Watch the following video, in which Snap CEO Evan Spiegel [1] talks about the Snapchat update, then read on below and follow the instructions to complete the exercise.
Snapchat case study
In 2017, Snap, the parent organisation of Snapchat, went public [2] and nine months later, CEO Evan Spiegel, announced that Snapchat would undergo a significant redesign. Among the many changes, the redesign entailed separating celebrity content from one’s friends and close connections. It also entailed several updates to make the app easier to use.
However, Snapchat users did not receive the changes well and so, after continued and growing criticism, Snapchat eventually rolled back some of the updates. This redesign cost Snapchat many of its customers and Snapchat has since seen a steady decline in customers.
In response to the product’s alleged redesign failure, Spiegel acknowledged that users were frustrated over the updates and revealed that the design felt rushed. [2] While the update solved one problem, it subsequently created many others. He further acknowledged that the product improvement plan was also complicated by the fact that Snap had gone public. In other words, going public had meant more stakeholders to manage, align, and get buy-in from. Since the redesign, many of Snap’s executive-level employees, such as its chief strategy officer, left after the public disapproval of the redesign.
However, Spiegel claims that ‘innovation really is about taking risks. It’s about doing things that are different’. [2] He explains that this thinking is encouraged at Snap so that employees can take risks each day and not feel at risk of being judged. He goes on to say that they make time for employees to connect in small groups and share their ideas. Through this type of thinking and these practices, Snap makes continuous improvements over time.
Instructions: Key lessons from Snapchat
- Post a brief reflective paragraph in the discussion below that answers the following question: What key lessons can we take away from this real-world example? Make sure you cover topics such as:
- What mistakes did Snapchat make with regards to its product improvements?
- How should communication have been handled?
References
- The New Snapchat in 60 Seconds [Video]. Snapchat; 2017 Nov 30. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx1R-eHSkfM
- Yurieff K. Snapchat always proved critics wrong. Then Evan Spiegel pushed for a redesign – CNN [Article]. Edition; 2019. Available from: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/10/tech/snap-ceo-evan-spiegel-profile/index.html
Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you.
There was a redesign disaster, and he as well ignored his users feedback
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.
There’s nothing wrong in wanting to make a change. I don’t Snap is too lackadaisical in making customer centric feedbacks with iterative testing. They are highly rated, they should have. Though we might not know. The CEO wouldn’t have come out openly without a prior satisfactory research, I suggest.
However, the changes would have been launched softly and not loudly or openly. They would have been done with a selected few customers then gradually increase the the scope of the launch.
I also do think they should have made a demo video of the supposed changes and make it appear of every snapchat user to make a comment if they liked it. That in a way will not only create awareness but will also provide enough customer behavior data analytics about their plans. They would have been to derive workable plans from them.
This is really a great example to learn from. Well for snap chat to regain their old users or get new users they should introduce a new features that makes people to earn if they engage in a particular way. With this they will win in two ways. They will regain enough users and their new features will still be in use. My opinion though.
Snapchat’s 2017 redesign offers important lessons for improving products.
They started with a real user problem: people complained that posts from friends were mixed with celebrity and publisher content. So, Snapchat tried to fix this by separating those feeds.
However, they made some key mistakes. They prioritized their own solution without enough user testing or considering how the changes would affect existing user habits. This led to widespread frustration and user loss.
Their communication was also poor. Instead of explaining the reasons for the redesign or addressing concerns, they largely ignored negative feedback, making things worse.
A better approach would have included:
1) Thorough user research before the redesign to understand user behavior and identify potential problems.
2) A gradual rollout of changes with testing and feedback to adjust as needed.
3) Clear and proactive communication with users throughout the process, explaining the reasons and addressing concerns.
While taking risks is part of innovation, it must be balanced with user-focused decision-making. Snapchat’s experience shows that even with good intentions, ignoring user feedback and rushing changes can have serious consequences.
Snapchat redesign failed due to the hasty modification with decrease user experience, There was no alignment with Stakeholders. No proper implementation of continuous improvement processes.
A feedback exercise should have been used to know users preferences prior to the implementation of the redesign.
Snapchat redesign failed due to the hasty modification without giving consumer preference enough thought which result in lost users.
feedback was not requested prior to the implementation which resulted in poor feedback and communication from the consumers and stakeholders.
Fagboun Richard Olanrewaju
The key lesson from Snapchat’s redesign failure is that product improvements must be user-centered and carefully considered before implementation. Snapchat’s mistake was rushing the redesign without fully understanding its users’ needs and preferences, leading to widespread dissatisfaction. The separation of celebrity content from friends created unnecessary friction for users, and the changes were perceived as disruptive rather than enhancing the user experience.
In terms of communication, Snap should have engaged its user base more transparently before rolling out such significant changes. Conducting user testing, gathering feedback, and communicating the purpose of the updates clearly would have helped manage expectations and reduce backlash. Additionally, Snap should have ensured alignment across all stakeholders, balancing the need for innovation with the importance of maintaining user satisfaction. The failure to do so ultimately cost them users and damaged their brand.