Tweaking Reels
Year
2024
Role
Designer
Overview
Redesigning Reels Sharing
The project focuses on redesigning the flow for sharing Instagram Reels within the platform's direct message (PM) section. The goal is to simplify and streamline the user experience, making the process of sharing Reels intuitive and seamless. By addressing the current flow’s friction points, we aim to create a more fluid and enjoyable interaction for users while sharing content.
Problem Statment
Usability and Engagement Issues
The current flow for sharing Reels in Instagram's PM section presents usability challenges that disrupt the conversational experience. Users face an unnecessarily complex process, requiring multiple clicks and swipes to share a Reel and allow recipients to view it. This multi-step interaction interrupts the flow of conversation, making it feel more like a series of tasks rather than a smooth, continuous exchange. Additionally, the design inadvertently encourages excessive content consumption, resembling a dark pattern by prioritizing engagement over the user's well-being, offering little to no meaningful breaks.
Key Research Findings
Dark pattern
The current design feels like a dark pattern, encouraging excessive consumption without meaningful breaks.
Limited control
Users feel they have limited control over the content they engage with, such as the randomised pattern of reels as it currently stands.
Undermining Conversations
The reel flow in conversations detracts from the focus on the sender-respondent relationship, undermining the conversation.
Design Process
Ideation
Flowcharts were developed to map out both the current user flow and the proposed improvements, establishing a clear foundation for identifying inefficiencies and opportunities. These visualizations provided clarity on how users currently navigate the system and highlighted areas where the flow could be simplified or enhanced to create a more intuitive experience.
Design System
Existing design systems were evaluated to find one that fit the project’s requirements. However, none were found to be a perfect fit. As a result, multiple design systems were adapted and merged, with additional custom elements developed to ensure the system met both functional and aesthetic needs to create wireframes that felt like they fit the aesthetics of Instagram.
Rebuilding Wireframes
First, it was necessary to rebuild the existing wireframes to visualize the user journey more clearly. This approach made it easier to identify pain points and navigation gaps than simply swiping through the app, as the flow could be seen in its entirety.
Old Wireflow
Next, a wireflow was created to map out the interactions between screens, illustrating how users move through different stages of the app. This helped to see clearly what needed to be done and optimized for smoother task flows
Designing New Wireframes
Multiple wireframe iterations were developed, both with added and reduced features. These were then analysed and revised to establish the four finished wireframes. These four were painstakingly focused to solve the main issues.
Designing New Wireframes
To enhance clarity and ensure a more user-friendly experience, four additional wireframes were introduced or refined. These helped the overall flow, making navigation more intuitive. To further improve usability, clear hints were added at the end of key flows, guiding users on when to take action or when they had reached the final step. Additionally, subtle cues were incorporated to indicate when to stop scrolling, preventing confusion and unnecessary friction. A search function was also implemented, designed to provide relevant reels as a form of feedforward, ensuring users receive helpful suggestions as they explore content.
The Outcome
The New Wireflow
Introducing these frames would create a user flow that is not bound by dark patterns and impulsive behaviour, but rather keeps one in the realm of intentionality and conscious engagement. Additionally, by fostering a less addictive nature, it could gradually shift the perception of social media away from being inherently harmful and overly addictive, as it is often viewed today.
