Discord
The Project
Background
I was given the task by my client to add a feature to their current app. They are interested in their user base. What do these users do with their apps? How do they interact with their daily lives? What are some features that will help them with some ideas to make this app better or more convenient for them?
Problem
For this project, I am adding a feature to the existing platform and the existing platform will be Discord. The addition that will be added is a recording button. Just like Zoom, Skype, and Whereby why not just give the user the option if needed?
Duration
2 Weeks (80Hrs)
Tools
Figma
Interviews.
Google Doc
Discovery
Market Research
With market research, I have learned what Discord is. Discord is an app made by the video game community. The purpose was for gamers to have voice chat software that would actually work, with a focus on user-friendliness and minimal impact on performance. It continues to be used to this day by many video game enthusiasts, streamers, YouTube content creators, etc. Discord's slogan is 'Discord in the gaming community.
Competitive Analysis
An interesting thing happening on this app is that many companies are moving over to Discord. Discord is being chosen over other platforms such as Slack, Teams, and Google Hangouts. People are finding the user interface (UI) of Discord much easier to use compared to these other apps.
User Interviews
One of my assumptions was to investigate whether other companies and businesses would be willing to transition to Discord. My plan for the interviews is to ask various users from different companies about the platforms they use for communication.
Name: Joey
Job: Data Analysis
What does your company use for a commutation: The company uses Microsoft Teams.
Do you think they would be willing to move to Discord: Personally I like to use Discord and for everyone my age it would be ok with it. But because my other colleagues are a bit on the older side of trying to use the Internet and apps I believe that it wouldn't help them as much for a lot of them have been using Teams for many many years and also they use Microsoft products a lot so in the screen that within Discord would not be beneficial for my company.
Affinity Map
When speaking with a user who has significant experience using Discord, I listened attentively to gather their perspective and viewpoints on the app. The majority of their concerns or complaints were related to copyright issues and the need for an improved method of sharing playlists while listening to music. However, an intriguing aspect was that many of them expressed a lack of interest in having a record button. Since most users are not streamers, they do not require that functionality. Additionally, they raised concerns about data breaches and privacy issues associated with such a feature.
Research Finding and Insights
In my research findings, I discovered some interesting things. The main user group consists of individuals who have been using Discord for more than 2 years. They primarily utilize the platform as it was originally intended, which is as a community and communication tool for gamers. This forms the foundation of their usage.
However, it's important to note that not everyone plays video games. I conducted separate interviews with individuals outside the gaming community, and approximately half of them were either unfamiliar with Discord or had not used it as frequently as the first group. It was intriguing to explore the primary apps they use, which align with the competitive analysis and include Teams, Slack, and Google.
Define
Persona A
During the interviews with individuals from various companies, it became evident that many of them were not familiar with Discord. However, among those who were familiar with it, I also inquired about their gaming habits. Interestingly, all of them responded affirmatively, indicating that they do play video games. Their primary use of Discord was to connect with friends within the gaming community.
Persona B
I created a second persona representing users who are unfamiliar with Discord and do not play many video games. When engaging with this user group, it became evident that they found the Discord platform quite intimidating. Many of these users come from other platforms, as mentioned in the competitive analysis. They found the learning curve for Discord to be somewhat challenging.
Design
Road Map
After conducting extensive research up to this point, I have come to the conclusion that there are certain aspects of this website that require redesigning. I chose to focus on the recording experience.
Task Flow
I chose to focus on the scenario where a user wishes to record a conversation.
Low Fidelity
After conducting extensive research, I have formed some initial thoughts on how to address and resolve the initial problems and design issues.
High Fidelity
After incorporating numerous revisions with the invaluable assistance of my mentors and peers, I am delighted to present my final high-fidelity design.
Selected Screen
Deliver
Prototype
Over here,you can see the prototype for yourself.
Test Results
I was able to gather a group of individuals within Discord to test my prototype in real-time and observe their reactions.
Revison
During the conversation with everyone, many people recommended that I make the recording button more noticeable and prominent. They suggested that it should be brightened up or designed in a way that clearly indicates when someone is being recorded. In the prototype itself, it was difficult for users to determine whether they were being recorded or not.
Wrap Up
Conclusion
It was fascinating to discover the varied ways in which people use Discord. For many users, Discord serves as a platform to build and engage with communities, share content, and have conversations. It is seen as a virtual space to hang out and connect with others.
Regarding businesses, it is possible for them to transition to Discord, especially when compared to other competitive alternatives. However, it is important to note that the learning curve of mastering the Discord user interface (UI) may pose a greater challenge for older employees compared to younger ones. The learning curve can be steep initially, but with time and practice, it tends to become easier to navigate.
Next Steps
While this home page works well I feel like it needs to be designed a bit more to feel more like a community for an organization.
