PicCollge

PicCollge

PicCollge

PicCollage is a mobile app that helps users easily create and share photo collages for special occasions. It focuses on quick results, intuitive editing, and personal expression to strengthen connections with friends and family.

PicCollage is a mobile app that helps users easily create and share photo collages for special occasions. It focuses on quick results, intuitive editing, and personal expression to strengthen connections with friends and family.

Product Design

XR

UX

UI

Project Brief

Project Brief

Background

Background

This project was completed during a UX design competition, where we were tasked with addressing a real-world design challenge for PicCollage.

This project was completed during a UX design competition, where we were tasked with addressing a real-world design challenge for PicCollage.

Our team had limited time to understand the problem space, identify user pain points, and design practical solutions that align with business objectives. The competition simulated a client collaboration scenario, requiring rapid ideation, prototyping, and clear communication of design intent.

Our team had limited time to understand the problem space, identify user pain points, and design practical solutions that align with business objectives. The competition simulated a client collaboration scenario, requiring rapid ideation, prototyping, and clear communication of design intent.

About the Project

About the Project

Working in a small team, we followed a condensed Double Diamond process, beginning with competitor analysis and persona definition, moving into ideation and wireframing, and ending with a validated prototype.

Working in a small team, we followed a condensed Double Diamond process, beginning with competitor analysis and persona definition, moving into ideation and wireframing, and ending with a validated prototype.

Our goal was to encourage more frequent usage by “Connectors” through features that make it easier and more rewarding to create and share collages regularly.

Our goal was to encourage more frequent usage by “Connectors” through features that make it easier and more rewarding to create and share collages regularly.

The final concept aimed to balance speed, emotional value, and habit-forming design to drive both user satisfaction and business growth.

The final concept aimed to balance speed, emotional value, and habit-forming design to drive both user satisfaction and business growth.

Market & User Research

Market & User Research

Research Timeline

Competitive Analysis

Competitive Analysis

PicCollage’s Competitive Edge

The competitor analysis revealed that PicCollage stands out for its high usability among older users, with its templates effectively fostering emotional expression and connection.

The competitor analysis revealed that PicCollage stands out for its high usability among older users, with its templates effectively fostering emotional expression and connection.

Persona

Persona

PicCollage

Social Media

“Connectors”

are those who want to

share their collage creations with family, friends, or their community.

#Live far away from family

#Send cards during holidays

#Create collages after a trip

User Journey Map

User Journey Map

Choose Photos

Too many photos makes it difficult to select

Too many photos makes it difficult to select

Challenges of the value and necessity of using collage apps

Challenges of the value and necessity of using collage apps

Look for Templates

Unsure how to arrange photos effectively to reach their expectation

Unsure how to arrange photos effectively to reach their expectation

Hard to find suitable templates that fully express the story and emotions

Hard to find suitable templates that fully express the story and emotions

Design the Content

Limited flexibility in adjusting existing templates

Limited flexibility in adjusting existing templates

AI-generated content often does not meet expectations

AI-generated content often does not meet expectations

High learning curve for interface familiarity, easy to giveup

High learning curve for interface familiarity, easy to giveup

Save and Share

Lack of interactivity (e.g., voice input or real-time adjustments)

Lack of interactivity (e.g., voice input or real-time adjustments)

Hard to maintain consistency

Hard to maintain consistency

Pain Points

Pain Points

Before Collage

Before Collage

Sharing life moments isn’t that hard,

Sharing life moments isn’t that hard,

Sharing life moments isn’t that hard,

but finding the right photos to collage is tough.

but finding the right photos to collage is tough.

but finding the right photos to collage is tough.

Pain Points

  • Difficulty sorting through large numbers of photos.

  • Lack of motivation to create collages without major events.

  • Difficulty sorting through large numbers of photos.

  • Lack of motivation to create collages without major events.

During Collage

During Collage

I want to collage multiple photos

I want to collage multiple photos

I want to collage multiple photos

to share more details than a single photo.

to share more details than a single photo.

to share more details than a single photo.

Pain Points

  • Insufficient number of photo material

  • Collage outcomes don’t always match personal expectations

  • Insufficient number of photo material

  • Collage outcomes don’t always match personal expectations

After Collage

After Collage

Collages can be emotional bridges

Collages can be emotional bridges

Collages can be emotional bridges

for connecting with family and friends.

for connecting with family and friends.

for connecting with family and friends.

