Project Brief
Over the past decade, the communication landscape has undergone a profound transformation due to the emergence of social media. This paradigm shift has not only revolutionized interpersonal interactions but has also left a lasting impact on consumer engagement with products and the preservation of cherished memories. A prime example of such a platform is Snapchat, which has been instrumental in empowering users to cultivate and express their distinct voices, culminating in the widespread amplification and resonance of diverse perspectives on a global scale.
In the final two weeks of the Snap Design Academy experience, We were challenged to build a new feature with a focus on Environmental Sustainability within Snapchat.
Problem
Environmental sustainability has a prominent concern for Gen Z, but they often face a challenge when it comes to finding community events to get involved in. It can be quite draining for them, and that demotivates them from taking active steps to make a positive impact.Goal
Our objective is to streamline the process of volunteers discovering community engagement events. Our aim is to boost the Gen Z participation rate from 32% to 40% within a timeframe of 12-16 months. By doing so, we aspire to make a meaningful impact in fostering greater involvement and contribution from this generation.Mission
How might we help Gen Z become more aware of environmental conscious events in their proximity?
Solution
Snap Green View: a Snapchat feature designed to raise environmental awareness among Gen Z and help them discover nearby environmentally conscious events effortlessly. With Snap Green View, users can easily access and participate in local events aimed at making a positive impact on the environment. Moreover, this feature offers exciting incentives and rewards, encouraging active engagement and fostering a greener community.
DESIGN PROCESS
Interview
During the first week of the design sprint we had the pleasure of meeting Marcello, a dedicated employee at the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust. He graciously answered all the questions we had about their organization and its mission. What surprised us was the limited number of workers they had, considering the scale of their ambitious goals. It led us to believe that there's a significant demand for community involvement and contributions to support their vital initiatives.
Brainstorm
After conducting thorough research and engaging in conversation with our non-profit partner, the "Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust," we dived into a productive brainstorming session. Our collective efforts led us to identify a core problem - "lack of awareness" - that the organization faces. Moreover, we pinpointed our target audience, "Gen Z," as a crucial focus for our project. With these insights, we crafted a strong "how might we" statement to guide us forward.
Flowchart
We put together a comprehensive flow chart outlining the step-by-step experience a potential user would have when signing up for an event on Green View. This chart served as a valuable tool for us as designers to effectively communicate with the engineers, ensuring that the feature was prioritized for our final prototype. With this visual guide, we streamlined the development process and made sure the user journey was smooth and user-friendly.
Wireframe
When crafting our initial wireframes, we took inspiration from Snapchat's existing interface design, utilizing familiar elements to ensure a seamless user experience. Our central focus was on showcasing the "Green Map'' feature, represented by a green layer overlaying the original map. This addition allows users to effortlessly explore community events taking place in nearby parks. As a team, we collaborated to identify the 1-3 most crucial screens from the wireframes, prioritizing their development within our given limited time frame. By concentrating our efforts on these key screens, we optimized the project's efficiency and ensured that the core features were brought to life by our talented engineers.
Style Guide
During our design process, we acknowledged the use of the original Snap style guide. However, we recognized the potential benefits of creating a distinct style guide exclusively for Green View, incorporating the key elements that represent our unique identity and purpose. This dedicated style guide will ensure a cohesive and engaging design, elevating the user experience and fostering a strong brand presence for Green View.
Prototyping
With the mid-fi wireframes all set, we transitioned smoothly into the prototyping phase. Our main focus here was streamlining "Dave's" journey as he uses Green View to effortlessly discover a community event and then shares it with his friends. Additionally, we incorporated a new screen to showcase "Dave's" garden, a cool feature designed to incentivize Green View users to attend events and earn points. These points unlock exciting rewards like badges, bitmoji accessories, and stickers, which can be used seamlessly within Snapchat.
Functional React Native Prototype
Easily switch to the green view by tapping the green icon at the top right corner of the screen. You can also hop into local event chat and grab event details by simply clicking on the nearby park icons.
FINAL PRODUCT
This fresh green experience is designed to inspire Gen Z to actively partake in local community events while raising awareness in the process. It's as easy as tapping a couple of buttons for users to access nearby community events, gather event info, or engage in event chats. For added motivation, attendees can earn incentive filters/lenses and points, which can later be converted into rewards on Snapchat. Additionally, a special badge will adorn the user's profile page, showcasing their active participation.
Marketing Strategy
- Early awareness for core Snap users
- Partnership with environmental influencers and other Snap Stars using Snap features like Snap Ads
- BillBoards / Press Releases
Future Possibilities
- Incentive Reward System
- Unlocking new lenses, Bitmoji clothes, and stickers
- Rewarding with Snapchat
- Donation Option
FINAL REFLECTION
This project provided an excellent initiation into the realm of professional collaboration, working alongside a diverse team with varied skill sets. It offered invaluable experiences in research, fostering a culture of shared understanding and mutual learning to propel the project forward. The support and guidance from both peers and mentors at Snapchat infused a vibrant and enjoyable atmosphere, contributing to the excitement in creating this project.In my role as the design lead for this project, I faced communication hurdles with the engineers on the team. Fortunately, my background in code and web development played a key role in effectively communicating our needs and exploring the potential for this application within our timeframe. With the collective effort of our talented team, we were able to envision, strategize, and bring the final version of GreenView for Snapchat to life.
Collaborating with my team of five, we've developed an innovative solution that empowers Snapchat users to actively engage with their local communities and champion environmental causes. Following a productive conversation with the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust our plans were clear in what we would focus on creating within the two week sprint to create a new snap feature to present amongst executives and faculty at Snapchat.
After investing numerous hours into dedicated work, thorough research, relentless iteration, and fostering strong team cohesion, we've successfully brought our project to fruition. Armed with valuable feedback from both Snapchat members and executives, we're well-prepared to unveil our polished and finalized project.
On presentation day, we shared our research in a structured case study at Snapchat's lively Santa Monica office. The audience included Snapchat staff, faculty members, and our beloved supporters. The room was alive with excitement, setting the stage for a dynamic showcase.
Our presentation was a success. We thoroughly enjoyed working on this project and take pride in the impressive outcome. We eagerly anticipate seeing this idea integrated into Snapchat's future offerings
Images were taken at final presentation day at Snapchat’s Venice office.