MixVid 

MixVid is a mobile app that turns moments in your life into beautiful videos. It mades video creation simple and fun.

Design Rationale

I reviewed the current MixVid ios mobile app design and flow from UX perspectives and provide recommendation and proposal on how it can be improved and how it'll fit the US market.

Users

General audience who like to capture moments in their lives, express creativity.

Goals & Needs

Explore

  • View and explore interesting video
  • Search videos by hashtag or user

Capture

  • Create video using video and photos
  • Personalize the video by various features, such as speed, add text, change font, add music
  • Being able to publish video quickly, share the moments

Share

  • Being able to share to different platforms

Design Principles

Based on users goal and needs,  I define the below design principles.

  • Keep user interface and visual clean and easy to understand
  • Streamline user experience 
  • Respect user privacy
  • Personalization and customization are important aspect
  • Integration with existing platforms 

Sketch

I like to sketch out different ideas 

 

Design Solution

Problem 1

Too many steps from launching MixVid to starting using it

After launching the app, there were 3 introductions screens. But people usually just skip it. And the 4th screen is asking for permission. It's too early to ask for permission. It's better to ask for permission at the right time. After the message, it's another 2 permission related dialogs. Users haven't seen the UI at all. At this point, some might already delete the app. There are total 9 steps before reaching the app.

Solution: Reduce the unnecessary steps, let users interact with the app first

After launching the app, users will see the explore screen. 

  • Remove static images because it's not useful and can reduce the steps
  • Wait till later to ask for location permission. 
  • I keep the color because the color seems like branding color, and i think the color expressed creativity. But I do think we can use the color in text, icon, instead of the whole banner background. I update the visual to make it cleaner and fit the current UI trend.
  • One thing we can do is to have the first video be tutorial video, so users can learn how to create one. It serves as the content and tutorial.
 

Problem 2

Wrong way to ask for permission

 
 

"There is nothing more annoying than launching an app for the first time and instantly being asked to allow notifications". This is from a quote from a user. There are 2 issues here.

  1. Too soon to ask for user permission (for notification or location).
  2. Ask for permission without any explanation. 

Solution: explain why we need their permission. Show respect to the users.

  • Explain why we need for them to start creating a video
  • Show the dialog only when they first press the take video button

 

Problem 3

Very little flexibility to personalize video

Currently, there are no way to customize and personalize the video. People like to be able to personalize the video, to show their creativity and make the video interesting.

 
 

Solution: provide more customization.

Still keep filters as the first page, but provide other features like people love

  • Speed: time-lapse and slow-motion
  • Add and edit text
  • Mixing photos and videos
 
 

Problem 4

Too few integration with other platforms

There is only one way to sign up, but not everyone has Facebook. And for younger generation, they're not using facebook anymore. So provide other sign up method is definitely a must. 

Solution: provide more than one way to sign up, and connect with more existing platforms