Instagram Events
Adding an Instagram Events feature to improve event discovery.
Project: Add a feature
Role: UX/UI designer, UX Researcher
Timeline: July - August 2024 (3 weeks)
*Working on a part-time 20hr/week schedule
*Student project
Background
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking platform that allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters, can be organized by hashtags, and be shared publicly or with reapproved followers. Users can browse others' content by tags and locations, view trending content, like photos, and follow other users to add their content to a personal feed.
Problem
Instagram lacks a dedicated events feature, which makes it difficult for users to create, discover, and engage with events. Without this functionality, promoting events and connecting with others in an organized manner becomes a challenge.
Research Goal
The goal of this research is to understand user needs and pain points related to event discovery, creation, and engagement on Instagram. By gathering insights into user behavior and preferences, I aim to explore how a dedicated events feature could improve the user experience, increase engagement, and help users better connect around events.
User Research and Insights
To better understand the needs and behaviors of Instagram users, we conducted remote interviews with five participants, including both active Instagram users and non-users. Each participant was asked about their event discovery habits, challenges, and priorities when engaging with events on social media. The insights gained from these interviews helped me identify key pain points and opportunities, which were then used to inform the design of an Instagram events feature.
Key Insight #1
Difficulty Discovering Events: Both active and non-active users found it challenging to discover events, with some relying on external platforms to stay informed, indicating a gap in Instagram’s event discovery process.
Key Insight #2
Desire for Customization: Users expressed a strong desire for more customization options when creating events, such as personalized event pages, better category filters, and the ability to share events more easily with their network.
Key Insight #3
Social Engagement:
Users wanted a more integrated and social experience around events, including easier ways to share, discuss, and follow events within their feed and stories
User Personas
Next, I created two key personas representing the primary user types for Instagram events. These personas helped define the different needs and priorities of event organizers and attendees, focusing on aspects such as event discovery, engagement preferences, and the overall event experience on the platform.
POV statements and HMW questions:
Through the interview data, I determined several POVs statements and HMWs questions, which helped us define the specific problems to address
in the website’s design.
POV#1
Instagram users need a way to hear about events on time
so that they don't miss out on any opportunities.
HMW#1
How might we ensure Instagram users stay informed
about upcoming events in the area?
User Flow
Creating a user flow was essential for mapping out how users would interact with the Instagram events feature. It helped visualize the steps users would take to discover, and engage with events, ensuring the process was clear, intuitive, and seamless.
Feature Overview and Details
I created a feature set that helped me define and prioritize the core functionalities that will drive the success of the feature.
Exploring Design Solutions through Low-Fidelity Wireframes
I started by creating low-fidelity wireframes to focus on the layout and functionality. This helped me quickly map out key screens like my calendar,
events screen, events details.
Refining and Testing with High-Fidelity Prototypes
As UI components were integrated, the wireframes evolved into high-fidelity designs, closely aligning with Instagram's original standards in both
appearance and functionality.
Usability Test Insights
I conducted remote usability testing with seven participants to evaluate the Instagram Events feature. Their feedback provided essential insights that helped improve the feature’s usability and overall user experience.
All seven participants successfully finished the path.
6 out of 7 users were satisfied with the process of finding an event.
"It was easy"
"Makes sense"
"Familiar pattern"
"A calendar is a useful thing"
5 out of 7 users would share the event via share on Instagram.
5 out of 7 users understood understood that saving an event automatically adds it to their "Saved" section on Instagram.
Design Iterations and Final Outcome
After user testing I did some UI iterations to get a final version.
"My upcoming events" section was redesigned for better alignment, resulting in a cleaner layout that no longer feels overloaded.
A username was added above the picture, following Instagram's standards. The event details were properly aligned, and the map section was updated for a more streamlined design.
