Reel Talk Community
Connecting Cinephiles Through Vibrant Movie Communities.
context
Reel Talk is an early-stage startup based in Los Angeles, focused on creating a movie community app for passionate cinephiles.
As the sole iOS Product Designer on the team, I collaborated with a PM and two developers to build the MVP features, aiming to create a unified platform that connects movie lovers through engaging and meaningful community interactions.
Timeline
January - August 2024
Team
Solo Product Designer (iOS)
1 Product Manager
Tools
Figma
Miro
Slack
Disciplines
User Research
Visual Design
Design System
Usability Testing
summary
MARKET ANALYSIS
Human discovery
03
Personal Connection
82% of participants ranked open discussions in movie communities as their top social feature.
key insights
Most Participants Are Hesitant to Engage in Community Discussions
Why did users feel hesitant?
“I don't like to argue with people online, online environment can be toxic…”
While users are eager to participate in open discussions within the movie community app, many share similar concerns. These worries about toxicity when engaging could potentially reduce overall user engagement.
Users expressed concerns about the potential for toxic interactions and arguments online, leading them to avoid participation to prevent negative experiences.
The pressure to carefully consider their words made users cautious, adding stress and reducing their overall engagement.
All this boils down to…
Users need a safe and supportive environment that encourages open and respectful discussions.
designing
Here's what we got:
Information Architecture
Then, I quickly mapped out the information architecture to visualize the flow and integrate key community-driven features seamlessly into the app.
visual design ideation
3 Rounds of Usability Testing
To better understand user frustrations, I brought in three users for quick 30-minute testing sessions. I had them explore the prototype and share their honest feedback. Their insights were invaluable, leading to several key adjustments in the design.
Change #1
Spoiler Warning Color Adjustment
While the current red spoiler warning was clear, 2 out of 3 users found it too similar to an error state, making it feel overwhelming, especially with multiple spoiler posts. To reduce anxiety, I switched the color to orange—still effective, but less stressful for users.
Before
After
Change #2
Report Feature Simplification
In testing, all the participants found too many report options confusing, making it hard to choose the right one and leading to possible drop-offs.
Before
After
Change #3
Community Creation Streamlining
Two participants found the "Create a Community" page too complicated and cluttered. So, I decided to focus more on the "Jobs to be Done" approach, simplifying the process to make it quick and easy for users.
final product
Find Communities Through Your Movie Search
Not just movie info—this app lets you effortlessly search for films and instantly find the communities buzzing about them. Join the conversation and dive deeper into the movies you love.
Engage with Posts and Connect with Others
Dive into posts that catch your eye, join the conversation with fellow community members, and discover like-minded movie lovers to connect with.
Create Your Own Movie Space and Share
Craft your own movie community in just a few steps, then share it with friends to build a vibrant space where everyone can join in and discuss the films you love.
Easily Report to Build a Positive Community
With Reel Talk, you can easily report issues, helping to keep the community safe and welcoming. Your voice ensures that open, respectful discussions thrive, making it a better space for everyone.
design system
Optimizing for Consistency and Accessibility
During design, I also fixed inconsistencies in the design system for better consistency and usability, following Material Design guidelines.
impact
Usability Testing Again to Validate Effectiveness
After finalizing the design, I brought in 10 movie lovers to test the new prototype. The task completion rate showed a noticeable improvement compared to previous versions. Here are the results:
10/10
users easily found and navigated their interested communities and posts.
10/10
participants easily found and navigated their interested communities and posts.
10/10
users successfully made their first post within the community without any guidance.
9/10
users accurately submitted a report with the correct reason.
After delivering the design to the development team, I’m eager to see how real users interact with the app post-launch. To guide future iterations, here are the key business metrics I’m interested in tracking:
01
Daily Active Users
Monitoring daily active users will help gauge ongoing interest and engagement with the app.
02
Retention Rate
Tracking how many users return after their initial use will indicate the app's value and its ability to keep users engaged.
03
Engagement
I’ll also be tracking the number of likes, posts created, and comments made to assess user engagement and the vibrancy of the community interactions.
reflection
My Key Learnings
Keep Communication Open with PM
I’ve learned how important it is to stay in sync with Product Manager. Not everything can make it into the first version, so figuring out what’s most important helps us deliver what really matters to users and the business.
Step Up When Research is Missing
I’ve realized that if research isn’t available, it’s up to me to gather insights. This taught me the value of understanding users on a deeper level, even if it means doing a bit of extra legwork myself.
Finding Balance Between Business and User Needs
As a product designer, it’s essential to prioritize user needs, but it’s equally important to consider how design decisions impact the business's long-term success.