Minds
Minds
Minds
Minds
Enhancing the user experience in a community-powered service
Enhancing the user experience in a community-powered service
Enhancing the user experience in a community-powered service
Enhancing the user experience in a community-powered service
At a glance
At a glance
UX Consulting
Enhancing experience in a subscription service
Enhancing experience in a subscription service
Minds is an open source and decentralized social network aiming to elevate global discourse in order to combat “big tech” companies through Internet freedom. Their mission yearns to democratize the way that media is created and consumed.
Minds is an open source and decentralized social network aiming to elevate global discourse in order to combat “big tech” companies through Internet freedom. Their mission yearns to democratize the way that media is created and consumed.
PROJECT TYPE
PROJECT TYPE
Team
Team
MY ROLE
MY ROLE
Product Design,
User Research
TOOLS
TOOLS
Notion, Figjam,
Figma
DURATION
DURATION
8 weeks
8 weeks
BACKGROUND
Introducing MINDS+
Introducing MINDS+
Introducing MINDS+
Minds+ allows users to access premium content and submit their own content for a share of their revenue.
By subscribing, users unlock new features and are able to directly support their favorite creators.
Minds+ allows users to access premium content and submit their own content for a share of their revenue.
By subscribing, users unlock new features and are able to directly support their favorite creators.
Minds+ allows users to access premium content and submit their own content for a share of their revenue.
By subscribing, users unlock new features and are able to directly support their favorite creators.
PROBLEM
Our client's goal was to increase the rate of subscription of their product, MINDS+.
However,
Minds+ content and reward system were not living up to user expectations.
Minds+ content and reward system were not living up to user expectations.
Minds+ content and reward system were not living up to user expectations.
SOLUTION
Encourage creators to post authentic contents for exclusivity
Encourage creators to post authentic contents for exclusivity
Encourage creators to post authentic contents for exclusivity
RESEARCH
Understand how Minds fits into the current landscape
Understand how Minds fits into the current landscape
Understand how Minds fits into the current landscape
Hear from users
Hear from users
To further our understanding of current user pain points and subscription motivation trends amongst current Minds+ users, we collected and analyzed nearly 300 survey responses:
To further our understanding of current user pain points and subscription motivation trends amongst current Minds+ users, we collected and analyzed nearly 300 survey responses:
To further our understanding of current user pain points and subscription motivation trends amongst current Minds+ users, we collected and analyzed nearly 300 survey responses:
"You got to make a lot to break even"
"Minds + posts had less reach and less interaction"
"Most of the Minds Plus posts are repetitive photos from Google, which makes the posts boring and no fun"
Narrowing down the audiences
Narrowing down the audiences
Narrowing down the audiences
From these results, we grouped similar sentiments from the survey results to locate key insights in our research findings. By doing so, we could pinpoint the most common and addressable issues for our given problem scope.
From these results, we grouped similar sentiments from the survey results to locate key insights in our research findings. By doing so, we could pinpoint the most common and addressable issues for our given problem scope.
From these results, we grouped similar sentiments from the survey results to locate key insights in our research findings. By doing so, we could pinpoint the most common and addressable issues for our given problem scope.
Social Users
Social Users
Creators
Creators
Get in detail
Get in detail
To further bolster our familiarity with the target user group and how they use Minds+ on a daily basis, we set out to conduct focus groups and contextual inquiries with both social users and content creators of varying popularities.
To further bolster our familiarity with the target user group and how they use Minds+ on a daily basis, we set out to conduct focus groups and contextual inquiries with both social users and content creators of varying popularities.
To further bolster our familiarity with the target user group and how they use Minds+ on a daily basis, we set out to conduct focus groups and contextual inquiries with both social users and content creators of varying popularities.
INSIGHTS
Some common pain points
Some common pain points
From these survey results and user interviews, we consolidated our research findings into four main categories to guide us through the ideation process.
Disappointing revenue system
Disappointing revenue system
"I paid but didn't return this money back, for me is like paying for using minds... Not to get profit!"
"I paid but didn't return this money back, for me is like paying for using minds... Not to get profit!"
Lack of quality contents
Lack of quality contents
"People use regurgitated material behind a Plus pay wall. I personally find it unethical if your content is not original."
"People use regurgitated material behind a Plus pay wall. I personally find it unethical if your content is not original."
Less reach & discoverability
Less reach & discoverability
"It's proprietary...I want my content to reach the outside world...why would I want to hide it behind a wall where they can't see it?"
"It's proprietary...I want my content to reach the outside world...why would I want to hide it behind a wall where they can't see it?"
Lack of features
Lack of features
"only can upload 1 photo, can’t upload audio only post, can’t use external links, etc.."
"only can upload 1 photo, can’t upload audio only post, can’t use external links, etc.."
