REEL TALK
Reel Talk is a platform where users can discuss and rate movies and TV shows.
My Role
Peoduct Designer
UI Designer
UX Researcher
Platform
Mobile App
Website
Tools Used
Figma
Miro
Notion
Timeline
Dec 2023- present
XFN
PM
Frontend Developer
Backend Developer
My Role
Interaction Designer
UI Designer
UX Researcher
Platform
Mobile App
Website
Tools Used
Figma
Miro
Notion
XFN
PM
Frontend Developer
Backend Developer
Timeline
Dec 2023- present
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
User Problem
User Problem
Users struggle to find content that matches their interests due to a lack of personalized guidance, leading to frustration and disengagement.
Users struggle to find content that matches their interests due to a lack of personalized guidance, leading to frustration and disengagement.
The Challenge
The Challenge
How might we help first-time users easily navigate and quickly discover content that aligns with their interests?
How might we help first-time users easily navigate and quickly discover content that aligns with their interests?
Solutions
1. Create an onboarding experience that allows users to select their favorite genres, movies, and shows.
2. Provide tooltips to help users quickly learn how to navigate the platform and discover content.
3. Implement a recommendation system to provide users with relevant movies and community suggestions.
1. Create an onboarding experience that allows users to select their favorite genres, movies, and shows.
2. Provide tooltips to help users quickly learn how to navigate the platform and discover content.
3. Implement a recommendation system to provide users with relevant movies and community suggestions.
Solutions
Onboarding
Select top genres
Onboarding
Select top movies
Tooltips
Recommendations
Onboarding
Select top movies
Onboarding
Select top genres
Recommendations
Tooltips
Impact
Impact
New onboarding flow helped personalization (93% satisfaction rating based on 15 users tested) and allowed personalization signals of user groups and posts.
New onboarding flow helped personalization (93% satisfaction rating based on 15 users tested) and allowed personalization signals of user groups and posts.
Challenges
Challenges
My Challenges in This Project
My Challenges in This Project
For the Reel Talk onboarding project, I faced three main challenges:
1. Time strain: We faced tight deadlines to release the onboarding flow, requiring fast iterations, user testing, and feedback within a short period.
2. No dedicated user researcher: I took on the responsibility of conducting user interviews, synthesizing insights, and balancing both research and design tasks simultaneously.
3. Diverse user base: I needed to create a personalized onboarding experience that catered to a variety of users while ensuring ease of use for all.
For the Reel Talk onboarding project, I faced three main challenges:
1. Time strain: We faced tight deadlines to release the onboarding flow, requiring fast iterations, user testing, and feedback within a short period.
2. No dedicated user researcher: I took on the responsibility of conducting user interviews, synthesizing insights, and balancing both research and design tasks simultaneously.
3. Diverse user base: I needed to create a personalized onboarding experience that catered to a variety of users while ensuring ease of use for all.
Design Process
Design Process
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Interviews & Preference Survey
Interviews & Preference Survey
User Profile
User Profile
IDEATION
IDEATION
Research Findings
Research Findings
Business Goals
Business Goals
Critical User Journey
Critical User Journey
DESIGN & ITERATION
DESIGN & ITERATION
Wireframing
Wireframing
Usability Testing
Usability Testing
Iteration & Prototype
Iteration & Prototype
TAKE-AWAY
TAKE-AWAY
Impact
Impact
Reflection
Reflection
Next Steps
Next Steps
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
Research Goal
Research Goal
The Challenge
The Challenge
What pain points do users experience during content discovery, and how can we enhance the process to better meet their preferences?
What pain points do users experience during content discovery, and how can we enhance the process to better meet their preferences?
Context
Context
Reel Talk brings together the functionality of IMDb and Facebook groups, offering movie enthusiasts a place to rate films and build vibrant movie communities. We aim to understand user preferences to recommend movies and communities that match their interests.
Reel Talk brings together the functionality of IMDb and Facebook groups, offering movie enthusiasts a place to rate films and build vibrant movie communities. We aim to understand user preferences to recommend movies and communities that match their interests.
