Designing a Moderator Bot for Improved WhatsApp Group Chat Management
Role
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UX Designer
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UX Researcher
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Interaction Designer
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UI Design
Tools
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Figma
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Miro
Methods
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Interviews
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Competitive Analysis
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Affinity Mapping
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Persona & Task Flow
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Moderated & Unmoderated Usability Testing
Overview
This case study explores the design process and user impact associated with a proposed "Moderator Bot" feature for WhatsApp. The objective was to address user pain points related to group chat management and enhance user control within the platform. I was given 80 hours to complete the project.
User research revealed significant challenges users faced when managing group chats on WhatsApp. These included:
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Difficulty managing message flow and content within large groups.
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Lack of control over spam, cyberbullying, and inappropriate content.
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Absence of features like scheduled messages, pinned messages, and read/send reminders, found in other platforms.
Problem Statement
Proposed Solution
Inspired by user feedback and existing moderator bot solutions, a concept for a "Moderator Bot" within WhatsApp was developed. This bot aimed to empower users with improved group chat management capabilities by focusing on:
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Simplified Setup: Seamless integration within the existing WhatsApp interface for easy access and configuration.
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Streamlined Moderation: Tools for filtering spam, flagging inappropriate content, and restricting specific participants.
Research
With a limited timeframe of 80 hours for this case study, prioritizing user pain points became crucial. Considering the sheer volume of pain points identified through interviews, we focused our analysis on those most frequently mentioned within the context of group chats. This in-depth analysis revealed two primary issues:
Summary
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Conducted user interviews with 8 participants (15-20 minutes each).
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Inspired by experiences on Telegram, explored potential of bots for WhatsApp.
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Performed SWOT analysis on Telegram, Reddit, and Discord for bot insights.
Discovery
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Cyberbullying: Many users expressed concerns about the prevalence of cyberbullying within group chats.
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Group Maintenance: Managing large and unruly groups emerged as a significant challenge for users, hindering their ability to effectively communicate and maintain order within the group chat.
Following the identification of group maintenance as a key pain point, we decided to look into how popular social media platforms tackle content management issues using a SWOT analysis.
This research aimed to gather valuable insights and explore potential solutions that could be adapted to address the challenges faced within WhatsApp group chats.
SWOT Analysis
Findings
Through my SWOT analysis I discovered that Telegram's approach was the most user-friendly and uncomplicated compared to Reddit and Discord, when it came to integrating bots into group chats. This realization served as the catalyst for conceptualizing bot designs that seamlessly aligned with WhatsApp's existing design framework.
Summary
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User interviews highlighted challenges in WhatsApp usage.
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Utilized affinity mapping to analyze WhatsApp usage patterns and identify challenges.
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Telegram, Reddit, Discord use moderator bots.
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SWOT analysis identified Telegram as simplest, most user-friendly for bot integration between the 3 platforms.
Insights:
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WhatsApp group chat management is manual and frustrating.
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Affinity mapping revealed issues: group management, cyberbullying, inappropriate content, spam.
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Demand for features like scheduled messages, pinned messages.
Key Findings
Users experience issues with spam, cyberbullying, and inappropriate content sharing within group chats.
Managing group chats on WhatsApp is a tedious and fully manual process, leading to frustration.
Telegram, Reddit, Discord use mod bots.
There is a desire for additional features like scheduled/delayed messaging, ability to view previous messages after joining a group, pinned messages (akin to Telegram), and read/send reminders.
Telegram's bot integration process is the most simple and uncomplicated between the three platforms.
Affinity Map
Click HERE or on 'Sticky Note Packs' to view the Affinity map more comfortably.
Analyzing the data through an affinity map unveiled prevailing issues- The complexity of managing large or disorderly groups, cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and group spamming.
User Persona Development
Before designing a WhatsApp bot, I needed to understand who I was designing for. Analyzing interviews with 8 users revealed a diverse group. To make the bot truly user-friendly, I created user personas.
Summary
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Analyzed insights from 8 user interviews to understand user needs.
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Created 3 distinct user personas: Admin, Experienced User, Average User.
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Informed design process by tailoring solutions to each persona's characteristics.
First up, the Admin: a tech whiz who tackles social media with ease. They want a bot that can handle complex tasks.
Admin User
Goals
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Better group management
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Prevent spamming
Frustrations
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Group management is manual
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No way to prevent spammers
Next, the Experienced User: comfortable with social media, but maybe not a total pro. They need a bot that's easy to understand but still powerful.
Experienced User
Goals
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Manage notification efficiently
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Catch up on missed group info
Frustrations
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Too many notifications
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Don't want to mute groups
Finally, the Average User: they use apps all the time, but fancy features might leave them scratching their heads. They need a bot that's super simple to use.
Average User
Goals
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Avoid cyber bullying
Frustrations
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Cyber bullying
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Group spamming
Ideation
The design phase started with a focus on understanding WhatsApp's features. This helped me grasp how each element functioned within the platform.
Next, I revisited the user research and data analysis. I used these insights to brainstorm solutions for the key user challenges: managing large group chats and handling inappropriate content.
