“Content isn’t King, it’s the Kingdom”

Lee Odden

BitTorrent Imago
Shifting appeal to users with "more time than money" to customers with "more money than time."
BitTorrent Imago
Client
BiTorrent
YEAR
2011
LOCATION
San Francisco, CA
USA
Service
Product Design
Mission & identity
Brand & Logo
Challenge

Shifting from an audience with more time than money, to one with more money than time

BitTorrent/µTorrent was not a product, it was a utility. A download manager of shorts. The transformation needed was to approach that of an "Open iTunes": A destination for all your media and content management needs, open to content partners and focused to the viral expansion of membership through the instigation of personal sharing and broadcast.

Goal

From "downloading files" to "content discovery"

BitTorrent's new software, code-named "Chrysalis Project" (aka BT v8 Alpha), was the next generation of its mainline client in early 2011. In addition to a complete redesign of the interface, UX, and all features, the beta revealed a new capability previously unseen in any other BitTorrent client: Personal content channels. Users of the Version 8 of BitTorrent were given a choice of user experience on their BitTorrent client: A "classic" one (named "retro") respecting the legacy Ul for those comfortable with the way things were (albeit more technical) ...and a newer, more content-centric, channel-driven, simplified experience (Friendly, Fun, Media-Rich). This is one of many best practices available to introduce product innovation and reaching new demographics …without upsetting the established loyal user base (typically reticent to change).

Result

Open-source iTunes alternative

We believe Interface has to offer delightful moments that self-justify themselves (Like the warning for a missing DVD-ROM, sliding up and partially obfuscating the "Burn" action until is taken care of). We rewarded users with a badge-based reputation system, to encourage optimal use of the BitTorrent ecosystem (i.e. leaving the client activated at night, increasing bandwidth for uploading, etc). Beyond mere apps, the "channels" represented the second foray of BitTorrent into partnering with content providers as well as the introduction of personal, shareable, user-generated channels of content. Many of the more technical aspects of Torrent management were hidden or delegated to second-level reveal, in an attempt to put more emphasis on the content, less on the process of how to get it. For example, the speed of files was categorized as relative "Fast", "Slow", etc... versus a cryptic 23 Mbit/, especially to the novice users we were aiming for.

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Final DELIVERIES

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Video

Early Explorations

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Endorsements at

BiTorrent

Direct Report
Christopher Stone

BiTorrent

Director, Growth Marketing

Christopher

Stone

David is a great design partner in our organization. Always willing to lend his sage advice and aesthetic abilities. Furthermore, he built a team that was top notch. That team garnered tremendous respect across functions and was always a pleasure to collaborate with on projects big and small. His design acumen really highlighted his ability to meld a brand ethos into design principles. He also has a heart of gold and believes in everyone’s potential. Very highly recommended!
Collaborator
Melinda Green

BiTorrent

Sole proprietor

Melinda

Green

I really enjoyed working with David to unify icon art across platforms. I was a PC in a Mac shop but even so David and I were able to cross that cultural divide and work very smoothly together. He always had time for me, and even though he is passionate about his work he doesn't get over-excited. He just quietly gets it done. That's the best kind of competent.
Collaborator
Brett Nishi

BiTorrent

Sr. Director of Product Management

Brett

Nishi

David was a forceful change agent for BitTorrent, pushing us view our products and brand in new ways. He was a key driver of virtually all of our new product initiatives as the hands-on creative lead. He was also able to significantly elevate design within the company and ultimately build a strong team, strategic to all our efforts. A skillful and articulate communicator, David is a natural design leader and was a great partner to product development.
Peer
Simon Morris

BiTorrent

VP of Data Science

Simon

Morris

David is an extremely creative and visionary design leader. At BitTorrent he helped in a very broad array of roles, from brand to website to campaigns to visual and UX / usability design for products. He arrived at a small start-up and established design as a serious discipline for the first time, hiring a team and organizing external design contractors. He implemented structure and process for the design function and elevated its importance to the executive level. He was both an effective leader and practitioner, equally ready to coordinate work of others as to roll up his sleeves and get the work done himself.
Peer
Allison Wagda

BiTorrent

VP, Corporate Strategy and Marketing

Allison

Wagda

David joined BitTorrent (not long before me) at a time when putting a new, super-professional face on our brand, external communications and product user experience was especially critical. It wasn't just a matter of a superficial gloss, but a need to organically rethink the brand identity for the company, multiple iconic products and Web sites. Navigating the interplay between brand and user experience is tricky, especially with a large, passionate user base of 150 million people! By collaborating with his marketing and product counterparts, David's leadership resulted in in a broad identity overhaul, two gorgeous Web sites that stayed true to our vision of light-and-fast, onboarding videos, modern products and so much more. David's strategic creativity, incredible attention to design detail and craft, and ability to roll up his sleeves and implement his vision was invaluable in a company that at the time only had 25 employees or so. His efforts compounded the success of my own efforts in telling a new story and re-introducing the media to our company, and for that I will always be grateful for his contributions.
Direct Report
Nick Cottrell

BiTorrent

Brand Experience Lead

Nick

Cottrell

I am very fortunate to have worked for David. He guided me on many levels and we continue to share a passion for design--the lens from which he and I view most things. In the process, David built a solid team, provided coaching, leadership, and direction on a wide range of topics such as UX architecture, UI implementation, and brand design. David combines the mastery of execution with a breadth of scope and vision.
Manager
Eric Klinker

BiTorrent

President & CEO

Eric

Klinker

David was a key hire for the company as we set about establishing and growing an entirely new discipline on the team . He was dynamic, energetic, and able to bring product development into a world where design and ux are integral parts of the process. He personally led the charge, motivated by the challenge and was instrumental in our overall success.
Collaborator
Jonathan Dugan

BiTorrent

Platform Evangelist

Jonathan

Dugan

David was in charge of the UI/UX team at BitTorrent during the time I worked there. His work is the highest quality and I recommend him as a colleague and a friend. David was particularly skilled at design, and creating software with feeling and motivation that worked.
Collaborator
Jenna Broughton

BiTorrent

Account Manager

Jenna

Broughton

David is an extremely talented and thoughtful user experience designer. While working with him at BitTorrent, I was impressed by his ability to push the boundaries and create a more unified brand. Moreover, his ability to articulate the rules of design was an invaluable part of educating the company and moving them toward change. David is a dynamic individual who brings passion to the job, and is a great resource to any company who is lucky enough to have him.
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