Problem
When people share about themselves on Instagram, they want to post anything that they want to be real about their lives and interact with their friends about it. However, they cannot do this because:
The judgment users may receive from their posts discourages them from posting.
Users feel obligated to post only the most memorable parts of their lives while the structure of the app tends to lead to less meaningful, disconnected interactions.
Solution
Randomly suggest images from the user’s gallery to post.
The Design Process
Discover
Where it started
Users became centered on posting aesthetic highlights of their lives rather than sharing their lives casually with friends.
Idealization of aesthetic feeds & stories
People hanging out for the purpose of taking pictures to post
User research
The lack of posts leads to a lack of interaction, which contrasts with the ultimate purpose of Instagram as “social media”.
Problem
When people share about themselves on Instagram, they want to post anything that they want to be real about their lives and interact with their friends about it. However, they cannot do this because:
The judgment users may receive from their posts discourages them from posting.
Users feel obligated to post only the most memorable parts of their lives while the structure of the app tends to lead to less meaningful, disconnected interactions.
Solution
Randomly suggest images from the user’s gallery to post.
The Design Process
Discover
Where it started
Users became centered on posting aesthetic highlights of their lives rather than sharing their lives casually with friends.
Idealization of aesthetic feeds & stories
People hanging out for the purpose of taking pictures to post
User research
The lack of posts leads to a lack of interaction, which contrasts with the ultimate purpose of Instagram as “social media”.
Define
Brainstorming solutions
Brainstorming solutions
How might we approach the problem?
What are some possible solutions?
Problem
When people share about themselves on Instagram, they want to post anything that they want to be real about their lives and interact with their friends about it. However, they cannot do this because:
The judgment users may receive from their posts discourages them from posting.
Users feel obligated to post only the most memorable parts of their lives while the structure of the app tends to lead to less meaningful, disconnected interactions.
Solution
Randomly suggest images from the user’s gallery to post.
The Design Process
Discover
Where it started
Users became centered on posting aesthetic highlights of their lives rather than sharing their lives casually with friends.
Idealization of aesthetic feeds & stories
People hanging out for the purpose of taking pictures to post
User research
The lack of posts leads to a lack of interaction, which contrasts with the ultimate purpose of Instagram as “social media”.
Define
Define
Brainstorming solutions
How might we approach the problem?
What are some possible solutions?
Develop
Low-fi iterations
Develop
Low-fi iterations
Why random suggestions from the user's gallery?
Why random suggestions?
Reduces the burden of selecting the best photos
Reduces the burden of selecting the best photos
Decreases the obligation of posting only the most important moments
Decreases the obligation of posting only the most important moments
Increase of posts will provide more chances of lasting interactions
Increase of posts will provide more chances of lasting interactions
Mid-fi flow explorations
Mid-fi explorations
Why flow 2?
Groups provide guidance for posting
Feasible - inspired by iPhone Photos app
Can regenerate suggestions for more photos
Why flow 2?
Groups provide guidance for posting
Feasible - inspired by iPhone Photos app
Can regenerate suggestions for more photos
Inspiration for themed suggestions
The iPhone photos app's "Moments" (now "Memories") feature groups related images into categories. The suggested categories in the new feature will be developed from here. While many acknowledge that such categories exist on the IOS Photos app, users rarely utilize it. However, I felt this feature would help suggest topics for users to post about because it reduces the need for them to scroll through their gallery which includes an extensive amount of images.
Inspiration for themed suggestions
The iPhone photos app's "Moments" (now "Memories") feature groups related images into categories, as shown below. The suggested categories in the new feature will be developed from here. While many acknowledge that such categories exist on the IOS Photos app, users rarely utilize it. However, I felt this feature would help suggest topics for users to post about because it reduces the need for them to scroll through their gallery which includes an extensive amount of images.
Deliver
Usability test feedback
Usability test feedback
Starting at the New Post page makes sense, but will users not interested in posting even try to navigate to that page in the first place?
Starting at the New Post page makes sense, but will users not interested in posting even try to navigate to that page in the first place?
Final Design
Deliver
Two entry points: Home & Post page
Two entry points: Home & Post page
Why?
Home: to provide exposure of the new feature to the users
Post: most logical placement regarding a feature to promote more posting
Why?
Home: to provide exposure of the new feature to the users
Post: most logical placement regarding a feature to promote more posting
Final Design
Home entry point: "Join" the feature
Home entry point:
"Join" the feature
Post entry point: "Suggest" button
Post entry point:
"Suggest" button
Reflection
Reflection
This case study allowed me to explore the design thinking process to address a mindset issue: users finding posting on Instagram burdensome. The challenge was to change this mindset, focusing on the users' needs to make posting feel less overwhelming. I aimed to encourage meaningful, lasting interactions over shorter interactions amongst users, such as story replies and sending each other reels. With more time, I would further explore ways to reduce users' fear of judgment for a more direct solution.
This case study allowed me to explore the design thinking process to address a mindset issue: users finding posting on Instagram burdensome. The challenge was to change this mindset, focusing on the users' needs to make posting feel less overwhelming. I aimed to encourage meaningful, lasting interactions over shorter interactions amongst users, such as story replies and sending each other reels. With more time, I would further explore ways to reduce users' fear of judgment for a more direct solution.