I also looked at solutions on other platforms like Telegram and Discord. This analysis provided additional ideas for potential bot features within WhatsApp. I even created user journeys for different contexts, such as desktop use.
Summary
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Explored WhatsApp features for solutions.
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Used user insights for ideation.
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Brainstormed ideas for group chat issues.
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Inspired by Telegram and Discord.
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Created three task flows, one for desktop.
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Scrapped all three task flows but process paved the way for the core design.
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Drew sketch of the idea I had.
"Although not all initial task flows were implemented, this brainstorming process was crucial. It ultimately led to the core concept that formed the foundation of my design."
My initial design sketch emerged from the process of creating user task flows. While the task flows themselves weren't implemented, they played a key role. They helped me explore the concept of adding a bot to a WhatsApp group and visualize how it might interact within the existing interface. I used Telegram as inspiration for this process.
From left to right:
Inside the group chat, user presses on settings icon on top right, presses on group info, then presses on add bot icon, needs to choose which bot to add, adds bot, and then bot is active and triggers a notification in the group.
Low Fidelity Ideation
I developed two low-fidelity digital wireframes building on the sketch I made, to show how the bot would actually work.
The first wireframe explored how the bot would function inside a group chat. It showed how users could interact with the bot to moderate the chat.
The second wireframe focused on adding the bot to a group. It outlined the simple steps users would take to find, choose, and add the bot, making it easy for everyone.
High Fidelity UI Design
One of the biggest challenges during the UI design phase was making sure the moderator bot felt like a natural part of WhatsApp. After all, users are already familiar with the interface.
I had to carefully refine the UI elements for the moderator bot so they matched WhatsApp's existing design style. I also needed to consider how users would interact with the bot.
To achieve this, I found an existing WhatsApp design on figma and also uploaded screenshots I took of WhatsApp.
Summary
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Challenge: Ensure seamless integration of the moderator bot within the existing WhatsApp UI.
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Focus: Maintained user familiarity by carefully matching WhatsApp's design style.
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Iterative Design: Explored various layouts and functionalities for bot interaction.
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To maintain consistency with WhatsApp's interface, the final design employed toggles in place of buttons.
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Outcome: Achieved a smooth integration that complements WhatsApp's interface while offering clear bot interaction functionalities.
I added a bot icon to maintain the WhatsApp UI
In the end, I was able to create a design that smoothly integrated with the existing WhatsApp interface. It maintained the app's familiar feel while still offering clear functionalities for interacting with the moderator bot.
I still wasn't happy with the feel of the buttons. Initially, I thought since bots were a new concept to WhatsApp, they would need a new button concept, but I realized I needed to integrate the design into the existing interface.
Iteration
I changed the buttons to toggles to maintain WhatsApp's interface framework.
Prototype & Usability testing
User Testing and Refining the Prototype:
The initial user testing phase involved usability testing with a small group of tech-savvy friends and family. Their feedback indicated that the configuration options for the moderator bot might overwhelm users unfamiliar with technical settings.
Responding to User Feedback:
Taking their feedback to heart, I implemented a "default settings" toggle. This feature allows users to benefit from pre-configured options without needing to navigate complex settings menus. This approach aligns with the principle of minimizing user effort and caters to users with varying levels of technical expertise.
Positive User Validation:
Following this change, I conducted a broader round of user testing. The feedback received was overwhelmingly positive, and no further major iterations were required.
Summary
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Tested with 17 users (friends & public):
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Initial usability tests revealed complex settings.
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Added "default settings" toggle:
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Based on feedback, simplified settings for broader user base.
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Positive validation:
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Broader testing confirmed success - no major iterations needed.
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Prototype
Click on the black section to reveal 'expand button' on top right for a full screen experience, and click anywhere within the prototype screen for the blue highlight guide.
Affinity map
Expand to full screen using button on top right for a more comfortable experience.
The interface proved to be easy enough to use for the overwhelming majority of users of all backgrounds.
Iteration
I added a default toggle after some users suggested a default setting for users who are less technical, and for ease of use.
Full Flow & Commentary
Expand to full screen using button on top right for a more comfortable experience.
Next Steps & Opportunities
Junior Growth Journey:
This project was a launchpad for my UX/UI design journey! It wasn't just about tackling a real user problem – exploring moderator bots was like diving into a whole new world. But being a junior designer also meant facing challenges that opened up even more possibilities.
Making Time for Users: One big hurdle was balancing user needs with the 80-hour timeframe. This experience taught me the importance of prioritizing tasks and streamlining the design process. In the future, I'd love to find time management techniques specifically for UX/UI projects.
Unveiling the Bot's Full Potential: The initial design focused on core functionalities for effective group chat management. Future iterations could delve deeper into advanced features, offering users even more powerful ways to control their group chat experience.
Summary
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Prioritized & Delivered: Balanced user needs within an 80-hour timeframe.
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Intrigued by Bots: Explored moderator bots, sparking an interest for bots.
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Growth Mindset: Embraced new design concepts (API integration).