Streams.live: designing a live commerce platform from the ground up - web, mobile, and AI onboarding

Client

Oveit

Services

Live commerce UX UX strategy AI conversational onboarding Product design UX/UI design Multi-role system User flows

Year

2022-2023

Role

Product Designer

Streams.live is a live commerce platform that enables brands to engage audiences through interactive shopping experiences. Companies can host live events, showcase products, interact with viewers, and sell in real time.

I designed the presentation website, the channel-creation web app, the host and viewer experiences, and the mobile app. The ecosystem supported free and pro user flows, channel and product setup, live events, chat, audience interaction, and plan-based limits.

I proposed replacing the standard setup form with a conversational onboarding flow using a virtual assistant. I introduced this approach four years ago, before AI onboarding became widespread.

The initial request focused on visual consistency following the rebrand. However, my review revealed that early-stage complexity, not visuals, created the main issue. The product offered power but often overwhelmed users.

My role was to simplify the experience, clarify product logic, and help users progress from sign-up to their first live event with less friction and greater confidence.

As the client later stated:

“You took a piece of complex software and made it look simple.”

Impact and product direction

The project shifted from a visual redesign to a strategic simplification of a complex live commerce product.

The work included a redesigned marketing website, a guided web app onboarding flow, channel creation for free and pro users, live event setup, product management, host controls, viewer shopping flows, and mobile app experiences for account creation, channel creation, and going live.

The primary goal was to help users prepare to go live without feeling overwhelmed.

To achieve this, I reduced the number of early decisions, hid advanced complexity when unnecessary, and guided users through a clear activation path.

Technology and product complexity

Streams.live offered more than a basic video app.

It combined live video streaming, live shopping, mobile broadcasting, ecommerce product setup, Shopify/store integration, RTMP for professional video production, chat, Q&A, product promotion during live sessions, free/pro/enterprise account logic, team permissions, analytics, host controls, viewer shopping flows, and web/mobile experiences.

The challenge was to make all of this feel simple.

I focused on minimizing the complexity visible to users. The system kept its power behind the scenes, while users followed a clear path to action.

Understanding the real problem

The initial web app presented too many options too soon.

After sign-up, users encountered a complex dashboard with prepopulated channels, product settings, editing options, live controls, and configuration choices. For new hosts, this was often intimidating.

Initially, I designed screens to align with the rebrand, improving visual consistency. However, the underlying complexity did not change.

That was the pivot point. The core issue was product structure, not visual style. Users did not need to see every option; they needed clear next steps.

A key strategic decision was to rethink onboarding. I proposed replacing the traditional form with a conversational setup flow using a virtual assistant to guide users through initial steps. This approach predated the current AI trend. The goal was to reduce user apprehension and make the setup feel less technical.

Stakeholder feedback showed users were intimidated by going live. Forms felt administrative, dashboards felt technical, but a conversational approach felt more natural.

The assistant asked simple questions, explained each step, and guided users toward setting up their first live event. This change turned onboarding from a configuration task into a guided activation flow.

Designing the go-live flow

The flow included: sign up, create or configure a channel, add products, preview the event, check camera and connection, invite participants, and go live.

Users could link a Shopify store or add products manually, creating a different product path. The interface needs to explain these options without overwhelming users.

Advanced settings remained accessible but were not part of the main flow. Users needed control, but not all options had to appear upfront.

The preview step was essential. Before going live, users could check their appearance, confirm products, and ensure a stable connection.

I designed error states for critical moments, such as unstable connections or camera issues. Since live experiences can be stressful, the interface needed to help users recover quickly.

Free, pro, and enterprise logic

The product included different account types: free, pro, and enterprise. These were not just pricing tiers; they shaped the overall product experience.

Free users had limits, such as fewer viewers or fewer available tools. Pro users had greater capacity and features, including larger audiences, more team members, more recordings, and moderation options. Enterprise users could have larger teams and more complex event needs.

The challenge was to communicate these differences without reducing the product to a price comparison. I integrated plan logic contextually, showing limits only when relevant. If a feature required a higher plan, the interface explained its value and encouraged natural upgrades.

This approach connected UX and monetization without disrupting the main user flow.

MVP discipline and feature simplification

The product offered many interactive features, including chat, questions, voting, guest permissions, product bumping, emojis, sharing, RTMP, and more.

Not everything had to be in the first experience.

Initially, chat and questions were separated with upvote and downvote logic. After reviewing similar platforms, I determined this added unnecessary complexity at the MVP stage. Users already understood chat, and a separate question system increased cognitive load.

The same applied to event types. Terms like “live party” and “live show” sounded appealing but required users to make abstract decisions too early. A simpler approach was to let users go live and let the plan define the limits.

This strategic work included designing features and evaluating whether each feature should exist in its current form.

Host, viewer, and mobile experiences

The host and viewer interfaces served distinct purposes.

Hosts required control to manage live events, interact with viewers, promote products, switch cameras, respond in chat, and monitor activity.

Viewers needed immediacy, seeking to watch, interact, and shop seamlessly.

I also designed the iPhone and Android app experiences, enabling users to create accounts, set up channels, configure settings, add products, preview events, and go live.

Designing for mobile was challenging because many controls were needed in a limited space. Hosts required access to products, chat, camera controls, questions, live bumping, settings, and status information.

To reduce clutter, I designed interactions where buttons display labels and then collapse into smaller controls. The goal was to make the app feel powerful yet uncluttered.

In parallel, I redesigned the presentation website to align with the new product direction.

The website needed to introduce a new product category to a broad international audience. Since many people were unfamiliar with live shopping, the site had to explain its purpose and value clearly.

I researched the live commerce market and analyzed how successful influencers and sellers approached live shopping. I structured the website around pain points, benefits, use cases, social proof, and clear product explanations. For more technical users, we added sections with more in-depth information on the technology and science behind the solution.

I tested visual directions and messaging clarity. The initial hero section failed a five-second test, as users did not quickly understand the product. I revised the copy for clarity and replaced the hero image with a more relatable person.

These changes improved clarity and made the website easier to understand.

Complex products don’t always need more explanation. They need better structure and a clearer path to action.

The engagement covered the full product ecosystem.

I delivered the presentation website, channel creation web app, free and pro user flows, conversational onboarding concepts, dashboard structure, product setup flows, team permission flows, live host and viewer interfaces, and iPhone and Android app flows.

The work included wireframes, high-fidelity prototypes, interaction concepts, mobile layouts, marketing website sections, user flows, error states, and product strategy discussions on MVP scope and feature prioritization.

These deliverables aligned the product around a clearer user journey, from sign-up to setup, preview, live event, shopping interaction, and post-event conversion.

The most significant outcome involved a shift in product direction.

The project changed focus from interface improvements to making the product easier to understand and use.

The work clarified onboarding, reduced mental overload, connected UX to plan logic and monetization, simplified live commerce setup, and strengthened the link between marketing, product, and activation.

The interactive onboarding concept was especially important, as it anticipated a now common pattern in AI-assisted products: replacing static setup forms with guided, human-like interactions.

This project reinforced my approach as a UX strategist.

When software is complex, adding more explanation is not always the solution. Often, it is better to change the structure, reduce the number of decisions, and guide users toward the first meaningful action.

In this case, that action was simple:

Go live.