The document provides feedback on improving the design of the Highlight app. It notes that the current design of not requiring work from users is effective. However, it could be improved by triggering users to open the app more frequently beyond just notifications when someone is nearby. Suggestions include informing users of what others are doing at their current location to create need and reinforce the behavior of opening the app. The current design has not created a habit for users to regularly open the app, likely contributing to its drop off rate, so new triggers are needed to improve this.

1. Feedback for Highlight
2/10/12
David Ngo
For permission to publish this,
contact David Ngo

2. Designs Working Well:
Simplicity. Randomness.
Why
is
this
important?
The
reason
we
get
bored
and
stop
interac2ng
with
things
is
because
they
become
predictable.
Highlight
will
never
be
predictable
regarding
when
and
who
no2fica2ons
will
be
about.
Current
user
behavior
enjoy
the
randomness
of
no2fica2ons
(from
speaking
with
friends,
and
looking
at
your
design
from
a
behavior
design
perspec2ve).
Build
on
this
current
behavior
of
expec2ng
‘surprising
randomness.’
What
other
value
can
Highlight
spontaneously
provide
for
the
user?
You
guys
have
the
poten/al
to
become
the
master
designers
of
spontaneity.
For permission to publish this,
contact David Ngo
Current
Behavior
Chain
Download
app
Facebook
Connect
Close
out
of
app
(runs
in
background)
Con2nues
with
Life
Sees
no2fica2on
when
someone
is
nearby
Build and learn from the designs that work:
§ The design of NOT REQUIRING WORK on the
users part is SIMPLE and clearly effective.
§ Users current behavior is telling us that they
are willing to let Highlight run in the
background.
§ What else can you provide them that requires
NO WORK on their part?

3. Designs Needing Improvement:
If I restart my phone, or cancel Highlight
running in the background, Highlight is now
off. How do you trigger your users to click
on to open Highlight?
Current'Behavior:''
Users%open%once%
%
%
Run%in%background%
%
%
Wait%for%serendipity%of%others%being%nearby%
%
%
Triggered%to%open%Highlight%app%
%
Currently,
the
only
trigger
Highlight
uses
to
get
users
to
click
on
the
app
is
the
no5fica5on
when
someone
is
nearby.
I’m
sure
you
want
to
increase
user
use
as
well
in
terms
of
frequency
of
use:
What
are
other
people
doing
at
their
loca/on
they
are
in?
Current'Behavior:'
Sees$notification$that$someone$is$nearby$
$
$
Click$to$see$the$commonalities$
$
$
$$$$$$$$$$$$ $ Not$enough$commonalities$–$$
don’t$message$
If$enough$commonalities—message$ $
$ $ $ $ $ $ $
No'reinforcement$for$behavior$of$
clicking$on$app$
$ Short/minimum$conversation$
$$
$
Weak'reinforcement$for$$
behavior$of$clicking$on$app$
$
Why
does
this
need
to
be
improved?
Currently,
highlight
is
cool
and
simple
for
users.
Both
are
good
things.
However,
users
don’t
need
highlight.
Knowing
what
other
people
are
doing
at
their
current
loca2on
can
create
a
need.
“I
need
to
know
what
they’re
doing
there
because
I
may
be
missing
out
on
an
important
event.”
Why is this the current behavior?
Because of your current design of ‘open once and
run in background,’ you haven’t created a habit
for users to ‘open up’ the app.
Why does this need to be improved?
This is probably a reason for Highlight’s drop off
rate.
When users completely close out of Highlight (for
whatever reasons), Highlight needs to trigger users
to open up the app.
For permission to publish this,
contact David Ngo