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Method 1: Competitive Analysis
Method 1: Competitive Analysis
The graphic below highlights that Netflix, a non-direct paid competitor, uses onboarding to boost user engagement and recommend relevant content. Reel Talk aims to achieve similar benefits. By understanding user preferences for movie and show recommendations, as well as community involvement, we can better support first-time users and enhance retention rates.
The graphic below highlights that Netflix, a non-direct paid competitor, uses onboarding to boost user engagement and recommend relevant content. Reel Talk aims to achieve similar benefits. By understanding user preferences for movie and show recommendations, as well as community involvement, we can better support first-time users and enhance retention rates.
IMDb
✅ Free
❌ Onboarding
❌ Tooltips
Rotten Tomatos
✅ Free
❌ Onboarding
❌ Tooltips
Letterboxd
✅ Free
❌ Onboarding
❌ Tooltips
Fandango
✅ Free
❌ Onboarding
❌ Tooltips
JustWatch
✅ Free
❌ Onboarding
❌ Tooltips
Netflix
❌ Free
✅ Onboarding
✅ Tooltips
IMDb
✅ Free
❌ Onboarding
❌ Tooltips
Rotten Tomatos
✅ Free
❌ Onboarding
❌ Tooltips
Letterboxd
✅ Free
❌ Onboarding
❌ Tooltips
Fandango
✅ Free
❌ Onboarding
❌ Tooltips
JustWatch
✅ Free
❌ Onboarding
❌ Tooltips
Netflix
❌ Free
✅ Onboarding
✅ Tooltips
Method 2: Interviews and Preference Survey
Method 2: Interviews and Preference Survey
I conducted interviews and surveys to gather user feedback on Reel Talk and identify their pain points. The results revealed that 45% of users felt that an onboarding flow would help them find relevant content more quickly. Additionally, tooltips would help users in becoming familiar with the app more rapidly.
I conducted interviews and surveys to gather user feedback on Reel Talk and identify their pain points. The results revealed that 45% of users felt that an onboarding flow would help them find relevant content more quickly. Additionally, tooltips would help users in becoming familiar with the app more rapidly.
50 user responses
45%
Helpful
31%
Not helpful
24%
Neutral
Method 3: User Profile
Method 3: User Profile
Diverse users struggle with finding relevant content quickly due to a lack of personalization, guidance, and time-consuming searches. These challenges lead to frustration and reduced engagement on the platform.
Diverse users struggle with finding relevant content quickly due to a lack of personalization, guidance, and time-consuming searches. These challenges lead to frustration and reduced engagement on the platform.
Emma
Emma
Business Marketer
Business Marketer
Age: 32
Age: 32
Los Angeles
Los Angeles
Pain Points
Pain Points
• Struggles to find indie films without personalization.
• Struggles to find indie films without personalization.
• Feels overwhelmed by too many features.
• Feels overwhelmed by too many features.
Needs
Needs
• Personalized onboarding to access relevant films faster.
• Personalized onboarding to access relevant films faster.
• Tooltips to help navigate the app efficiently.
• Tooltips to help navigate the app efficiently.
Lee
Lee
Developer
Developer
Age: 26
Age: 26
New York
New York
Pain Points
Pain Points
• Has trouble finding sci-fi or tech content he likes.
• Has trouble finding sci-fi or tech content he likes.
• Wants to focus on interests but struggles to do so.
• Wants to focus on interests but struggles to do so.
Needs
Needs
• Easy onboarding to get tailored content.
• Easy onboarding to get tailored content.
• Personalized recommendations based on his interests.
• Personalized recommendations based on his interests.
Alexis
Alexis
Biology Student
Biology Student
Age: 20
Age: 20
Austin
Austin
Pain Points
Pain Points
• Generic recommendations don’t fit her interests.
• Generic recommendations don’t fit her interests.
• Searching for genre-related content is too time-consuming.
• Searching for genre-related content is too time-consuming.
Needs
Needs
• Simple onboarding to pick favorite genres right away.
• Simple onboarding to pick favorite genres right away.
• Tailored recommendations to save time.