And then we categorized the pain points for each user group.
Broken give&take logic.
Broken give&take logic.
Broken give&take logic.
Broken give&take logic.
Narrowing down the scope with 4 whys.
Narrowing down the scope with 4 whys.
Narrowing down the scope with 4 whys.
Narrowing down the scope with 4 whys.
Creators complaining they don't seem to be earning on Minds+
Creators complaining they don't seem to be earning on Minds+
Creators complaining they don't seem to be earning on Minds+
Creators complaining they don't seem to be earning on Minds+
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
Because there's not many users joining Minds+ which leads to less reach
Because there's not many users joining Minds+ which leads to less reach
Because there's not many users joining Minds+ which leads to less reach
Because there's not many users joining Minds+ which leads to less reach
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
Because social users feel like the quality of content on Minds+ are not worth it
Because social users feel like the quality of content on Minds+ are not worth it
Because social users feel like the quality of content on Minds+ are not worth it
Because social users feel like the quality of content on Minds+ are not worth it
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
Because there is no motivation for creators to post something original
Because there is no motivation for creators to post something original
Because there is no motivation for creators to post something original
Because there is no motivation for creators to post something original
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
Because copy and paste someone else's content are more profitable
Because copy and paste someone else's content are more profitable
Because copy and paste someone else's content are more profitable
Because copy and paste someone else's content are more profitable
But what if we…
But what if we…
But what if we…
But what if we…
Encourage creators to post something original
Encourage creators to post something original
Encourage creators to post something original
Encourage creators to post something original
Minds+ post quality goes up
Minds+ post quality goes up
Minds+ post quality goes up
Minds+ post quality goes up
More reach as more social users will join
More reach as more social users will join
More reach as more social users will join
More reach as more social users will join
Total revenue goes up for creators
Total revenue goes up for creators
Total revenue goes up for creators
Total revenue goes up for creators
Problem solved!
Okay so…
After synthesizing our findings and identifying key pain points that we need to address in our solution, we reframed our problem scope and asked ourselves:
How might we encourage creators to post original contents?
How might we encourage creators to post original contents?
How might we encourage creators to post original contents?
IDEATION
After figuring out our users’ pain points, we came up with diverse ideas using the Crazy 8’s rapid ideation method. Afterwords, we categorized each idea into four aspects and voted on which ideas we should focus on the most. Finally, we sorted those ideas into a 2x2 priority matrix to finalize the feature we were to move forward with.
After figuring out our users’ pain points, we came up with diverse ideas using the Crazy 8’s rapid ideation method. Afterwords, we categorized each idea into four aspects and voted on which ideas we should focus on the most. Finally, we sorted those ideas into a 2x2 priority matrix to finalize the feature we were to move forward with.
After voting, we decided to create the feature called "Weekly Challenge" which encourages users to post their own content for possible rewards.
Pivot
The main issue users faced was a lack of quality content, so we decided to pursue our most promising idea of presenting challenges to only Minds Plus users to encourage quality content creation and users to discover more genuine Minds Plus creators.
This concept overlapped with an existing feature, Superminds, so we pivoted to using Superminds to improve Minds Plus’ subscriptions.
The main issue users faced was a lack of quality content, so we decided to pursue our most promising idea of presenting challenges to only Minds Plus users to encourage quality content creation and users to discover more genuine Minds Plus creators.
This concept overlapped with an existing feature, Superminds, so we pivoted to using Superminds to improve Minds Plus’ subscriptions.
FInal solution
Onboarding to Superchallenge
Onboarding to Superchallenge
Users are able to select filter options to create more personalized SuperChallenges.
Challenge Feed Page
Challenge Feed Page
The general Challenge Feed page displays ongoing SuperChallenges and previous submission posts from other users.
Newsfeed Redesign
Newsfeed Redesign
Selected small creators that submit entries are showcased in the Newsfeed page to increase discoverability.
MINDS+ Redesign
MINDS+ Redesign
The layout of Minds+ when supporting a wider variety of media types including podcasts, short videos, and blog posts.
Reflection
Throughout the semester, it was an amazing and fruitful opportunity to work closely with a client in a novel problem space. If we had more time, we would have looked into designing more implementable features.
Designing for this user group was an incredibly rewarding experience! Throughout the entirety of this project, we learned the value of applying insights from user research to support our solutions, as well as the technical limitations in designing for web products.
Throughout the semester, it was an amazing and fruitful opportunity to work closely with a client in a novel problem space. If we had more time, we would have looked into designing more implementable features.
Designing for this user group was an incredibly rewarding experience! Throughout the entirety of this project, we learned the value of applying insights from user research to support our solutions, as well as the technical limitations in designing for web products.
Minds Team @ BI Design Showcase :-))
Dark mode coming soon!
Letting you in.