A Fresh approach to post on Togetherall

Project Overview

Project: Optimising post creation flow

Industry: Saas/ Mental health

Daily Usage:

• 35,000+ daily active

• 40% of members struggled to find how to create a post

• Only 25% of members were creating post

Togetherall is a secure online platform where individuals can anonymously share challenges and support each other's mental well-being. Despite a large user base, engagement in the community was limited due to difficulties in creating posts and understanding the purpose of different post types.

The post-creation process on Togetherall had remained largely unchanged since launch. About 40% of members struggled to find how to create a post types. As mobile usage grew, half of users accessed the platform via mobile, yet only 5% created posts on mobile due to an unfriendly interface.

Objective: Enhance the post-creation experience to increase user engagement and participation.

Challenge

Through user research and analytics, several key issues were identified:

Discoverability: Approximately 40% of members had difficulty finding how to create a post.

Error Rates: Many members encountered errors when submitting posts.

Understanding Post Types: Over half of users struggled to comprehend the purpose of different post types (Talkabout - Write a post and Brick - Draw)

Mobile Usability: Only 5% of posts were created via mobile devices due to a non-user-friendly mobile interface.

Process

Data Analysis

Collaborated with the analytics team to identify key pain points in the existing post-creation flow.

User Research

Conducted user testing on the current solution and gathered feedback directly from members.

Technical Exploration

Collaborated with engineers to understand the limitations of the third-party API used to create posts (“Bricks”), especially on mobile

Agile Delivery

Worked in an agile team to design, develop, and QA the improved post-creation experience.

Validation & Iteration

Implemented A/B testing to measure improvements and conducted unmoderated user testing to validate the live solution.

Research and Evaluation

We leveraged analytics tools (Hotjar), reviewed past user interviews, and conducted new unmoderated sessions to understand first-hand experiences.

Key insights included:

Users struggled to locate the "Create Post" action and understand the flow.

Terminology and descriptions for different post types were confusing.

Visual cues for entering titles and tags were often overlooked.

Mobile users faced usability barriers that prevented them from posting.

“I wasn’t able to find where to create a post easily. The interface felt confusing and overwhelming.” — Anonymous User

My findings

Difficult to find

The previous version of the platform didn't feature a "create a post" action on the homepage. As a result, it led to a delay in discovering an option to create a post in the Togetherall community.

Unclear action

The phrase "Create Talkabout or Brick" on the community page puzzled new users, as it was unfamiliar compared to actions they see on other social media platforms to create a post. This confusion caused hesitation among users when clicking on the action.

Unclear descriptions of post type

Togetherall allows users to share their thoughts through writing and drawing. However, unclear descriptions for each post type left users uncertain about the next steps after making a choice

Usability Issues

The visual cues were unclear, leading users to overlook the primary actions for adding titles and tags. This highlights a significant usability issue in the design.

Ideation and Testing

• Collaboration: Conducted a workshop with product managers, engineers, and the clinical team to generate ideas and identify technical constraints.

• Wireframing & Prototyping: Created low-fidelity prototypes to visualise flows and gather early feedback.

• Mobile Optimisation: Designed a mobile-first flow to ensure accessibility and ease of use.

• Simplified Interface: Reduced cognitive load by focusing on core fields (title, tags, post type) and minimizing distractions.

Implementation

Easy to find

Implementing multiple touchpoints enhanced the visibility of the "create a post" feature. Additionally, allowing users to create posts directly from the homepage improved accessibility and user experience.

Unclear actions and descriptions

Using clear and concise language and visuals for action buttons and descriptions has effectively guided users, providing precise instructions on what steps to take.

Enhanced Visibility

Enhancing the visibility of the "Add Title" and "Add Tags" options ensured they were prominently displayed and easily noticeable. Additionally, removing the header navigation and showcasing it on a full screen helped minimize distractions for users.

Mobile Optimization

Optimizing the post creation flow for mobile devices is crucial, given the increasing number of users accessing the platform via smartphones and tablets.

Thank you!

Key Takeaway

The revamped post creation process resulted in a significant reduction in errors, highlighting an enhanced user experience and improved platform usability. Users provided positive feedback, appreciating the revamped interface for its improved usability and fostering a stronger sense of community.

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