Relive is a mobile app that helps 24+ millions capture and share their outdoor adventure in a 3D video of their route, with embedded pictures and videos. Its aim is to grow communities of users that could exchange value with each other, which might drive growth and new revenue in the longer-term.
Relive had a strong foundation in terms of its product development approach, characterized by a lean methodology, weekly releases, and a strong emphasis on experimentation and data analysis. Additionally, with its millions of users, the app had the advantage of being able to quickly recruit users for research purposes and obtain rapid feedback on A/B tests.
However, at the time of my joining, the company was undergoing a significant shift in both its focus and approach. Instead of primarily focusing on creator-led communities, the emphasis was shifting towards fostering more organic, locally-focused communities. Moreover, the company was transitioning from building community table-stake features to prioritizing the continuous process of discovery and assumption testing. This shift involved engaging in more ambiguous yet crucial work to gain deeper insights and validate assumptions.
As the first Design role in Relive Communities, my responsibilities encompassed conducting initial research in collaboration with the research team and Product Managers (PMs). Together with developers, I played a crucial role in defining the optimal strategy for releasing new features to a select group of users.
In this capacity, I engaged in extensive research to gather insights and understand the needs and preferences of our user base. Working closely with the research team and PMs, I leveraged these findings to inform the design process and ensure that our solutions aligned with user expectations.
Collaborating with developers, I actively participated in discussions and decision-making to determine the most effective approach for rolling out new features. This involved careful consideration of user feedback, data analysis, and the overall product roadmap. By working closely with the development team, I helped shape the implementation process to ensure a seamless user experience.
Overall, my role as the first Design team member at Relive Communities involved conducting comprehensive research, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and defining successful feature release strategies to meet the needs of our users.
Communities are the bridge that connects us and fuels our outdoor adventures.
As a critical first step for the project, we prioritized user interviews to gain valuable insights into the needs and expectations of our target audience. These interviews provided us with a deeper understanding of the users' preferences, pain points, and desired features.
Based on the insights gathered, we proceeded with a quick release strategy, involving both our dedicated heavy users and individuals who had shown interest in our email campaigns. This approach allowed us to gather feedback from a diverse set of users, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of the initial version of our product.
Before the release, we took the opportunity to develop wireframes that depicted the proposed user interface and functionality. By sharing these wireframes with a select group of users, we actively sought their input and incorporated their feedback into the refinement process. This early involvement of users helped us validate design choices, identify potential usability issues, and ensure that the final release would meet user expectations.
Overall, the combination of user interviews, quick release with targeted user groups, and wireframe testing played a crucial role in refining and validating our product before its wider launch. This iterative approach allowed us to incorporate user feedback and create a more user-centric and effective solution.
During the benchmarking, we noticed that Facebook Groups replaces the large user avatar with the avatar of the group, and overlays a much smaller avatar for the user who posted something in the corner. We thought this was really sensible, since research indicated out users are much more likely to identify with the group (e.g. “Hiking in San Francisco”) than the user who is likely a stranger. It also felt like there were fewer equally-weighted pieces of metadata fighting for attention, and allowed us to give more prominence to the community, which is where we wanted people to tap if they were interested. So that was a strong favourite to take forward to the next stage.
After conducting an A/B test, we observed a notable yet meaningful rise in community visits following the implementation of the new post design. Furthermore, we noticed a significant improvement in the overall appearance of the feed, as the reduced number of competing boxes resulted in a cleaner and more organized layout.
The final outcome of this project revealed that communities extend beyond merely gathering users with shared interests; they require incentives to encourage ongoing participation and engagement.
Through our research and development efforts, we identified several key points and areas for improvement.
This rapid iterative process allowed us to gather valuable insights and make necessary adjustments in a timely manner, ultimately enhancing the user experience.
Furthermore, we discovered that "Community," as perceived by our users, transcends the notion of a platform for sharing challenges and progress.
It evolves into a concept of actively venturing outdoors together, exploring new routes, and embarking on shared adventures.
By closely collaborating with our data scientists and closely monitoring the events taking place within our communities, we discerned that routes emerged as a primary focus for our users. This finding helped us refine our understanding of user needs and preferences, driving the development of features that catered more effectively to their desires.
Leveraging the lessons learned from this project and the swift launch of the new feature, we have gained a deeper understanding of our users' motivations and aspirations. Continuous research has been integral to this process, enabling us to stay attuned to evolving user expectations and ensure that our platform consistently meets their needs.