Pain Points

  • Struggling to craft collages that truly express feelings.

😵‍💫

Difficulty sorting through large amounts of photo materials

😵‍💫

Collage results don’t always meet personal expectations

🥹

Hard to create collages that fully express emotions

😵‍💫

Difficulty sorting through large amounts of photo materials

😵‍💫

Collage results don’t always meet personal expectations

🥹

Hard to create collages that fully express emotions

😵‍💫

Difficulty sorting through large amounts of photo materials

😵‍💫

Collage results don’t always meet personal expectations

🥹

Hard to create collages that fully express emotions

Reduce barriers

Reduce barriers

😫

Lack of motivation to create collages without major events

😫

Insufficient number of photos available

😫

Lack of motivation to create collages without major events

😫

Insufficient number of photos available

😫

Lack of motivation to create collages without major events

😫

Insufficient number of photos available

Enhance motivators

Enhance motivators

Design Solutions

Design Solutions

Ideation

Ideation

Key Product Features

Key Product Features

Photo Dump

Photo Dump

Create collages quickly with Dump.

Create collages quickly with Dump.

Feature:

Providing prompts in collage templates to guide users on suitable photo types for each section, without being restricted by festivals or themes

Providing prompts in collage templates to guide users on suitable photo types for each section, without being restricted by festivals or themes

Problem Solved

Users find it difficult to select photo materials.

Users find it difficult to select photo materials.

Goals

Ease of completing the collage

Ease of completing the collage

Retention Rate

Retention Rate

Reason for this idea

To reduce users’ mental burden when selecting materials for collages and to shift away from the habit of “festival-only” collages, enabling everyday photos to be easily used.

To reduce users’ mental burden when selecting materials for collages and to shift away from the habit of “festival-only” collages, enabling everyday photos to be easily used.

Good Times

Good Times

Saved meaningful moments with themes

Saved meaningful moments with themes

Feature:

Provide interesting collage themes weekly, paired with exclusive templates and some VIP materials.

Provide interesting collage themes weekly, paired with exclusive templates and some VIP materials.

Problem Solved

Lack of motivation to create collages without major events

Lack of motivation to create collages without major events

Goals

Ease of completing the collage

Ease of completing the collage

Retention Rate

Retention Rate

Reason for this idea

Offer users collage guidance when they have no inspiration or clear goal, helping build a creative habit while increasing user retention and feature engagement.

Offer users collage guidance when they have no inspiration or clear goal, helping build a creative habit while increasing user retention and feature engagement.

Thump!!

Thump!!

Collages with voice that evoke real-time emotion

Collages with voice that evoke real-time emotion

Feature:

Incorporate users’ cloned voice and tone via AI into collage themes

Problem Solved

Difficult to create collages that fully express emotions

Goals

Ease of completing the collage

Retention Rate

Reason for this idea

Make collages visually appealing and add sound to bring memories to life, helping users express deeper emotions.

UI Showcase

UI Showcase

Prototype

Feature 01

Feature 01

Hint Dump

Hint Dump

Sensory-Integrated

Photo Dump

Hint Dump is designed with principles from sensory integration training to help users feel less overwhelmed when choosing photos.

Hint Dump is designed with principles from sensory integration training to help users feel less overwhelmed when choosing photos.

I love that the frame is shaped like a cat — it even gives me little hints, so I don’t have to overthink which photo to pick. That’s so helpful!

I love that the frame is shaped like a cat — it even gives me little hints, so I don’t have to overthink which photo to pick. That’s so helpful!

Feature 02

Feature 02

TopicCollage

TopicCollage

Theme Inspiration

Good Times

A weekly source of inspiration that you can easily use to start collages even when there’s no special event, and earn bonus materials by sharing.

A weekly source of inspiration that you can easily use to start collages even when there’s no special event, and earn bonus materials by sharing.

1

2

3

Themed collage entry on the home screen

Limited-time events & guided flow

Familiar, fun interactions

Share to unlock VIP-exclusive materials, a surprise to look forward to!

Share to unlock VIP-exclusive materials, a surprise to look forward to!

