WhatsApp users can feel overwhelmed when looking through images or texts in their long-running chats, turning the search into an endless scroll. Shared Collections is a proposed feature that makes it easier for users to reflect on their most important memories through organized albums, separated from the general media. Users can create or add to an existing album in their chats, with direct replies saved to a comment thread.
Product Designer
3 months
Mobile App Feature
Where does whatsApp stand?
WhatsApp rose to popularity internationally because it made it easy (and free!) for users to connect from anywhere in the world and on any device.
User Interviews
How are people using WhatsApp today?
To better understand how people use WhatsApp to connect with others, I conducted an app audit and interviewed 6 power users who have been using the app every day for the past ten years. I discovered that users call and text daily but rarely use the other available features.
User Insights
Chats are flooded with photos and videos after a group event
Pain point: Power users have collected vast amounts of media over time, and trying to find something turns into searching through an endless scroll.
How might we enable users to quickly share and find images?
Difficult to catch up on multiple conversation tangents
Pain point: Users can feel left out when they log into an active group chat where they've missed most of the conversation as it often goes into tangents.
How might we help users follow along with various conversations in 1 chat?
Quick Sketching
What if sent images and texts could be saved separately, making it easier for users to find?
After several rounds of sketching, I narrowed it down to two divergent features— one targeting media and the other texts. I conducted a usability test with 5 power users to determine which would improve their current experience.
User Testing
Direction 1: Media Organization
Users can organize images into shared albums, separated from the rest of the general media. A notification is sent to the chat when albums are created or added to.
As an avid WhatsApp user, I would love to use this product. It's not even useful, it's almost a need at this point- as you saw I have 13,000 photos.
Rodrigo
Brazil, 15+ years on WhatsApp
If you've not sent pictures after a family dinner, somebody will ask for them. This would make it easier because you can find everything in one place.
Sachi
India, 10+ years on WhatsApp
Direction 2: Comment Threads
Direct replies are saved into a comment thread, making it easier to follow tangent conversations.
Sometimes I'm telling a story with the pictures. If I'm in the mindset of sending with intention then I have captions. I'll often send a voice note with a picture.
Sarah
Lebanon, 10+ years on WhatsApp
If you're looking for something someone said over voice notes, you can't find it. A certain piece of information gets lost.
Sachi
India, 15+ years on WhatsApp
Key Insight
Users felt that both features solved a genuine need and would be stronger if combined.
The Final Solution
Shared Collections
Core Features of the Final Experience
Send your photos in a Shared Collection
When uploading photos, users are given the option to create and title a new Shared Collection or add to an existing one. An announcement is made in the chat, encouraging others to view and add to it.
Direct replies are saved to a thread.
Images with Comment Threads are indicated within the Shared Collection, and the number of replies is displayed, letting the user quickly see what's got everyone talking.
Add your own photos to an existing collection.
Users can directly add their images to existing Shared Collections, which are saved separately from the rest of the library’s general media. Photos within collections are organized by date added for consistency with WhatsApp’s existing media system.
What I learned?
Considering different paths that users might take to accomplish the same task.
Looking back on this case study, I think there's still an opportunity to consider outside the 'happy path'. If I had more time, I would like to think about the other ways people might use the feature. For example, what are the different entry points into the album, how could they add existing photos into the album, and if the comment threads could exist separately outside of the albums.