Concise insights that enrich your check‐in experience by revealing intriguing details about you and the places you visit. Each card offers a new perspective, adding a discovery layer that enhances your experience, keeping you engaged with each interaction.

Despite their initial success, users were now finding the Post Check-in Insight (PCI) cards predictable and less engaging. Anticipating specific insights reduced the element of surprise, leading to diminished excitement and engagement. Our goal with the release of Swarm 5.0 was to reintroduce that excitement by revitalising the PCI cards.

01—Discover

Understanding the Problem

While the PCI cards initially sparked enthusiasm, user feedback revealed several issues. The predictability of the cards diminished their appeal, as users could easily anticipate the insights, making the experience feel stale. The repetitive nature of the information and its occasional lack of relevance further contributed to user disengagement. Additionally, the old card design did not align with our updated design language, resulting in visual inconsistency across the app.

Addressing these issues was essential to sustaining user interest and ensuring the feature's value. We wanted to focus on enhancing engagement by introducing more dynamic and varied content to keep users intrigued and excited. Expanding the range of insights and contexts was vital to making the information more valuable and engaging. Below are examples of the old PCI card designs highlighting the need for change.

02—Define

Surveying the Possibilities

We carefully examined data from the existing PCI cards to gain insights into user engagement, and our analysis revealed that some cards experienced a noticeable drop in interaction.

Currently, the PCI cards function as a one-way channel, where the app delivers information to users without input. We wanted to explore allowing users to contribute their content to boost engagement. Shifting to a more interactive model could enhance their relevance and appeal. Our objective was to create a system that involved users in content creation and ensured the quality and accuracy of their contributions.

03—Ideate

New Locations

To boost user engagement, we adopted a location-driven strategy for introducing PCI Cards across key screens in the app, focusing on high-traffic areas to tailor content based on user behaviour. This approach would allow us to test with a select group of users before a wider rollout, ensuring each prompt maximises impact and aligns with the user and company'scompany's needs.

• Me Tab (homepage): Display PCI cards for actions such as allowing app updates, enabling location permissions, rating a place, or writing a tip.
• Social Tab (secondary view): Encourage social engagement by expanding the friend network and leaving comments on popular check-ins.
• User Profile (avatar in the top left): Provide timely reminders, such as expiring streaks or visiting saved places.
• Check-in Detail: Show personalised stats and prompts, such as When you last visited [Venue Name]? How many times have you checked in at [Venue Name]? Who have you checked in with the most? When was the last time you checked in with [Friend]? How many [Category Type] have you visited in the previous week/month/year?

By aligning card content with user activity in specific views, we should deliver relevant, engaging prompts that foster interaction and create a cohesive experience.

New Concepts

The ideation phase presented some challenges as we sought to balance engaging, playful elements with essential functional needs while incorporating our new idea of user-generated content. To achieve this, we pulled together a small team with varying levels of experience and usage of the app to foster a wide range of ideas to enhance the user experience.

As we explored new content ideas, trivia emerged as a key direction. It promised to enhance our focus on three critical data points: your relationship with a category or place, your connection to other individuals (if you checked in with them), and the ability to validate existing Foursquare data and verify new information acquired from third-party data sources.

Structured brainstorming sessions enabled us to explore various trivia ideas and assess their potential impact while continuous feedback loops—gathered through company-wide polls on Slack—further enriched our question set, making it more relevant and compelling.

New Aesthetics

Content freshness wasn't the only challenge we encountered. The visual design of the cards also elicited varied reactions from users. Earlier app versions focused heavily on gamification and included graphical elements such as Foursquare's mascot, Marsbot, and other characters that some users found less appealing.

As Swarm moved towards a new visual direction, we aimed to simplify the design while enhancing its overall impact. The latest PCI cards feature a cleaner, modern aesthetic with distinct sections for imagery, copy, and calls to action. With the content now housed inside a subtly rounded white rectangle with a soft drop shadow, this design ensures a versatile and appealing presentation of various content types.

04—Test

Testing and Feedback

While we weren't introducing a new feature, our confidence in building upon the existing PCI cards stemmed from their tried-and-tested foundation. However, we leaned heavily on data-driven insights and iterative testing to ensure the redesign resonated with users.

We conducted A/B testing to compare different designs and content variations. This approach allowed us to refine the cards based on fundamental user interactions. We experimented with various elements, such as the timing and sequence of trivia cards, and even tested reserving special cards for unique check-ins to maximise engagement. This iterative process was instrumental in enhancing the cards' effectiveness and ensuring they were functional and engaging.

User feedback played a crucial role in shaping the final design. For instance, one user commented, "The challenges are so cool—they make me want to get out and do something so I can answer more questions about myself!" This feedback validated our approach and highlighted the success of the new design. By simplifying the visual language and focusing on user preferences, we addressed past issues and created PCI cards that better suited our audience's needs and expectations.

05—Release

Room for Improvement

Despite the positive reception, there is always room for further refinement. Ongoing user feedback has highlighted a few areas for potential improvements, such as fine-tuning the balance between interactive and informational content. Additionally, some performance metrics did not fully meet expectations, indicating room to optimise certain aspects of the cards. Exploring new features or functionalities, such as expanded trivia options or personalised content, would enhance the user experience.