UX/UI Case Study: Redesigning Instagram and boosting customization
- fariha islam
- Feb 22
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 3
Case Study Overview: Instagram Redesign
In this case study, I explore a redesign of Instagram aimed at improving user experience by addressing key usability issues and enhancing personalization features. As Instagram has evolved, it has accumulated redundant elements and navigation inconsistencies that disrupt the overall flow and functionality of the app.
The primary focus of this redesign was to simplify navigation, reduce clutter, and give users more control over how they interact with the platform's features. Key improvements include consolidating duplicate features (such as removing multiple "Create" and "Threads" buttons), making notifications more accessible and visible, and introducing a drag-and-drop feature for profile customization.
Additionally, I expanded the platform’s story-sharing capabilities by allowing users to create stories where they can select from custom friends—moving beyond choosing from the restrictive "All" or "Close Friends" options. The Explore page was also revamped with new filters for All, Reels, and Posts to allow users to tailor their content discovery experience.
This case study walks through the design process, from identifying pain points to delivering a cleaner, more intuitive, and user-focused interface. The result is a streamlined Instagram experience that prioritizes usability, customization, and accessibility while staying true to the platform’s core social-sharing identity.
My role in this project:
Online stats and reviews:
Stats
An analysis of recent online data from downdetechighlights key areas where Instagram's user experience is falling short:
App-Related Issues (68%)
The majority of user complaints (68%) are directly tied to the app's functionality. This suggests a need for a streamlined interface and more intuitive navigation to improve usability and reduce frustration. Issues could stem from redundant features, visual clutter, or confusing navigation pathways—areas directly addressed in this redesign.
Server Connection Problems (21%)
Connectivity issues account for 21% of reported problems, indicating technical challenges that can disrupt user engagement. While these issues are often backend-related, improving the UI can help by providing clearer feedback on connection status or offering offline-friendly features.
Sharing Difficulties (11%)
A smaller, yet significant, portion of users (11%) reported issues with sharing content. This aligns with the limitations of Instagram’s current story-sharing options, which are restricted to "All" or "Close Friends." The redesign addresses this by introducing custom story-sharing groups, making sharing more flexible and user-friendly.
Reviews
Recent user data and online reviews reveal consistent dissatisfaction with Instagram’s functionality and user experience, highlighting key areas of concern that align with the core issues addressed in this redesign. One user, Utenten from Italy, rated the app 1 out of 5 stars, stating, "You cannot add / reorder photos in published posts, Advertising, Bugs never fixed, People that follow / unfollow, Reels shown to strangers and not to friends, Non-existent assistance." This review highlights frustrations with the platform’s limited customization options, persistent technical issues, and inadequate support services. Another user, Bilal Ali from Pakistan, also rated the app 1 out of 5 stars, expressing severe technical issues with the platform: "I have had the worst experience ever trying to use Instagram on Chrome and every other browser. It's honestly unbelievable how poorly this app is functioning... The authentication process is a mess – it doesn't even work properly, and it seems like the developers have no idea what they're doing." These reviews reflect deeper concerns about usability, technical performance, and the overall quality of the user experience. Supporting this feedback, statistical data reveals that 68% of reported problems are app-related, 21% involve server connection issues, and 11% are linked to sharing difficulties. These findings suggest that most user frustrations stem from the app’s core functionality. The redesign directly responds to these issues by streamlining navigation, introducing a drag-and-drop feature for enhanced profile customization, expanding content-sharing options with customizable groups, and improving overall usability through a more intuitive interface. This user-focused approach aims to address the pain points identified in user feedback, creating a more seamless and personalized Instagram experience.
Problem
Redundant Features:
Problem: Having duplicate "Create" and "Threads" buttons creates unnecessary clutter and confusion within the interface.
Why it’s an issue: It overwhelms users with repetitive options, making navigation feel complicated and reducing the overall efficiency of the app.
Hidden Notifications:
Problem: The notification icon is only accessible from the home page.
Why it’s an issue: Users have to return to the home page every time they want to check notifications, interrupting their browsing flow and reducing convenience.
