BACKGROUND

This project was a team effort. Other members of this project included: Coco Lepe, John Brandes, and Angelina Cortes. I was involved in the ideation process, low fidelity development, and high fidelity development of the final prototype. I worked to develop the overall aesthetic and visual layout of the final prototype design.

 

There’s a new social phenomenon on the rise, photo dumping. Photo dumping refers to media posts composed of a random collection or carousel of images that typically depict a theme, mood, or story of the user”(MacFarlane, 2023). It is a trend that has gained popularity in recent years with the hashtag #photodump “amassing nearly 2.8 million posts as of April 2023” (Demaku, 2023, para. 13). This simple trend has started as a small instagram term into something far more interesting and people are starting to take notice. 

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In this project, our team aimed to develop a social media app that focuses on the rising trend of “photo-dumping.” We wanted an interface and experience that was unique and different from current social media platforms. Our research was intended to determine how potential users would navigate a photo-dump app as well as what features and services they require from such a platform. Overall, we were guided by one question: How do we create a user interface that allows users to easily share photos in a supportive and connected community?

The problem we are trying to solve is for social media users who are looking for an easier and more intuitive way to post photo dumps for their close friends and family, allowing them to feel more connected.

 

SECONDARY RESEARCH

Social Media and Mental Health

• Due to the curated nature and narrow lens of most social media sites, users have been known to develop “incorrect conclusions regarding physical appearance, educational level, intelligence, moral integrity, as well as many other characteristics of online friends.” (Pantic, 2014, p. 653). 

• In addition, many experts warn that “social media can be an addictive habit if left unchecked.” (Beyari, 2023, p. 2). 

Online Communities

• However, the same experts have found that social media can be, “used to strengthen and maintain social ties, particularly within family members and close friends,” and in addition, “the resulting social support has beneficial effects on mental health” (Pantic, 2014, p. 653). 

• Certain professionals state, “It may be beneficial for individuals to set limits on their social media use…Such limits would include “being selective about the content that is consumed” (Beyari, 2023, p.8). 

Selective Social Media

• It can be argued there is an open space for a “selective” form of social media that focuses on sharing experiences within tight-knit communities while avoiding the negative trends of current media sites. 

• Rebecca MacFarlane (sociality.io states, “Photo dumps typically differ from standard carousel posts in that the images are far less curated and staged.”(MacFarlane, 2023, para. 4).  

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SOLUTION

This app would provide a space where users are able to post a photo dump without the worry of posting random photos that people don’t like to see on their regular feeds. We are offering a platform where the main focus is candid photo postings. Users can post any type of photo based on their personal interests. Our platform is different from other photo sharing apps because it does not have a focus on personal followings. The main focus is purely on the photos and the content of photos. 

 

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: FIELD STUDY & OBSERVATIONS

Our team observed how users currently interact with photo dumps  through two different field study methods in our research: contextual inquiry and deep hanging out.

• Result 1. Content

  • Participants aimed to post content that felt candid, genuine, or goofy.

• Result 2. Community

  • Users felt connected through photo dumping trends and chains.

• Result 3. Quantity

  • Users did not want to browse through an overwhelming amount of content in others’ posts.

 

RESEARCH INTERVIEWS

A semi-structured approach with four participants allowed us to ask questions and gain detailed explanations of user behavior that were previously unavailable in the observation phase of our research.

• Result 1. Candid

  • Users like to post candid and less curated content that allows a glimpse into their everyday lives.

• Result 2. Efficiency

  • Users want more organizational features that allow them to photo-dump more effectively.

• Result 3. Smaller Circles 

  • Users tend to share photo-dumps within smaller circles (i.e. friends/ family).

• Quotes​

  • “I prefer like…kind of like little SLICES OF LIFE PICTURES” “I like seeing people's candid pictures”  - Participant 03

  • “I think that one thing that bothers me is my camera roll… Because I do take a lot of pictures. But then I also will take pictures of things that like don't need to be posted…So SORTING THROUGH THAT IS ANNOYING” - Participant 03

  • “I take a lot of pictures of..like DAY-TO-DAY THINGS” - Participant 04

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RESULTS OF PRIMARY RESEARCH

We came to these conclusions using thematic analysis after conducting observations with target audience members. We realized that users liked to see photo dump posts but there was a limit to which they continued to be interested in them.

• Quantity

  • Users like to see 5-6 photos per photo dump.

• Community

  • Users like sharing their photos with only a small selection of people. 

• Content

  • ​Users like candid photos.

  • Users only want to share their photos with their friends and family and only want to see their friends and family’s content.

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