I. Introduction
The purpose of this report is to review and analyze the usability of the social media application Snapchat. Snapchat is “image messaging application software” that provides social media functionality for smartphones and other mobile computing devices such as tablet compute (Speigel, 2012). As a social media app, Snapchat’s audience is anyone that enjoys, uses, or interested in social media. Accordingly, the Snapchat’s audience includes individuals, groups, organizations, and companies. However, unlike more traditional social media, Snapchat’s main attribute is, as mentioned, a reliance on image messaging rather than text messaging. Image messaging is a newer form of social media and therefore, Snapchat’s biggest audience most likely will be teenagers, young adults, and anyone one else that feels more comfortable using images for the message.
II. Personal User Experience
First, Snapchat’s user interface is counter-intuitive. Once the app is downloaded onto a smartphone or mobile device, and the user performs the necessary actions to choose a , password and actually logs on, the opening page, and the page that a user will always start with when access the app is the camera screen. That is to say, there is no text telling a user who sent them a message or what has happened what has happened while they were away. Instead the opening screen basically resembles (on an iPhone) the same screen a user would find if they opened the iPhone camera app. The only difference are the icons that are icons that are available on the screen. Accordingly, the initial impression is one of confusion. However, as one plays with the app and understands that its main purpose is image messaging, then then it becomes more reasonable that it would open to a camera page.
Once the initial interface confusion is resolved, Snapchat’s design is impressively simple. There are basically just four main actions. A swipe to the left brings one to the “Stories” page. This page lists the recent “stories” or one’s friends or commercial organizations, such as CNN or ESPN that one subscribes to or has “friended”. A stories is a string of “snapchats” that are combined to allow a user to express what they are doing over a longer period of time such as an hour or even a day.
A swipe to the right, from the main screen, reveal a list of messages that friends have sent directly to you. Tapping on a message will allow you to access the message and send a response.
A swipe downwards from the main screen, reveals the user account page. A user from this page can add friends, see edit one’s friends list, see who has added you, as well as access or manage other vital information such as one’s password or . One can also contact support or get help from this screen.
Fourth, from the main screen one can take a photo or short video. Doing so immediately brings you to the edit screen. The edit screen allows you to add text to the photo/video as well as other content such as icons or even write/draw directly onto the photo/video. Once complete, one can either send the photo to a friend or save them as part of a story that will be displayed later on one’s friend’s “Stories” page.
It is important to note, that one’s messages or stories are temporary. That is to say, once sent, they only last for a definite period of time. The time period is set by the sender and can range from one to 10 seconds per message. Unless one takes a screenshot of the message, once that time limit for the message or story passes, they disappear forever. This aspect, depending on the individual can be extremely frustrating or extremely effective. It also means that one needs to constantly check the app otherwise you may miss a message that has expired.
III. Guest User Experience
In order to test Snapchat’s usability for a novice user, I tested persuaded my neighbor to try it out. My neighbor is a forty-something professional that considers himself knowledgeable about social media. He has accounts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. After an initial helping introduction, to the app he downloaded it, created an account, friended me, and over the course of an hour we messaged each other from separate locations. The following his initial response to Snapchat’s usability.
My initial impression was that it takes too much effort to compose a message and send it. Writing a simple text message is so much easier. Moreover, receiving and accessing a message is frustrating especially if there are several messages at once and the time period for a message is less than five seconds. If you switch to a new message without seeing completely the last message it will disappear before you have a chance to return to it.
The ability to tell “stories” is promising. I like the fact that you could connect a number of messages together to tell a longer and more complete message. Moreover, the fact the stories have a little longer “life” did not make me so nervous about trying to understand the message before it disappeared.
Generally, navigation around the app was not very easy. Almost all actions are swiped based and sometimes when you swipe to often you come to the wrong screen or accidentally swipe out of what you were doing on the present screen. Moreover, getting too the help screen was quite difficult. The initial help scree simply drops into a pre-recorded number of images that explain the basic actions needed. There was no place to ask and answer my questions. To do that I had to go to my user account screen and the contact support button.
In conclusion, I could see how after repeated use, it would be quite quick to do what you wanted but for me the learning curve was a bit longer than I want especially when it seems so much easier for other social media apps. To me it seems more suitable if you already have an idea of what you want to do to use Snapchat but if you want to type out a quick message Twitter or Instagram are more effective usable.
IV. Comparison and Findings
Generally, the initial user experience between myself and my neighbor were the same, namely that Snapchat is not a very user-friendly application initially. Moreover, while I am not sure if my neighbor will continue to use Snapchat, he also seems to agree with my experience that the more one uses Snapchat, the easier it becomes and the clearer its “genius” is as well as its usability. Similarly, we both had an issue with the temporary nature of the messaging, although I have discovered there are ways around this such as through the use of stories. The most important difference, however, is Snapchat’s use as a messaging application. For me, pictures and video (you can simply record your message) are a much more effective way to communicate and just as with a conversation, one’s message disappears as soon as one says it.
V. Recommendation
First, Snapchat should either create a website, blog post, or maybe a YouTube video that explains in detail how to use the app. I think that many people that a initially attracted to Snapchat are subsequently turned off by its initial complexity. A decrease in the initial confusion would go a long way to increasing users, especially older users. Second, while continuing the temporary nature of the messaging, Snapchat could lengthen the amount of time, perhaps up to 30 seconds or more, that a message could last. This would allow, more time for users like me neighbor to see and comprehend the message before they disappear. Lastly, while one can also write and send text messages, that functionality is hidden behind a number of screens. Snapchat can bring the out better. This would allow people that are not so interested in sending a picture/video to tap out a message instead.
References
Speigel, E. (2012, May 9). Let’s chat. Retrieved from http://snapchat-blog.com/post/22756675666/lets-chat
