by Valerie Massie
Mar 7, 2025
Blog
Celebrating Innovation: Susan Kare’s UI/UX Legacy
Norigin Media is dedicated to designing cutting-edge UI/UX for CTV and Smart TV streaming apps and we find Susan Kare’s legacy especially resonant with our mission to deliver intuitive, accessible, and engaging user experiences.
Designer: Susan Kare (1984) for Apple Macintosh Inc.
In the early 1980s, Susan Kare became synonymous with the art of digital simplicity. Tasked with creating the visual language for the first Macintosh, she designed a series of icons, typefaces, and interface elements that would become instantly recognizable and deeply influential. Kare’s work was more than just aesthetic; it was about making technology accessible. Her pixel-perfect designs enabled even the most inexperienced pc users to navigate the quickly evolving digital landscape with ease and confidence. Today, as we work on developing user interfaces for TV apps that both capture attention and convey information at a glance, her pioneering approach serves as a timeless reminder that clarity and simplicity are key.
At Norigin, we are inspired by the same principles that guided Kare’s work. Designing for OTT platforms comes with its own unique challenges. Unlike desktop or mobile environments, TV interfaces have to account for varying screen sizes, viewing distances, and interaction methods. Much like Kare’s icons, which distilled complex functions into clear visual cues, our streaming app design approach emphasizes creating UI elements that are not only visually appealing, but immediately understandable. This ensures that whether a user is browsing channels on a living room TV or a handheld device, the experience remains seamless and engaging.
Susan Kare’s influence extends far beyond the realm of early computing. Her work laid the foundation for what we now consider essential in UI/UX design: the balance of form and function. As design trends evolve, the core ideas behind her creations — simplicity, user-centricity, and effective communication — continue to drive innovation. In our own projects, these principles guide every decision we make, from the layout and navigation of a homepage to the nuances of implementing consumer engagement methods within our apps.
Learn how you can apply our innovative UI/UX designs in building CTV and Smart TV Apps.
Norigin Media Attending Demuxed 2025 in London
We’re excited to announce that Norigin Media will attend Demuxed 2025 in London, the global video engineering conference for streaming professionals. Connect with us to talk about OTT app development, Smart TV apps, and the future of streaming.
What Video Players Are Best for Smart TV Apps?
Choosing the right video player is critical for Smart TV and CTV apps. Explore native, open-source, and commercial players, and see how Norigin Media helps integrate, optimize, and certify your player across all major Smart TV platforms.
Norigin Spatial Navigation Shortlisted for IABM’s Community Impact Award at IBC2025
Norigin Spatial Navigation, Norigin Media’s open-source Smart TV and CTV UX technology, is shortlisted for the IABM Community Impact Award at IBC2025, delivering intuitive, accessible content navigation across TV apps and OTT platforms.


