The new CHILI App has been released on iOS and Android marketplaces. Led by Marco Dufour, head of product development and PO of CHILI TECH, the Agile team that developed the new CHILI App tells about itself
CHILI released the new App CHILI Film & Streaming on iOS and Android marketplaces.
#Chilipeople, the column where readers can find the news about the company through the eyes of professionals, met with Marco Dufour, Head of Product Development and PO, together with the development team of CHILI TECH, the technology unit of the holding company CHILI GROUP, CHILI TECH is the unit specifically devoted to the implementation, updating and technical development of the proprietary platform CHILI and offers development services for third-party platforms and companies.
The first thing we asked Marco is where the new app will be available.
CHILI new app is already downloadable from the major marketplaces and the update will be available in the version for iOS, ANDROID TV, FIRE TV.
Concerning the iOS world (iPhone and iPad) with the release of version 1.1 we have completely redesigned the app (here is the link to the Apple Store), both in the user experience and in the development code.
We then have versions dedicated to Android mobile and TV universe where we are on Google’s PlayStore, HUAWEI’s AppGallery, Samsung’s Galaxy Store. Not to mention Smart TVs, where the list is really extensive.
Will it be pay-as-you-go?
he download, as well as the new features, are completely free, in line with CHILI philosophy: you only pay for what you watch, not how you watch it.
CHILI is a company that pioneered the world of streaming, especially in Italy, by being the first to embrace TVOD (transactional video on demand), as a viable business model that has proved successful in the long run if we consider that today the best-known platforms born with the subscription formula, i.e., SVOD, are converting to it.
Since its launch, CHILI has offered a subscription-free access to its platform: users only pay for something of interest. In addition to the transactional TVOD formula -that allows users to buy or rent the movies he or she wants, including national premieres – over time CHILI has combined the AVOD model that allows free viewing of films and advertising-supported content, with a broad library of titles.
The development team,” adds Fabrizio Premoli, Scrum Master/QA Automation, “works every day to ensure a friendly user experience and high performances. To make sure the customer is fully satisfied, CHILI TECH engineers and developers who design the implementations interact with other departments, especially with the customer care team: for us, at CHILI, the user is always at the center of the experience.
But what does the Scrum Master deal with?
The Scrum Master,” Fabrizio points out, “is defined by the Scrum Guide as ‘the person responsible for promoting Scrum,’ which is one of the most widely used agile product development methodologies that involves dividing the process of managing a project into short development cycles (called Sprints) lasting a few weeks, so as to be able to coordinate project development with the needs of the company. In essence, this is the professional who offers support in understanding Scrum theory and practices, both within the Scrum Team and within the organization.
The Scrum Master is, in fact, responsible for the effectiveness of the Scrum Team and ensures that it is able to continuously improve its practices, defined in the Scrum framework.
Scrum Masters,” he continues, “are true leaders serving the Scrum Team and the organization at large.
As far as the Scrum Team is concerned, the Master is not only in charge of alignment to self-management and cross-functionality, but also makes sure that the constant focus remains on creating high-value Increments that meet the Definition of Done; in addition, he or she is responsible for fluidizing the process and proactively intervenes in eliminating errors to protect the team’s progress by making sure that all Scrum events are carried out in a positive, productive manner and that they are kept within time constraints (Timebox).
At the organization level, on the other hand, the Scrum Master intervenes in training and assistance aimed at Scrum adoption by planning and advising on how to implement Scrum. He also supports employees and stakeholders in the process of applying an empirical approach that facilitates the completion of complex work by removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum Teams.
Finally, he provides real service to the Product Owner by supporting him in identifying the most appropriate techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management; in parallel, he interfaces with the Scrum Team so that the need for clear and concise Product Backlog elements is shared.
What are CHILI USP and How does CHILI stands out on the market?
CHILI does not involve any kind of subscription. The app offers a library of thousands of titles: from home premieres, to the latest releases, through great classics, European art house cinema, B movies, horror and family comedies. Families with kids, will be also able to set the parental control for a safer experience for everyone. Yes, because CHILI is connectable to up to 5 devices at once, so if the kids is watching anime in the bedroom, parents can stream recipes from their tablet in the kitchen or enjoy the latest releases in the living room.
Just streaming, without subscription. And if movies are purchased, they will belong forever to those who bought them, who, thanks to the new version of the app, will have access to additional features. In fact, the new app introduces an upgrade that expands the range of user benefits: the purchased titles Download option. Downloaded movies will appear in the “Download” section, within “My CHILI” library, and can be enjoyed offline, on airplanes or in weak signal conditions. It is like having your movies available digitally through a tap.
