Exploring The boundary
between Safety and Growth For Gen Z

The Gig

New User Experience in the First 14 Days on a Social Platform

When it comes to online safety concerns, technology companies are faced with a seemingly impossible task: to create platforms where new users can get the value, connection, and community they value, while still maintaining the guardrails that ensure users’ safety. This is particularly critical when it comes to young people. Our client wanted to learn about the new user’s journey in the first two weeks after signing up for a new account.

Approach

Research with minors is always a challenge, especially in a sensitive subject matter. Our team utilized a dialogue-based approach to engage a cohort that accurately represented the diversity of Gen Z—something we felt was especially important, considering the different ways marginalized groups may experience online safety issues.

Using a combination of online diary activities and check-in interviews, we engaged 36 new users over their first fourteen days on the platform as a brand new user. Holding such young participants accountable to complete activities required some dedicated work from our team, but it also allowed us to capture an incredible depth of content from a truly unique audience.

Impact

We identified three “archetypes” of the new user and their motivations, whether that be connecting with family and friends, exploring new interests, or becoming content creators themselves. Each group had its own needs and expectations of the platform, which translated to clear opportunities for the company to provide value and drive retention.

These profiles were brought to life with custom illustrated graphics, in addition to a journey map outlining the pivotal phases and milestones of the new user experience.