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
The idea of innovation and taking a creative risk is applaud-able, but on the contrary, a prototype of the redesign should have been testing amongst the product team for criticism and also amongst some users to get feedback on how effective this redesign will be and if the users really appreciate and find the redesign effective and interesting to use.
Innovation is good, taking risks is the game and it’s welcome, but ultimately, the consumers and their satisfaction or engagement takes precedence when making a product or in continuous product improvement.
1. This mistake of Snap was not integrating the consumer in the core of their redesign
2. And there was too many innovations, too many changes dumped on the consumer at ones with proper and stepwise release alongside consumer engagement to get them acquainted and ready for the update.
The key lesson from Snapchat’s experience is the importance of balancing innovation with user feedback and communication. Snapchat’s mistake was rushing a significant redesign without adequately considering user preferences and expectations. Communication should have been transparent and proactive, involving users in the process and addressing concerns promptly. Additionally, Snap should have ensured alignment across stakeholders, considering the implications of going public on product decisions. Ultimately, continuous improvement requires a balance between taking risks and listening to users to drive meaningful innovation.
1) the first mistake I can see is that snapchat didn’t much pay attention to their customer feedback which led them to create things they feel is good for the users but in reality wasn’t.
2) I feel they would have informed their customers first of the update,make videos to explain how the updates work and also allow users rate their product functionalities to figure out on what to update.
No proper communication between the developing team and stakeholders.
there’s lack of communication between the management and customers. feedback wasn’t put into consideration.
Snapchat made several mistakes with its product improvements, including rushing the redesign without sufficient user testing and feedback. Communication should have been more transparent and inclusive of user input throughout the redesign process to avoid alienating users. This example emphasizes the importance of user feedback, thorough testing, and transparent communication in product development.
Key Lessons and Mistakes
Snapchat’s most important mistake was not understanding user needs and preferences sufficiently. The redesign lost a core functionality (separating friends’ content) that disrupted established usage patterns.
Rushed Execution: there was inadequate planning and testing before rolling out the new product.
Overestimating user adoption rate: People generally dislike sudden changes to familiar platforms.
All of the above were complicated by going public and focusing more on shareholder satisfaction, forgetting the user satisfaction.
How Communication Could Have Been Handled Differently
Snapchat could have communicated the need for updates and the problems they aimed to solve.
Used beta testing or focus groups to involve users, gather feedback, and refine changes iteratively.
Anticipating and Addressing Backlash: A well-thought-out communication strategy should have:
Prepared for potential negative reactions and outlined how user concerns would be addressed.
Used communication channels like blog posts, FAQs, video tutorials to explain the rationale behind the changes and clarify the new features.
Snapchat should have acknowledged user frustration, shown empathy, and assured them that their voices were being heard and signaled that some rollbacks were possible based on the user feedback, demonstrating adaptability.
The snapchat story is ine that can be classified as an innocent mistake. even though the innovation felt like it was going to solve user’s problem of separating “social” from “media”, the PM did not conduct enough consumer survey to dtermine how this idea seats with them. it could have been done with several variety of user to see their reaction and see if there is a need to roll out this update to the public.
most importantly, while rolling out this new redesign, beta testing was not properly carried out on the new app to see if the app hasn’t developed bugs while the redesign was happening.
a small set of audience should have been handpicked to test the app for any abnormality and to get their feedbacks.
Even though people welcomed Snapchat’s innovations at first, there are important lessons to be learned from the way they handled product updates. The disconnect between user needs and internal priorities is one important lesson to learn. As evidenced by Snapchat’s dwindling user base, concentrating on features like “Snap Map” or revamping the main layout without enough user input can cause alienation and confusion. Furthermore, disregarding user input and pressing through with unpopular changes increases annoyance and damages credibility.
Navigating product evolution requires effective communication.
Openness and concise communication are crucial. Consider phased rollouts and beta testing as an alternative to sudden changes, letting people adjust and offer feedback. Additionally, actively listening to user concerns and responding to them quickly shows deference and promotes a feeling of community. Recall that effective product enhancement is a team effort rather than an order. It is possible to make sure that product evolution builds rather than breaks the relationship with the very consumers that a product is meant to serve by putting the requirements of the user first, encouraging open communication, and learning from mistakes.
There is lack of communication between the stakeholders and customers feedback wasn’t put into consideration.