participants per season

Roadmap & Next Steps

Sprint Plan:

Sprint 1: Launch MVP with group creation, chat gating, progress tracker
Sprint 2: A/B test gated vs open chat, measure participation and drop-off
Sprint 3: Add reactions, lightweight polls, show-based recommendations
Sprint 4+: Integrate with streaming APIs for progress auto-sync

Prioritization Logic:

Episode-gated chat = high value, low effort
Reactions and polls = medium value, low effort
Streaming API integration = high value, medium effort

Risks to Monitor:

Users faking watched progress to enter chat
Group momentum drops due to different viewing speeds
Added friction from tracking progress manually

Solace: A Case Study on Accessible Reminders for Older Adults

Prompt

Select one feature to improve the basic to-do list. I proposed opt-in SMS/email reminders, simple, accessible, and tailored to Solace’s Medicare-based user base (65+), many of whom prefer familiar communication channels. Since there is currently no app, this MVP prioritizes ease of use, with the flexibility to expand notification options later through app development.

Context & the Problem

Solace Health serves patients navigating Medicare and chronic conditions. Through reviews and feedback, I noticed a recurring frustration: patients were missing important health tasks like medication refills, doctor follow-ups, or billing changes. For older adults, especially those 65+, these missed tasks create stress, confusion, and sometimes costly mistakes.

This is not a small issue. The CDC reports that nearly 20% of older adults miss or delay prescription refills each year. When communication gaps occur, trust in the system erodes, and patients lose confidence in managing their care.

The Hypothesis

If Solace offered simple reminders through SMS and email, patients would feel more supported and tasks would be completed more reliably. My working hypothesis: introducing SMS/email reminders will improve on-time task completion from an estimated 70% baseline to 90% or higher.

The Solution (MVP)

Solace Reminder System

Core MVP features:

Task Alerts: Reminders for medication refills, upcoming appointments, and billing deadlines
Multi-Channel Delivery: SMS and email to reach patients with varying comfort levels
Simple Acknowledgment: Patients can reply “done” or click a link to mark tasks complete

Trade-offs: Instead of building a full mobile app with push notifications, I focused on SMS and email first. Research shows these channels have the highest adoption among the 65+ group, making them a quicker win with less friction.