• Tailored recommendations to save time.
Paul
Paul
Finance Manager
Finance Manager
Age: 58
Age: 58
Springfield
Springfield
Pain Points
Pain Points
• Finds it hard to navigate and locate content.
• Finds it hard to navigate and locate content.
• Generic suggestions don’t match his preferences.
• Generic suggestions don’t match his preferences.
Needs
Needs
•Personalized onboarding to choose favorite movies/shows.
•Personalized onboarding to choose favorite movies/shows.
• Step-by-step guidance to navigate the app easily.
• Step-by-step guidance to navigate the app easily.
IDEATION
IDEATION
Research Findings
Research Findings
I identified three pain points that hinder user engagement and satisfaction. Below are the key findings alongside their proposed solution:
I identified three pain points that hinder user engagement and satisfaction. Below are the key findings alongside their proposed solution:
💔 Users' pain points
💔 Users' pain points
😭 Difficulty finding content of interest
😭 Difficulty finding content of interest
Struggle to locate preferred movies or shows without personalization, causing frustration.
Struggle to locate preferred movies or shows without personalization, causing frustration.
😵💫 Overwhelmed by unfamiliar features
😵💫 Overwhelmed by unfamiliar features
New users are confused by the layout, leading to a steep learning curve.
New users are confused by the layout, leading to a steep learning curve.
😮💨 Lack of tailored recommendations
😮💨 Lack of tailored recommendations
Generic suggestions reduce engagement and platform value.
Generic suggestions reduce engagement and platform value.
🌟 Users' needs
🌟 Users' needs
🤩 Personalized onboarding
🤩 Personalized onboarding
To connect with the platform, users need an easy way to select favorite genres, movies, and shows.
To connect with the platform, users need an easy way to select favorite genres, movies, and shows.
😆 Clear guidance
😆 Clear guidance
Users require tooltips or instructions to easily navigate and explore the platform.
Users require tooltips or instructions to easily navigate and explore the platform.
😉 Relevant recommendations
😉 Relevant recommendations
Personalized content keeps users engaged and satisfied.
Personalized content keeps users engaged and satisfied.
Business Goal
Reel Talk aims to implement a personalized onboarding system that captures user preferences, providing relevant movie and community recommendations while offering clear guidance, ultimately enhancing user engagement and retention.
Reel Talk aims to implement a personalized onboarding system that captures user preferences, providing relevant movie and community recommendations while offering clear guidance, ultimately enhancing user engagement and retention.
Business Goal
Critical User Journey
This user journey meets user needs and business goals by offering personalized onboarding through genre, movie, and TV show selections, ensuring users receive relevant recommendations aligned with their interests. Clear tooltips provide guidance, simplifying navigation and enhancing the overall experience. These features help users quickly find content that interests them while familiarizing them with the platform's functionalities.
This user journey meets user needs and business goals by offering personalized onboarding through genre, movie, and TV show selections, ensuring users receive relevant recommendations aligned with their interests. Clear tooltips provide guidance, simplifying navigation and enhancing the overall experience. These features help users quickly find content that interests them while familiarizing them with the platform's functionalities.
Critical User Journey
Select Genres
Select Genres
Select Movies
Select Movies
Select Shows
Select Shows
Tooltips
Tooltips
Recommendation
Recommendation
PROTOTYPE
PROTOTYPE
Mid-fidelity design
Mid-fidelity design
After refining ideas into mid-fidelity designs, I applied lean UX principles, collaborating with PMs and developers to align the design with user needs and technical constraints. I conducted user testing to validate the design, then adjusted based on feedback to optimize the experience and maintain efficiency.
After refining ideas into mid-fidelity designs, I applied lean UX principles, collaborating with PMs and developers to align the design with user needs and technical constraints. I conducted user testing to validate the design, then adjusted based on feedback to optimize the experience and maintain efficiency.
Select Genres
Select Genres
Select Movies
Select Movies
High-fidelity design
I iterated the design and created hi-fi prototypes, incorporating feedback from stakeholders and users to enhance the mid-fi design by adding specific features and buttons that address diverse user needs.