Limited Profile Customization:
Problem: Users can only arrange their posts by pinning them or relying on the default chronological order based on the last date added. It only lets you pin three content.
Why it’s an issue: This restricts creative freedom and prevents users from curating their profiles in a way that reflects their personal aesthetic or storytelling preferences.
Restricted Story Sharing Options:
Problem: Instagram currently limits story-sharing to "All" or "Close Friends."
Why it’s an issue: Users lack the flexibility to share content with specific groups, limiting personalized interactions and making story-sharing feel less dynamic.
Unfiltered Explore Page:
Problem: Users can’t filter content by type (e.g., posts, reels) on the Explore page.
Why it’s an issue: It makes content discovery less targeted, forcing users to scroll through irrelevant posts instead of quickly finding what interests them.
Visual Clutter:
Problem: The interface contains too many competing icons and elements.
Why it’s an issue: This leads to cognitive overload, making the app feel overwhelming and reducing overall user engagement by complicating simple interactions.
Solution
Navigation System Optimization:
Implemented a refined navigation architecture by eliminating redundant UI components, specifically consolidating duplicate instances of the "Create" and "Threads" buttons to streamline user flow.
Repositioned the notification access point to the top-right corner of the profile interface, ensuring global accessibility across all app views and reducing navigational latency.
Dynamic Profile Grid Management:
Engineered a drag-and-drop grid system leveraging real-time DOM manipulation for post rearrangement, enabling users to customize their content layout dynamically.
Enabled asynchronous state management to allow post reordering beyond the default pinned or chronological formats, enhancing user agency and control over profile aesthetics.
Granular Story Sharing Framework:
Developed a modular, scalable story-sharing system that supports the creation of custom audience groups through dynamic segmentation, expanding sharing capabilities beyond the default "All" and "Close Friends" parameters.
Integrated a streamlined user interface for audience selection during the story upload process, utilizing conditional rendering to simplify group assignment and enhance operational efficiency.
Explore Page Content Filtering Mechanism:
Introduced a multi-tier filtering system using conditional queries and real-time data retrieval, allowing users to refine their content feed by selecting from All, Reels, or Posts categories.
Enhanced algorithmic recommendation logic to adjust dynamically based on user interaction patterns and selected filter preferences, optimizing content relevance and discovery efficiency.
User Flow
Style Guide
Color palette
I kept the instagram icon and design color same with some exceptions by adding more grey and reducing opacity.
Mockups
This sequence illustrates the initial onboarding and profile setup experience. The flow begins with a streamlined login screen designed for ease of access, followed by the profile page where users can view and manage their content. The interface introduces a simplified navigation menu, where core actions like creating a post, reel, or story are easily accessible.
This section highlights the enhanced story-sharing experience, beginning with the content creation screen. Users can now create stories with an intuitive interface that allows easy access to multimedia tools and creative features. A new audience selection feature is integrated, offering the flexibility to share stories with specific groups. Instead of the default "All" or "Close Friends" options, users can now create and select custom groups, allowing for more personalized and targeted sharing. The selection screen is clean and efficient, offering options to filter followers and quickly assign them to custom groups, enhancing the overall sharing experience.
Here, the focus shifts to improving content discovery through an upgraded Explore page. Users can now filter content with a newly added filter bar that lets them toggle between All, Reels, and Posts categories. This functionality allows users to refine their feed and engage with the content that interests them most. The design maintains a visually appealing grid layout, enhancing content visibility while ensuring ease of navigation. This segmented filtering approach addresses the issue of content clutter, offering a more personalized and streamlined discovery process that adapts to the user's preferences.
The final segment showcases the advanced customization capabilities of the profile grid. Users can now rearrange their posts seamlessly through a drag-and-drop interface. This feature moves beyond Instagram’s traditional pinned post system, allowing users to curate their feed dynamically. The grid design supports aesthetic arrangement, making it easier for users to present their content in a more visually cohesive way. The customization process is smooth and intuitive, empowering users to take full control of their content presentation and enhance the creative storytelling aspect of their profiles.
Prototype Walkthrough
Tools Used:
Comments