PROBLEM
Web users do not reengage with content they save for later.
Through the web, users discover a range of digital content that they'd like to revisit. Saving content for later then becomes a common go-to, a practice as simple as tapping a snooze button. However, despite the intention to utilize saved content, there is no guarantee web users will reengage with it later.
OUR GOAL
Help web users reengage with their saved content as intended
MindMemo
Keeping saved content top of web user's minds
INSIGHTS
Our interviewees express the need to bear in mind the saved content that takes priority or falls in line with a deadline.
We noticed how our interviewees save a range of digital content, often relating to work or personal life; while not all content they save for later is of the same priority, they do not have a clear solution for remembering the content that does.
HOW MIGHT WE...
help web users reengage with saved content to optimize its value as intended?
TAKEAWAYS & LOOKING FORWARD
Addressing a future where MindMemo targets a more specific web user or digital content.
For this project, I worked collaboratively on an Agile Product Team where we conducted a series of sprints to design, test, learn, and build a solution that helps our target consumers, web users, reach their goal outcome: reengaging with the valuable digital content they save for later.
As a chrome extension, MindMemo can save all forms of digital content: videos, articles, and journals. Despite its universality for all web users –students, young professionals– at the conclusion of our project, I wondered how MindMemo could target a more specific web user.
With more time, I would have liked to gather data on MindMemo as a live product. Analytical software and user feedback would provide quantitative and qualitative data which would help us understand the types of content our web users frequently save. From there, we could evaluate the type of web user MindMemo could be catered even further towards.
"If I was a journalist writing about COVID-19 and I saved this Bill Gates TED Talk, I’d add a note: 'for my upcoming pandemic article'.”
- 31-year-old paralegal, discussing what note she would add for context when saving the TED Talk for later
DESIGNING MVP #2
Schedule a reminder to revisit content at a set date and time.
As a product that helps users remember to reengage with saved content, selecting a date and time to be reminded was an essential feature of our MVP. To be mindful of the content with more immediacy, I added three small chips in conjunction with a calendar picker: today (later on), tomorrow, and in 2 days. This gives web users the option to quickly select a day based on a shorter time frame.
ADJUSTING DESIGN
An API barrier sends MindMemo to a New Direction.
Our backend and frontend integration was nearly complete when we discovered a barrier with Google Calendar’s API, which prevented us from having a MindMemo save as an event for any specific time. Given our time limitation, we discussed the best way forward. As a result, we transitioned MindMemo from an event to a task. Now, when setting a reminder, users only select a date, with no definitive start or end time.
FINAL DESIGN
After making the appropriate adjustments to the design, we reviewed our product and together discussed how MindMemo remained in alignment with what it helps users accomplish: keeping valuable saved content top of mind.
DESIGNING MVP #1
Saving content efficiently starts with answering the What, the Where, and the Why.
First, we focused on how web users can save content more efficiently to reengage with it later. In lieu of users depending on a "self-reminder," my design morphed into a concrete note to self: a Memo.
To quickly ascertain and access the content later, web users first answer the essentials:
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What is this content?
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Where did I find it?
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Why am I saving it?
TESTING MVP #1
Participants describe MindMemo as a reminder to go back to saved content.
I conducted three remote usability tests with a lo-fi mockup to validate our first MVP. I provided minimal details to understand how our participants perceived our product; overall, their feedback validated our first MVP as they described our product as a chrome extension that "reminds you to go back to saved content."
A TED Talk by Bill Gates as the example digital content
Sync with Calendar
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Save and sync MindMemo with Google Calendar
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Find the MindMemo scheduled as a Task
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Access the saved content directly from Google Calendar notification
Has value.
Web users save content based on it's value. ex: an article for a work assignment, a new recipe for a dinner party, a tutorial video for a presentation.
Value is fleeting and therefore, content will become irrelevant. ex: the work assignment is complete, the dinner party is over, the presentation is finished.
Quickly forgotten.
Web users often forget what they have saved and depend on "self-reminders" to go back. Even then, it takes time to rediscover where and how it was saved.
Accumulates, fast.
As more content continues to be saved, it morphs into a cluttered list of links. Its lack of context then makes it difficult to differentiate the older content from the new.
RESEARCH
Diving Deeper into the Problem.
User Survey & User Interviews
To begin, I designed a user survey catered for web users aged 18+ and conducted 3 remote user interviews in tandem. I sought to learn about how web users consume, save, and reengage with digital content and the efficacy of saving content for later use. Together with my team, we reviewed and grouped our research findings with Miro. Several themes and clusters took shape and together we narrowed them down to 3 key findings.
Saved content...
DESIGNING MVP #3
Sync with Calendar to put the plan in motion.
To ensure web users' can follow through with their plan to revisit saved content, we sought to integrate MindMemo with their Google Calendar; when saved content is captured with a MindMemo, web users are redirected to their Google Calendar where their new MindMemo is scheduled on the chosen date and time.
HIGH FIDELITY USER TESTING + SUGGESTED ITERATIONS
All 4 participants find, save, and reengage with different types of digital content.
I led four moderated, remote user testing sessions with our first live prototype to evaluate MindMemo’s functionality and user satisfaction as our participants completed a series of tasks based on their scenario goal: saving digital content for later. After, we held an extended team meeting to review the success rate of each task and user feedback, which ultimately validated our latest MVPs and design. I noted how each participant recognized the URL is automatically copied, but did not comment on the ability to change it; this prompted a team discussion on its desirability and ultimately led to the text field's removal.
Context
For this project, I worked on an Agile Product Team with a product manager and two software developers to design and develop MindMemo, a web extension that helps web users revisit the content they save for later, later.
Our mission was to help online content consumers reengage with the content they save.
As a cross-time-zone and cross-functional team, we utilized Lean UX. We aimed to understand how users engage and reengage with digital content. We designed, tested, and iterated our MVPs to ensure saved content is revisited and utilized as intended.
Timeline
8 Weeks
My Role
Led UX Research & Team Brainstorming Sessions •
Designed Lo-Fi and Hi-Fi Mockups & Conducted Usability Testing
Tools
Google Surveys • Miro • Figma • Framer
SOLUTION
Keeping saved content top of mind is key.
Create A Memo
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Capture the essential details with an overview
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Automatic URL makes revisiting content more direct
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Add notes for extra context to distinguish saved content
Set Reminder
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Plan when to reengage with the content the moment you save it
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Pick the date that works best for you to go back
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Select an upcoming day to accommodate more immediate deadlines
Has value.
Web users save content based on it's value. ex: an article for a work assignment, a new recipe for a dinner party, a tutorial video for a presentation.
Value is fleeting and therefore, content will become irrelevant. ex: the work assignment is complete, the dinner party is over, the presentation is finished.
Quickly forgotten.
Web users often forget what they have saved and depend on "self-reminders" to go back. Even then, it takes time to rediscover where and how it was saved.
Accumulates, fast.
As more content continues to be saved, it morphs into a cluttered list of links. Its lack of context then makes it difficult to differentiate the older content from the new.
Saved content...
RESEARCH
Diving Deeper into the Problem.
User Survey & User Interviews
To begin, I designed a user survey catered for web users aged 18+ and conducted 3 remote user interviews in tandem. I sought to learn about how web users consume, save, and reengage with digital content and the efficacy of saving content for later use. Together with my team, we reviewed and grouped our research findings with Miro. Several themes and clusters took shape and together we narrowed them down to 3 key findings.