Disney Debut Backstage
Project Name: Debut Backstage - Redesign of “Felix” (Internal Screening Tool)
Team: Disney Studio Technology Division
Audience/Users: Internal Video Engineering & Marketing Teams
Background
In early 2023, Disney’s Studio Tech team relied on a patchwork of tools that caused delays and errors (Google Sheets, Monday.com, and Felix). I designed the new desktop app, Debut Backstage, in Figma—streamlining event setup, metadata tagging, and guest management into one efficient workflow.
Redefining Event Planning at Scale
As Disney+ ramped up content rollouts, the legacy Felix tool couldn’t keep pace, resulting in fragmented workflows, manual errors, and delayed pre-screenings. To address this, I partnered with engineering, marketing, and media ops to reimagine the platform as “Debut Backstage,” a unified system for media and event planning. As Concept Product Designer, I led the redesign from end to end, auditing the original tool, gathering cross-functional feedback, mapping user flows in Figma, and building a refreshed Studio Design Library.
The MVP streamlined event creation, automated tasks like metadata entry and RSVPs, and improved collaboration through faster, more reliable workflows.
Project Definitions
Modal-First Philosophy
Key workflows like “Add Event” and “Group Management” were hidden in menus, so I used Carbon and Material design patterns to create large, context-aware modals. This streamlined multi-step tasks into a single screen and cut task time in half during testing.
Large Format Modal - Event Creation Flow
Discovery
Revamped Layout
I restructured the UI into five tabs: New, Pending, Error, Completed, and All Files. I also placed status indicators beside file titles, creating a clear hierarchy that streamlines scanning and highlights items needing attention.
Improved Status Placement (on left)
*For confidentiality compliance, I’m only showing the main application screens.
Design System & Visual Identity
I developed Debut Backstage’s visual identity around a monochromatic blue palette chosen for its clarity, contrast, and association with trust and professionalism. The system was refined through stakeholder feedback to establish strong visual hierarchy, improve scanability, and support brand recognition across internal tools.
Design Overview
I designed Debut Backstage to bring event and content management into one place, making it easier to handle scheduling, audience outreach, uploads, edits, and distribution—cutting down on busywork and helping teams move faster.
Event Planning Module
I replaced manual invites with a streamlined Event Creation flow and detailed Event page, making it easy to set details, manage audiences, send RSVPs, and handle calendars—all in one place.
Debut Backstage - Event Planning - Event Details Page
Debut Backstage - Event Planning - Create New Event Modal
Debut Backstage - Event Planning - Events Home
Content Planning Module
I replaced manual Google Sheets imports with an in-app table that lets users edit metadata, preview files, and schedule screenings all in one place.
Debut Backstage - Content Planning - Presentation Details
Debut Backstage - Content Planning - Home
Outcome & Impact
Debut Backstage transformed Felix into an efficient, user-centric platform for Disney’s media file management and event planning. By unifying workflows and refining UX through modal research and stakeholder feedback, support cases dropped 34% in the first quarter—boosting both operational efficiency and user engagement.
*Data for subsequent quarters not available