The problem scrolling spiral of down
Project 3 Ironhack : Add feature on Instagram
How could Instagram help these users become more aware of their browsing without making it less used ?
You’re in bed and you open Instagram just for a few minutes before sleeping. Without realizing it you are liking a recipe for sugar-free chocolate cake at past midnight …and now and you regret spending too much time on it.
I believe that’s it would be pretty cool to be able to control our Instagram browsing. Don’t you ?
Instagram and users
It’s a must for social networks. In 2012 Facebook bought Instagram, which boosted its market share to over a billion active users.
It’s the second social networks of 11–34 year olds.
The most actives users are 25–34 year olds with less than 1000 subscribers.
Recently, a trend has emerged among users (specially Z generation) who regularly take breaks from social networks for several days… why? They become aware that they are spending too much time on it (41% of them) against their will…How it’s possible ?
On my own experience I have often logged off my connection to Instagram for several days to take a break and reboot myself to reflect motivation to spending so much time on it and why.
This feeling is due to the dark patterns that create user dependency. By keeping our attention on app, and so our time. It causes negative feelings among users such as guilt for spending too much time on the application but also new social anxieties like FoMO(fear of missing out).
“Scrolling is boring, but I don’t want to miss a friend’s post”. Célestine, 18 years, 342 subscribers, 162 publications.
The best known is the infinite scroll wich make used keep looking the feed always more and more. It’s the browsing system uses by all social networks so…Instagram.
Social networks can take an interest in the subject and allow users to be less dependent without being less attractive… And be more “user well-being”.
Acting on addiction means being aware and in control.
The negative impacts of social media on our mental well-being and self-esteem are regularly pointed out and Instagram is said to be the most damaging.
How can the negative effect of a scrolling overflow on Instagram be tempered by avoiding the long pause ?
To answer this question I focused on one of the most active users of Instagram.
Pauline, serial scrolling on instagram each day
Market research about timer
What a nice surprise to discover that one could define a daily reminder in instagram.
So I wanted to know if this timer was enough to stop the user’s scroll.
To find the answer, I conducted interviews in a very short period with 5 friends of mine daily users of Instagram.
This step allowed me to get user insights on how they use instagram and the timer function.
- Instagram browsing is a routine. We open it almost daily at special times in the morning, in the evening, in transport or to keep busy when we are bored.
The user is on autopilot and has difficulty realising how much time is actually spent on it. Finally, navigation can have a negative impact on the user and will generate bad feelings such as guilt.
I have noticed that spending time was often overestimated by the user …so I understood that the problem is more what the user thinks of the time spent scrolling through the pages.
- Instagram Timer this option is not used because it’s not well known, too difficult to find in the application : “I didn’t know that you could put a maximum navigation time on Instagram…where is it?” and doesn’t have a really dissuasive effect just an informative pop-up.
“When the pop-up window opens, I click OK and continue browsing because I want always to see more, photographies catching my eyes”.
Marion, 28 years, 248 subscribers, 102 publications.
Does the user feels the need to control his browsing ?
I understood that the user wanted to become an actor of his instagram’s navigation but the timer could not be a satisfactory solution due the elements that capture attention.
“Knowing how much time is spent on an application gives you control over it and allows you to free up time, but it’s easier to stay connected.”
Pauline, 25 years, 350 subscriptions, 150 publications.
A complex problem to solve
How to be aware of the time spent scrolling without frustration ?
A new browsing mode concept
The summary of all my datas came up with the following design opportunities
Timer
- non-invasive
- easily accessible
- guilt-triggering.
Visual browsing
- removed features
- wider
- focus on picture
- less dependent
- without frustration
what’s the best trade-off between time and less appealing visual design ?
I added a feature that looks like another possible navigation mode.
The user will have the choice to browse “normally” or by activating the smart mode.
I wanted this mode to be accessible and easy to find from the home page.
When it is activated, the timer starts and the new display appears. The user should know his remaining time and have the choice to add time if he wants or to close the application.
Let’s prototyping and testing
Not easy to implement perfectly a secondary browsing mode without distorting Instagram.
I spent lot’s of time testing all my ideas on low-fi prototype due to the complexity of this feature required activating all my creativity quickly.
I made choices after ideations and usability tests feedbacks :
- Remove text below photos
- Leave / view a comment
- See total likes
- A smiley-shaped time indicator
- Informative pop-ups visible to the user’s choice
- The user’s choice to close or add additional time
- A wall of pictures with wider visibility and focus on the image
I took some usability tests feedbacks into consideration.
- The smiley to indicate the remaining time is very “user friendly” but the “red unhappy smiley is too guilty”
- The picture wall is “useful” for having a wider view. The fear of missing information (FoMo effect) is less…but “clicking on the “shrink” button it’s not obvious”
And 4 mid-fi prototypes later…
It’s the moment I got a very interesting feedback interrogation.
how is the user conscious of scrolling movement ?
Indeed, I dug and pushed the concept out of the box 🤯
I decided to add a fudge scrolling : the movement will be accompanied by a background changing colors like a gradient on each scrolled page.
Learnings
OMG user research is the key but in such a short time for such a psychological subject it was an intensive challenge.
I really enjoyed working on this first solo project and making a hi-fi prototype for the first time. The imposed feature was conceptual which again raises many questions and debate.
The secret to moving forward in a project: knowing the user, understanding him or her and iterating. Oh! don’t forget creativity ;)
Scroll control solution
An ethical feature on Instagram
Remember the beginning of this article…
Tonight, you want to optimize your time on Instagram, no more than necessary … Because it’s late and you have to get up very early tomorrow morning.
With the Smart mode, you can look at a maximum of photos without frustration or difficulty in setting a limit. You are aware by a scrolling movement thanks to the background colour gradient.
What’s next ?
It would be interesting to push the concept in a global minimalist mode without advertising.
- Leave the caption under the photos
- Push the concept of background fudge as an indicator of movement and time.
- For the part adding additional time, think of it in “friction design” mode Should a maximum time limit be imposed?
Can a restrictive timer that cuts off the connection have its place on a social network?
Thank’s for reading and 👏 me.
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