Product Research & App Design

iMessage: Redefine Communication
Redesign the iMessage communication experience with an easier access to explore and install applications.

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Failure Rate

Time to Success

Before

20%

58.8''

After

0%

25.4''

Improvement

20%

131%

With the release of iOS 10, the overall iMessage platform began to integrate third-party apps. Its competitors, Facebook Messenger, Wechat, Snapchat, also integrate interaction related functions with third-party apps. I ran tests to see how the current ios 10 iMessage adapts to this trend and redesigned its third-party related functions.

Understand Customers

Identify Need Gaps

iMessage Does not Meet the Needs for Rich Interaction
Few interviewees use functions other than text, image and emojis while many more people use various functions on other messaging apps. Those interactions include: payments, voice dictation, video editing tools, chatbots, etc.

Dig Reasons Behind   |   Guerilla Test

"I learned how to use emojis/stickers, and many other functions from Youtube videos; otherwise it's too difficult."
To understand the patterns of people's interactive communication, I detailed the question to "what," "who" and "why," and then interviewed 5 random people as well as had them perform tasks.

Almost no one is used to accessing applications other than emojis/stickers directly in the IOS iMessage because of complexity in operation. However, their time and degree of completing the tasks reveals their different needs based on their ages.

Expression of emotions is important. Emojis/stickers help people express their feelings efficiently.

Millennial

The Millennial are more adventurous, willing to learn complex functions through Youtube lessons, are interested in various mediums of messaging.

Their motivation to learn complex interaction expressions:

- Social pressure (i.e. "everyone else is using. Thus, I have to know, too")
- Curiosity

Gen X

The Gen X are more practical, mid-level adventurous, like self-expression / sending customized emojis/gifts. Motivation to learn complex interaction expressions:

- Express emotions efficiently (find the proper one in the shortest time)

Baby Boomer

The baby boomers tend to focus on the texting, simple emojis and images, not adventurous.

They are generally worried of making mistakes so they tend to use the keyboard emojis more often and exploring the App Store less often.

Their needs of expression is to use basic emojis, and it represents an opportunity for an extension on the current keyboard emojis.

Find Win-Win Solutions with Business

How to Help People Explore Apps Easily and Efficiently?
Based on the pain points that people have with iMessage, their texting behavior on message application, and the importance for the business of Apple, I identified the problem to ease the access of the "App Store."

Accesses to the Following Functions and the Importance to Business
Current Task Flow

Redesign

Targeted Pain Points
1. The interface of Digital Format Message (DFM) confuses many users, including experienced users. Its tab occupying one spot on the main bar decreases the efficiency of the app from the very beginning of users' experience.

2. The current task flow related to the App Store tab including both stickers and other apps causes a barrier for users to explore the "App Store." Users have difficulty in separating stickers from all other apps in the "App Store" tab.

- Current users use the tab "App Store" as a tab to find stickers
- When they explore the "+" to enter the page of "App Store," they are overwhelmed by the long app lists.

3. Hard to find functions of "Search" and "Manage" in the App Store

4. After downloading the app, some users are confused how to go back to the iMessage page and use them.
Redesign Strategies

Strategy 1

Separating stickers/emojis and other apps in the App Store, and put DFM under the new Sticker tab.

Strategy 2

Shortcuts in the tab of App Store lead users directly to the sub-tab of App Store

Strategy 3

In the "Installed" page, replace "Installed" to the shortcut of "Use" that enables users to open right away.

Home (Display) Page of Tab "App Store"

Since the stickers rank as the 2nd most often used functions, and the combined stickers and other apps functions cause the complexity of app store exploration experience, I separated out the functions of stickers and other apps.

The stickers/emojis are moved to the main bar, replacing the digital format message tab which is rarely used. The tab "app store" is used for other apps in the app store.

Before

After

Installed Page

Before

After

Display of App Store

Before

After

The Prototype

The test results indicate a 131% improvement on the average time to success.

Task 1

Download an app in iMessage

Task 2

Go to the Stickers/Emojis download page

Prototype Display: Download and Use Other Apps

Prototype Display: Download and Use Stickers

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