BeReal.
Unleash your creativity, amplify real connections.
Context
I chose the BeReal application for my case study. In addition to being a French application, I'm a user myself and find the application both captivating and ingenious in its concept. I also really appreciate the company's philosophy, which focuses on close relationships, with no question of popularity. During this case study, I was able to interview several people, each with a different use for BeReal, by means of a questionnaire. To maintain consistency with BeReal's existing design, I used elements of the application's user interface as a basis for improvements. Although there were no open-source design files, I meticulously recreated sections of the application, aiming for near-pixel perfection. This enabled me to visualize and demonstrate the proposed improvements in a realistic way.
Survey Insights
My survey was based on 4 main themes: user profile, user interpretation of the application, potential problems encountered and desired functionalities. After collecting the user data, I was able to focus my improvements on 3 key factors:
Thread and Likes
Camera delay loading
Tag your friends
Arrangement and interaction in comments
Participants expressed a desire for better organization and greater engagement in the comments section. They stressed the need for reply threads and the possibility of liking comments.
Camera flip delay
Respondents mentioned the inconvenience of the camera release delay when capturing a BeReal. To encourage users to be more creative and share the moment, I suggested introducing a delay option for camera rollover. This feature would give them more time to compose their BeReal.
Indentify your friends
Participants expressed a desire to be able to identify their friends and family. As BeReal is a friends-to-friends application, respondents expressed a desire to express themselves beyond taking photos. To test the potential of this feature, I set up an MVP in which users can identify their friends without specifying their location.
Conclusion
First of all, I'd like to thank the respondents for the time they devoted to my survey and the involvement they showed in the project. Through this case study, I have been able to study many facets of the application, based on real needs. I attach a great deal of importance to the fact that my work can be reproduced in companies, which is why I wanted to develop this case study. However, my analysis doesn't stop there, as there are still other themes to be developed, such as adding short videos or setting up a private messaging system. I intend to send my study to BeReal for their feedback.