1. Background

YouTube is one of the most engaging platforms globally, but its interface can often be overwhelming and distracting—especially for users (Students, professionals,educators etc) who just want to watch a specific video without falling into an algorithm-driven rabbit hole.

This case study explores the creation of a distraction-free YouTube video player web app ****called FocusPlay, focusing on clean video playback, better attention tracking, and a premium viewing experience.

2. Problem Statement

Traditional YouTube players show suggested videos, comments, ads, and autoplay functionality, which can hurt focus and productivity, especially for students, professionals, and educators.

Hypothesis: By offering a focused, distraction-free YouTube player with personalization and session analytics, we can boost engagement quality, viewer retention, and platform trust.

3. User Research

🔍 Methods:

• Studied existing tools like ViewPure, Watchkin, and CleanTube
• Analyzed Chrome Store reviews of DF Tube extension
• Faced by me personally during exams

🧠 Key Findings:

• Educators want safe, distraction-free YouTube access in classrooms
• Productivity users dislike YouTube’s autoplay and suggested video rabbit holes
• Users want history and focus tracking for self-accountability
• No tool offered a complete “premium focus + analytics” YouTube experience

4. Goals & Success Metrics