The Problem

Currently the app only allows users to add friends’ Instapaper accounts through Facebook or Twitter. Once a user finds someone, they can follow what they are sharing. Instapaper also has a Browse tab with a small selection of recommended articles, but without adding friends, it only features fifteen articles.

The Opportunity

Instapaper has decided to create more social features that would allow users to add friends and share web content from anywhere. They are hoping this will make it easier for users to find, share, and follow content, as well as increase communication between users within the app itself.

CLient

On Spec

Team

Jonathan Laing
David Hency
Rebecca Happee
Juila Tidwell

Turnaround

2 Weeks

Product

Mobile App
(Android/Material)

Deliverables

Personas
User Flows
Journey Maps
App Map
Mid-to-High Fidelity Wireframes
Low-to-Mid Fidelity Mockups
Interactive Prototype

User Research

Competitive Analysis

Feature List

The first step in this process was to see what products were already out there. Our team compiled groups of other reading apps, as well as non-reading apps that implemented intuitive social sharing and content categorization features. This list was effective in highlighting some areas that Instapaper fell short of some competitors.

User Interviews

The next step in our research was to talk to people about their wants and needs when it comes to their online reading behaviors, and how we can implement those ideas into new features for the app. We were able to talk to five different people of varying skill levels about their reading preferences.

Key Takeaways

People love reading and sharing articles with their friends.
Many don’t have a streamlined way of saving or sharing articles.
Users often use several methods when it comes to saving articles.
Many care about privacy and who they share articles with.

View Transcripts

User Surveys

In order to get more quantitative date, our team sent out a survey and got some interesting responses.

Key Takeaways

People were overwhelmingly receptive towards an app that allows users to save, share, and discuss articles.
There’s a difference in the topics people read about and what they choose to share with other.
People read A LOT of articles, with a majority reading something everyday.

View Survey

Affinity Mapping

With the data taken from interviews, survey results, and competitive analysis, our team was then able to construct an affinity map outlining trends and create several “I” statements.

Key Groupings

I care about a way to save articles.
I want to share articles with groups/individuals.
I want to flexibly organize my articles.
I care about the way specific groups of people view me.

Journey Mapping

When it comes to saving and sharing multiple articles from multiple sources, the process can oftentimes be full of ups and downs. People generally love reading and having discussions with friends and family, but the process can often be frustrating and inefficient. The journey on the left details that emotional process.

Personas

Two clear personas began to take shape over the course of our research, the adventurer and the professional. Both of these user types had their distinct wants and needs. Below meet Michael and Sylvia.

Both of these personas also had distinct user paths. Sylvia, the professional would use this app primarily to save and share articles, while Michael would like to read, share, and discuss interesting articles with his friends. The user flows below reflect the two users respective experience with the site.