5th Nov 2019
How might we...
...create a visual tool that lets people manage their data?
Giving people simple visual tools to manage their data
While people enjoy the “magical,” personalized experience social apps offer, they also want simple, transparent tools to control what data they share, and see the impact of their choices in the personalized content suggested to them.
Product Context
Loco is a fun social app that allows people to share images, videos, and AR masks with friends. This can be done through private messages or an ephemeral feed that also includes content from nearby people and select brands. Unlike many other image-sharing platforms, photos and videos posted to Loco disappear after 24 hours. This keeps the content fresh and new suggestions appearing in a person’s feed. Loco’s popularity stems from its innovative camera, offering AR effects, and its uncanny ability to suggest relevant, enjoyable content.
In order to provide the service, Loco is powered by some of the following data:
- Current location, favorite places, and personalized settings
- Activity on the app
- Uploaded photos and videos
Problem & Opportunity
Some people want more control over their data than others. While savvy people want more advanced tools to manage their data, everyone would benefit from simpler ways to control what information they share and to see immediate results in the content suggested to them. These empowering tools will make people more excited to engage with the app.
Design Features
Feed Factors
Feed Factors removes the mystery of the data Loco collects and gives people simple ways to control what they’re sharing with the app. Feed Factors becomes visible to people as they scroll through their feed. Swipe up to expand it. Tap on one of the four categories to adjust the dials to share more or less of that type of information. These categories show people what kinds of data is being collected and offer a simple tool to manage how much and what they share. People can also turn off sharing entirely. The best part about Feed Factors is that the results are immediate. Any adjustment to the dials impacts the personalized content people see in their feed.
Design Features
A simple advanced settings page
One of the best parts of Feed Factors is that it gives savvy people new ways to manage more advanced settings and the context to help them make informed decisions. With this tool, people can better understand how changes will impact suggested content. This redesigned page gives people new ways to manage their data and feel more comfortable engaging with the app. As with Feed Factors, once a person adjusts their settings, the effects will immediately impact what content is suggested to them in their feed.
Next steps
The purpose of these new features is to give people more control over their data and to improve their social experience. In order to do that, it’s critical to first understand the optimal default settings that resonate with different types of people. Another avenue to explore is how to best align the four data categories with people’s expectations to ensure that when they make adjustments, the content changes they see in their feeds accurately reflect the changes they’ve made.
How might we build on Loco’s ideas to design simple data-sharing tools that match people's expectations and needs?