1

2

3

Theme tips & guidance

Collage your memories with friends

Share and Unlock exclusive stickers

Feature 03

Feature 03

Magic Voice

Magic Voice

Let Collage Express Your Emotions

Let Collage Express Your Emotions

Thump!

Thump!

AI clones your voice to add personalized greetings in audio templates, making your creations truly unforgettable.

AI clones your voice to add personalized greetings in audio templates, making your creations truly unforgettable.

1

2

3

Click to play the default voice

Preview the greeting message

Pop up the magic voice menu

Design System

Design System

🔗 Design System & Mockup

🔗 Design System & Mockup

🔗 Design System & Mockup

Our Vision

Our Vision

Business Considerations

Business Considerations

1

1

Marketing Strategy

Marketing Strategy

Attract Users

Offer free assets to inspire users, boost sharing, and grow the user base.

Offer free assets to inspire users, boost sharing, and grow the user base.

TopicCollage

TopicCollage

Test Market Response

Track feature impact on collage completion, gather feedback, and optimize the design.

Track feature impact on collage completion, gather feedback, and optimize the design.

Hint Dump

Hint Dump

Magic Voice

Magic Voice

2

2

Iteration

Iteration

Data-Driven

Analyze user data to find popular topics and target preferences.

TopicCollage

TopicCollage

Diversified Options

Expand options to meet diverse habits, like multilingual greetings and varied template styles.

Hint Dump

Hint Dump

Magic Voice

Magic Voice

3

3

Paid Conversion

Paid Conversion

Business Partnerships

Boost feature use to grow brand partnerships and create value.

Boost feature use to grow brand partnerships and create value.

Hint Dump

Hint Dump

Experience Enhancement

Analyze user data to improve experience and business.

Analyze user data to improve experience and business.

TopicCollage

TopicCollage

AI Model Training

Improve AI cloning for future multilingual support.

Improve AI cloning for future multilingual support.

Magic Voice

Magic Voice

Secondary Product Metrics

Collage Completion Rate

Core Product Metrics

New Active Users, measured by Weekly Retention

Other Desired Business Outcomes

Growth in Paid Subscriptions

Reflection & Learnings

Reflection & Learnings

Reflection & Learnings

Reflection & Learnings

Cross-functional Learning

Cross-functional Learning

Learn – Growing Through Others’ Strengths

Learn – Growing Through Others’ Strengths

Working with teammates from different professional backgrounds, I gained exposure to new tools and methodologies. One teammate, a project manager, demonstrated strong skills in time management and agile practices. Observing how she kept the team focused and aligned was a great learning experience for me.

Working with teammates from different professional backgrounds, I gained exposure to new tools and methodologies. One teammate, a project manager, demonstrated strong skills in time management and agile practices. Observing how she kept the team focused and aligned was a great learning experience for me.

Reflection

Reflection

Although my main role was user researcher, I picked up techniques from others that enriched my own practice. Collaborating with professionals from other fields helped me grow not just as a researcher, but as a team player. It also reminded me how valuable it is to stay open to learning beyond your assigned role.

Although my main role was user researcher, I picked up techniques from others that enriched my own practice. Collaborating with professionals from other fields helped me grow not just as a researcher, but as a team player. It also reminded me how valuable it is to stay open to learning beyond your assigned role.

Prioritization

Prioritization

Learn – Balancing Ideas with Feasibility

Learn – Balancing Ideas with Feasibility

During brainstorming, our team came up with many exciting and creative ideas. While some were innovative and visually impressive, we learned to evaluate them based on feasibility and overall value to the project.

During brainstorming, our team came up with many exciting and creative ideas. While some were innovative and visually impressive, we learned to evaluate them based on feasibility and overall value to the project.

Reflection

Reflection

One key example was our proposed AI Clone feature, which involved voice cloning. While it stood out as a unique idea, we realized it came with high costs and limitations. Learning to prioritize what’s realistic within constraints helped us focus our efforts and deliver a more practical solution.

One key example was our proposed AI Clone feature, which involved voice cloning. While it stood out as a unique idea, we realized it came with high costs and limitations. Learning to prioritize what’s realistic within constraints helped us focus our efforts and deliver a more practical solution.

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