I iterated the design and created hi-fi prototypes, incorporating feedback from stakeholders and users to enhance the mid-fi design by adding specific features and buttons that address diverse user needs.
High-fidelity design
Problem 1: Difficulty finding content of interest
Problem 1: Difficulty finding content of interest
Onboarding: Select genres
Onboarding: Select genres
Onboarding: Select movies & shows
Onboarding: Select movies & shows
Problem 2: Overwhelmed by unfamiliar features
Problem 2: Overwhelmed by unfamiliar features
Tooltips (step-by-step)
Tooltips (step-by-step)
Problem 3: Lack of tailored recommendations
Problem 3: Lack of tailored recommendations
Recommendation
Recommendation
IMPACT
IMPACT
User testing survey result
We're about to launch this product on the Apple and Google stores, and before handing it off to the front-end developers, I tested the product with 15 users. The results showed that 93.3% liked the onboarding design for its intuitive, user-friendly experience and personalized content.
We're about to launch this product on the Apple and Google stores, and before handing it off to the front-end developers, I tested the product with 15 users. The results showed that 93.3% liked the onboarding design for its intuitive, user-friendly experience and personalized content.
User testing survey result
93.3% LIKE
93.3% LIKE
6.7% Dislike
6.7% Dislike
I chose a "like and dislike" survey over a 10-point scale for its simplicity and clear feedback. This quickly shows if users are satisfied or not, eliminating ambiguity and providing actionable insights without added complexity.
I chose a "like and dislike" survey over a 10-point scale for its simplicity and clear feedback. This quickly shows if users are satisfied or not, eliminating ambiguity and providing actionable insights without added complexity.
REFLECTION
REFLECTION
Next steps
After launch, we'll use A/B testing to assess key features like genre and movie selection. As a product designer, I’m considering if users actually select their favorite movies during onboarding. If most skip it, we might simplify the flow to ensure it doesn't deter users, even if it's optional.
After launch, we'll use A/B testing to assess key features like genre and movie selection. As a product designer, I’m considering if users actually select their favorite movies during onboarding. If most skip it, we might simplify the flow to ensure it doesn't deter users, even if it's optional.
Next steps
This quantitative method will complement qualitative testing by collecting real-time user data to identify pain points and refine designs. This will help attract new users, retain existing ones, and optimize the product post-launch, enhancing engagement and satisfaction while meeting user needs and business objectives.
This quantitative method will complement qualitative testing by collecting real-time user data to identify pain points and refine designs. This will help attract new users, retain existing ones, and optimize the product post-launch, enhancing engagement and satisfaction while meeting user needs and business objectives.
What I learned
Design: I recognized the need to balance simplicity with user engagement in the onboarding experience. It’s essential to prioritize user preferences in a way that avoids overwhelming them, leading to an intuitive flow that keeps users engaged from the outset.
What I learned
Design: I recognized the need to balance simplicity with user engagement in the onboarding experience. It’s essential to prioritize user preferences in a way that avoids overwhelming them, leading to an intuitive flow that keeps users engaged from the outset.
Collaboration: I closely collaborated with engineers and product managers and highlighted the importance of aligning on design and technical constraints from the start. Open communication throughout the project facilitated smoother iterations and allowed us to address potential issues early on, enhancing overall efficiency.
Business impact: I noticed that design decisions significantly influence key business metrics like user retention and engagement. By gathering user data through surveys and usability testing, we were able to analyze how different design elements resonated with users, which in turn helped us make informed adjustments that aligned our design efforts with business goals.
Collaboration: I closely collaborated with engineers and product managers and highlighted the importance of aligning on design and technical constraints from the start. Open communication throughout the project facilitated smoother iterations and allowed us to address potential issues early on, enhancing overall efficiency.
Business impact: I noticed that design decisions significantly influence key business metrics like user retention and engagement. By gathering user data through surveys and usability testing, we were able to analyze how different design elements resonated with users, which in turn helped us make informed adjustments that aligned our design efforts with business goals.
Checkout my other projects
Checkout my other projects
