A feature design for Instagram that promotes digital wellbeing while maintaining user engagement through gamification and rewards
Instagram thrives on the time spent by users on the app but the users struggle to balance the time they spend on the app.
Instagram, owned by Meta, encourages high engagement through features like reels, stories and scrolling. The global users are not only individuals that want to be entertained, but also content creators and business owners who want to continue engaging with their audience.
I focused on designing smarter time-management features for Instagram that help users track their screen time, separate work and personal usage, reduce distractions with focus mode to build healthier digital habits.
Project:
Social Media & Wellbeing
Role:
Timeline:
4 Weeks
Tools:
Platform:
Add on Feature- Instagram
Flow 1- Set Reminder for snooze
Flow 2 -Reward for Pause and Exit
What does a user actually go through?
Before opening Instagram
1.Opens Instagram for a quick break from stress or boredom.
2.Plans to spend only a few minutes browsing.
During scrolling
1.Gets caught in endless scrolling through Reels and Stories.
2.Loses track of time while browsing content.
3.Experiences a mix of entertainment, comparison and overstimulation.
Mid-usage realization
1.Brief awareness: I have been here too long.
2.But continues scrolling due to habit loop, fear of missing out something, no natural stopping.
After over usage
1.User feels time wasted with mental fatigue, slight guilt about no productive time spent.
2.Repeats the same behavior later
What they need in this experience?
Seamless Experience
1.Non-intrusive prompts that don't interrupt enjoyment of the app.
2.A feature that feels like a natural part of Instagram.
3.Simple interactions that require minimal effort from users.
Persona
Through interviews with 9 Instagram users from diverse backgrounds, I identified common patterns in how people engage with the platform. The personas below represent the primary user groups and insights that guided the design process.
Affinity Map
By organizing research findings into themes, the affinity map revealed users' behaviors, challenges, and motivations, helping guide design decisions and shape the solution.
Design Approach
Using a user-centered approach, the design helps users maintain a balanced relationship with Instagram through awareness, thoughtful guidance and habit-building features.
Project Goals
Based on user interviews and research, the project aimed to help users use Instagram more mindfully by balancing work and entertainment time through increased awareness, control, and healthy usage habits.
Business & Users
Build trust by showing care about user health.
Help people who use Instagram for work stay "work-separated"
User & Technical
Making the "personal vs. work" switch work behind the scenes
Using phone's own settings to make sure Focus Mode really blocks distractions
Feature Set
Based on user research, I prioritized features that encourage awareness, reflection, and intentional use through a gentle, non-intrusive add-on experience.
User & Task Flows
Designing a gentle focus feature that helps users stay aware of their screen time, recognize overuse and refocus on their original intent without interrupting their experience.
Mid Fidelity
Mid fidelity in digital format was a valuable part of the process, allowing ideas to be explored quickly and refined before developing them into wireframes
Style Guide
Following Instagram's visual language, I used familiar colors and positive reward cues to encourage intentional breaks from scrolling.
High Fidelity
High fidelity interactive prototype with clearly defined key screens, navigation and complete user flows aligned with research insights and user goals. User flows interactive links are added below.
User Testing
Iterations 1
User flow 2- Clarified pause Vs snooze actions
Based on feedback, I clarified the distinction between the Pause and Snooze actions and maintained a consistent button order across screens.
These changes reduced confusion, supported muscle memory and made the experience more intuitive.
Iterations 2
User Flow 2- Added context to smart scroll feature
Based on user testing feedback, I added more context to the Smart Scroll feature to improve user understanding.
I also refined the confirmation and motivation screens to better communicate the value of the feature and reinforce the benefits of mindful Instagram use.
Iterations 3
User Flow 3- Refined snooze timing clarity
User testing revealed confusion about how long the snooze feature would remain active. To address this, I added clear snooze time options, helping users understand exactly how long the pause would last before making a selection.
Iterations 4
User Flow 3-Added context to smart scroll feature
User testing showed that some users were unsure when the Smart Scroll snooze reminder would reappear. To improve clarity, I added brief explanatory text that set expectations and helped users better understand how the feature works.
Final Result with Solution
A smarter Instagram: where mindful use meets thriving platform.
Not about stopping usage, about improving the experience
