Discord is a voice, video, and text communication service used by over a hundred million people to hang out and talk with their friends and communities. It offers robust support for artificial intelligence that can automatically perform several useful tasks on a server to provide users with a more engaging experience. With Discord currently only having an app directory on desktop, mobile users have difficulty adding bots to enhance their servers so it inspired me to design the app directory feature for mobile to help users add server bots efficiently.
I set a few goals to achieve through this project:
I conducted surveys and user research interviews with 20 mobile Discord users with varying backgrounds managing servers, focusing on understanding their struggles with finding and implementing bots. Here are some of the questions asked:
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I noticed some common themes and patterns among the survey and interview responses.
Users value the presence of bots in their servers and desire an internal method of adding them for mobile. Normally they are redirected to log in to Discord on a web browser just to add a bot to the app
It can be challenging to discover new and relevant bots when having to google search for them and most go by word of mouth, limiting their exposure
Users feel compelled to rely on desktop access to effectively manage and customize their Discord servers
Without a directory, mobile users struggle to keep up with current bots that are used and the changes done to them
Combining the data from the user interviews and surveys I understand that users prefer having a mobile integrated method of finding bots to their discord server efficiently.
I redesigned and integrated the app directory feature from PC to mobile, streamlining the experience for the server owner's process of adding bots with a sense of familiarity.
I added the feature to the existing hierarchy to integrate it smoothly instead of designing a entirely new one.
I started my design with a low-fidelity sketch. I took inspiration from the existing Discord user interface and then added some of my ideas to have an interface users are familiar with.
I then explored different user experience flows of the app directory feature and split it into 2 stages:
Accessing the app directory page using existing Discord information architecture
Adding server bot from catalog using similar Discord information architecture from PC
Adding server bot from catalog using new layout
In selecting Exploration 2.1, I considered that the catalog layout in 2.0 may potentially impede user efficiency and be perceived as outdated or lacking in visual appeal. Exploration 2.1 draws inspiration from visually engaging card-based designs, commonly found in popular applications. Additionally, it aims to streamline navigation by reducing clutter and minimizing eye strain for users.
Next, I also explored the design of specific screens and conducted usability testing with 10 participants to decide which version to move forward with. They were told to run through searching and adding a Discord bot to the server.
I moved forward with the version of the screen that led to a higher task completion rate.
With these insights from the test, I created the high-fidelity prototype which was tested by another 10 users and well received, leading to the final design.
Creating this feature was both a challenge and an opportunity to test my skills, demonstrating how impactful seemingly small features can be. This was my first time redesigning an existing app, and being able to utilize components effectively was a learning curve. Through trial and error, I managed to understand the components and how to use them. I also I recognized the need to refine my questions for more profound insights, a realization that came later in the study. Despite the hurdles, this rewarding journey has ignited a desire to further explore and enhance my abilities.
Further testing should be conducted to collect more quantitative and qualitative metrics in the future. Post-launch metrics could also be analyzed to measure business outcomes.
