A new feature app design for Instagram aimed for people who wished to post on Instagram highlights without relying on posting on Instagram stories.
Timeline
3 weeks
Category
Mobile App Design
Role
Everything
Team
Tools
Miro
Figma
Passion Project
CONTEXT
WHAT IS INSTAGRAM?
Instagram is a social media platform primarily focused on photo and video sharing. Launched in 2010, it allows users to upload images and short videos, apply filters, add captions, and share them with followers or a wider audience via hashtags and location tags. Users can interact by liking, commenting, and sharing posts, as well as by directing messaging.
Instagram offers features such as Stories (temporary posts that disappear after 24 hours), Reels (short-form videos), IGTV (longer videos), and a comprehensive Explore tab for discovering content.
Instagram Highlights are a feature that allows users to save and showcase their Instagram Stories on their profile beyond the usual 24-hour expiration. Highlights appear as circular icons at the top of a user’s profile and can be organized into themed collections (e.g. Recipes, Travel, Events).
USERS HAVE TO UPLOAD FIRST A STORY BEFORE PUTTING THE CONTENT ON THEIR HIGHLIGHTS
PROBLEM DISCOVERY
A common issue with Instagram Highlights is that users must first post a Story publicly before adding it to their Highlights, which means everyone can see the Story for at least a brief period. This can be problematic if users want to curate Highlights without broadcasting the content immediately to all followers.
For users who want to hide it, it can be burdensome to archive the story for 24 hours before unarchiving it and adding it to their Highlights.
PRIORITIZATION MAP
A PRIORITIZATION MAP WITH A FOCUS ON ADDRESSING USER ANXIETY, ENGAGEMENT, AND CONTENT MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS
BRAINSTORMING AND SKETCHING
FEATURE THAT LETS USERS POST ON HIGHLIGHTS WITHOUT POSTING ON STORY FIRST
Within Highlight settings, users can see a plus (+) icon to upload a new content without broadcasting on their Story. Users can choose which specific Highlight circle they would like to upload their new content.
FEATURE BREAKDOWN
LET’S LOOK AT HOW THIS UNWRAPS
How to upload a story in a highlight
Select a highlight circle where you want to upload
Click the (+) plus button below and select a photo or video you like
The chosen highlight is already selected but you can change which other highlight you like to upload for last minute changes. Click Share
WHAT I LEARNED
LEARNINGS + NEW SKILLS
Being an avid user of Instagram, it was interesting to discover that I am not alone in not wanting to post a story for everyone to see. There is a line where you want the story to be in a highlight for everyone to see but to broadcast a story at a particular moment and time can be stressful and nerve-wracking.
I am not alone
The underlying anxiety with Instagram
It is suprising to see that there are a lot of people out there who get anxiety with social media. The need to post a Story first before adding it to Highlights make users feel exposed, leading to anxiety about how others will perceive their content in real-time. This pressure to maintain an idealized, lasting online image can make the process stressful.
Working with existing brands
It was a great learning experience to design the existing system of Instagram enough for me to be able to create a new feature that caters to most of people who have anxiety of posting on Instagram.