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
I believe that Snap making a significant redesign just nine months after going public is a very risky move. It’s too early for such a major change, especially when the company is still in the process of winning over users. If the redesign was truly necessary, Snap should have implemented the changes gradually. They did communicate with users, but they should have also offered a prototype of the new design to gather feedback and analyze user reactions using appropriate metrics. This approach would have provided valuable insights on the potential impact of the new features. Additionally, it seems they didn’t involve stakeholders in the decision-making process for these upgrades. Engaging stakeholders early on could have prevented significant losses, as their input would likely have offered valuable perspectives on the proposed changes.
Well to me, the mistake Snapchat made was that, they didn’t really carry their users along in detail by detail guide on how to use or flow along with the new improvement.
Snapchat should have communication to it’s users in a way that even the layman could have understood, knowing that illiterates also uses Snapchat and very well at that.
_Emmanuel Grace Ann
Snapchat rushed in implementing the changes. They probably got feedback from customers which prompted them to make the changes, but they should have done a test run {prototype} to see how these changes would be received by customers before implementing the finished product.
We can learn a lot from Snapchat’s mistakes. They rushed into changing their app without thinking enough about how users would feel. They should have listened to feedback and tested the changes more before making them live. It’s important for companies to communicate clearly and consider all perspectives when making big changes. Snapchat’s story teaches us that it’s important to prioritize user needs and communicate openly to avoid similar mistakes.
Snapchat’s redesign fiasco offers several key lessons for product improvement and communication. First, Snapchat’s primary mistake was implementing significant changes without adequately considering user feedback and market readiness. The rushed redesign not only alienated loyal users but also highlighted the pitfalls of not thoroughly testing major updates before launch. Effective communication is crucial; Snapchat should have engaged its user base more transparently and proactively, perhaps by introducing changes gradually and seeking user input through prototype testing. Additionally, balancing innovation with user expectations is essential—disruptive changes should be thoughtfully introduced to avoid overwhelming or frustrating users. Lastly, the challenges faced after going public underscore the importance of aligning stakeholder interests while maintaining a clear vision for product development. Snapchat’s experience underscores the necessity of a strategic, user-centered approach to innovation and transparent, effective communication inclusive
Snapchat made the mistake of rolling at redesign and updates too early giving users not enough time to adopt the product.And this led to frustrations on the part of their customers. Snapchat also went public too early thereby having too many stakeholders to manage, align and get buy-in from.
Effective communication would have prevented the loss that Snapchat incurred. Although, taking risk is part of life development but it must be done strategically. Aside survey, if the update had been introduced one at a time with back up notification each time, just maybe they would have gotten it right.
Taking risks is part of life development, it can result in success or failure depends on how it is being planned. For Snapchat CEO, it’s a great innovative trying new ideas, the only mistake done was that,the redesign was not from customers feedback which cause customer decline in using the product.
He failed because of lack of effective communication to know what their customers want.
As mentioned in our studies, taking risks sometimes is part of life development, be it in any aspect.
It can be a success or a failure at the end, depending on how the risk is been planned.
Is a great idea for the Snapchat CEO to try a new method of improvement.
The only fault or mistake is, before venturing into such development, he should have tried to find out if his customers would like such an idea, by using at least one business metric to get the answer needed to convince him to go ahead with the idea.
He failed because of a lack of an idea, adequate planning, and preparation.
The mistake was that the redesign of Snapchat was not from customer’s feedback hence, customers withdrawal.
Effective communication would have been achieved had he use the various form of customers feedback to know what they want!