Which are the guidelines you follow in developing an app related to an Over-the-Top Television?
We started years ago in an almost uncharted world, at least in Italy,” Marco says, “and although years have passed, we still represent one of the few companies worldwide that can boast such a wide experience in this field. Each new device is its own challenge, in the beginning we rely on the guidelines of the various development environments (e.g., Google or Tizen) doing a mix of benchmarks on competitors with an eye toward business goals.
But the real plus of working for CHILI is that we are acting on a proprietary platform, so we are able to monitor, manage and take action on development at any time, while maintaining full control over performances. Also, even more important, is the teamwork: working and interacting with colleagues who are in charge of editorial, customer care, data analysis, marketing and media, allows us not to miss any step and guarantee the best for the end customer.
Can you give us some tips to use CHILI features at their best?
The new iOS application, for example, has been developed to offer users the possibility of detecting the content they are interested in immediately through the search filters or by directly entering the title within the search bar,” says Mattia Fazio, iOS Engeneer, “Or they can browse by genres and get inspired by the suggested titles based on their tastes and experiences. This is where the expertise of our data analysts takes over, allowing us to intercept the interests of our target audience and always lend an ear to the needs of the end user for a truly fulfilling user experience.
If while browsing users come across a title they would like to know more about or would like to view later, they just need to add it to the Wishlist – continues Luca Grillo, Android Engeneer. – Titles of interest can be purchased or rented from CHILI’s web page and then customers can start (or continue) watching once logged in the App, where the the content will appear within the “My Purchases” section in MY CHILI.
In addition to the possibility of Download for iOS, the second major innovation concerns the Google TV world with the new pairing option and the restyled side menu that is more friendly to access and now updated with the most popular usability parameters. In the case of pairing,” says Mattia, “we started from a benchmark analysis to align with market standards. Secondly, we interfaced with the departments that handle requests and collect customers’ feedbacks to go and solve critical issues, such as the difficulty encountered in filling out the form through a tool that lends itself poorly like the remote control.
But let’s get into the essence of this new version: what did you focus on and how does the new app offer an improved user experience?
In addition to the possibility of Download for iOS, the second major innovation concerns the Google TV world with the addition of pairing and the new side menu that is more immediately accessible and in line with the most popular usability parameters. In the case of pairing,” says Mattia, “we started from a benchmark analysis to align with market standards. Secondly, we interfaced with the departments that handle requests and collect customer feedback to go in and solve critical issues, such as in the case of the difficulty encountered in filling out the form through a tool that lends itself poorly such as the remote control.
Why is pairing essential to enhance the platform usability?
The answer to this question is a direct consequence of the previous answers: through pairing, within few seconds, users can access the app without having to enter his or her data by hand using the remote control but by using his or her smartphone and simply framing a QR code.
How does the side menu offer an improved UX today?
In terms of side menu setting, we are faced with the typical case where aesthetics and usability go hand in hand, becoming mutually essential: if we think about it, our brains follow paths established by habit, and from a platform that offers entertainment it expects to find a simple virtual environment that follows absolutely predictable and intuitive patterns. The side menu has become a widespread standard for apps on TV so CHILI user does not have to make any effort in understanding how to handle with it. It also increases the space dedicated to content and is always showcased on the home page – a big advantage over previous versions, where the menu disappeared when browsing the list of showcases on the home page. With these two implementations and the alignment to the brand color palette, CHILI app takes a big step forward on the usability and usability of the available content.
Android VS iOs. How complex is it to collimate the new features with the two worlds?
Two categories of developers do work in CHILI’s mobile app team, Marco explains: Mattia, for example, is in charge of iOS world together with Alessandro Minopoli, while Luca and Angelo Moroni, implement for the Android system. A very important role is played by Marco Signoretta, who supervise the whole part related to QA (Quality Assurance) testing, ensuring that applications go into production as bug-free as possible.
Generally speaking, developing for iOS, which is notoriously a “closed” system, involves sticking to more stringent and categorical rules and parameters, while on Android a certain level of flexibility is maintained.
In any case, regardless of the ecosystem within which one operates, any kind of development operation is carried out as a team, in a concerted and compact manner. This is critical for a variety of reasons. First and foremost to achieve efficient and effective results while optimizing time, and secondly because we live in the digital age and firmly believe in the power of sharing and collective intelligence. Often difficulties turn into challenges, and overcoming a challenge alone not only involves a longer and more complex process, but is never easy, and at the end of the day it also turns out to be much less rewarding.