Locket Case Study
The Locket app focuses on sending photos to close friends through a widget. Creating groups will simplify the process of sending photos, as it allows users to send images to multiple friends at once rather than selecting them individually.
Duration
3 Month
Role
Solo
[ View Prototype ]
Challenges
Key Findings
- Popularity and Ranking: Locket was one of the most popular apps, ranking #9 in Social Networking on the App Store. Recently, Locket released an Android version, but many features available on iOS are not yet available on Android.
- Target Audience and Limitations: The app is designed for close friends, with a limitation of 10 friends and no option to follow people outside of your contact list.
- Functionality: Locket is a collaborative photo widget that supports sending short texts and reactions. However, communication is limited to inbuilt emojis.
- User-Friendly Design: Despite many similar apps, Locket stands out due to its user-friendly interface and a strong emphasis on privacy in social media.
- RealMoji Feature: Locket’s RealMoji feature allows users to react to posts with an “emoji” that is a live picture of their face at that moment.
Usability Finding
❗️Mid-Impact Issue:
- Users can complete the task, but they are limited in their ability to do so.
- Issue: The app’s profile icon is misleading, as it functions more like a settings option, confusing users.
✅ Good Experience:
- No issues found. Users can find previous photos and achieve their goals without any difficulties. They also expressed satisfaction with specific features.
❗️ Low-Impact Issue:
- Users can complete the task, but with some limitations.
- Issue: On iOS, the app text directly takes users to iMessage, while on Android, sending an SMS costs.
✅ Good Experience:
- No issues found. Users can completely achieve their goals without encountering any problems, and they specifically liked certain features.
User Research
Testing with Existing Users:
- Objective: To identify challenges in completing tasks within the existing Locket app and to gather insights for improving the user experience.
- Findings: The user testing provided valuable insights into the areas of the app that needed refinement. Observing users interact with both the existing app and the prototype highlighted specific challenges and opportunities for improvement.
- Methodology: Users were given a set of simple tasks to complete on the current version of the Locket app. This allowed us to observe any difficulties or pain points they encountered during the process.
1-1 Interviews and Surveys:
- Survey: A Google Form was used to collect responses. The survey employed a participatory approach, encouraging users to actively contribute their opinions. It aimed to gather broad insights into user preferences and pain points.
- 1-1 Interviews: Conducted with three users who had previously completed the survey.
- Method: During these interviews, I presented and discussed new ideas based on the survey results. This allowed for a deeper understanding of user reactions and feasibility of proposed features.
- Impact: The combined results from the survey and interviews guided the refinement of the app, incorporating user-driven suggestions and addressing identified issues.
Research Audit
Understandings
Purpose:
- Locket is designed for simple, intimate communication with loved ones through photos shared throughout the day.
- Photos appear on a widget on your home screen as your friends add their images, offering a glimpse into their daily lives.
- The app is ideal for maintaining connections in long-distance friendships, couples, and family relationships.
Considerations:
- How can we introduce a sense of community into an app designed for close friends within your contact list?
Potential Issues:
- What if someone spams the group? There needs to be a limit on the number of people in a group.
Potential Solutions
Private Groups:
- Use a code to join a group, ensuring privacy and exclusivity.
Spam Prevention:
- Limit the number of photos a user can send or introduce a blocking feature to manage unwanted content.
Wireframe
User feedback
- Reaction Options: Users requested more options to react to photos, enhancing their ability to communicate within the app.
- Communication Features: Improved in-app communication was a key request, with users expressing a desire to interact more seamlessly.
- “Deleting for Everyone”: The option to delete messages for everyone was well-received, indicating it’s a valuable feature for users.
- Customizable Text: Users wanted the ability to customize text, allowing for more personalized interactions.
- Navigation Preferences: Users preferred having icons at the bottom of the screen.
Scrolling down was found to be easier than swiping right, suggesting a more intuitive navigation experience. - Reactions Feed: The ability to see friends’ reactions on the feed was considered a useful feature for better engagement.
- RealMoji Feature: The RealMoji concept, which allows users to react to posts with a live picture of their face, was positively received. This idea, inspired by the BeReal app, aligns with Locket’s focus on authentic interactions and real-time communication.
- Observations: Feedback highlighted areas of interaction and usability, guiding further refinements to enhance the user experience.
User Flow
