Rich Bartlett
Cover image for GoPro App Redesign

User Experience

GoPro App Redesign

making gopro fun and easy for all—a faster path from capture to share with ‘Magic Movie’.

RoleUX/UI DesignerYear2021Duration6 WeeksTeamSolo Project
MobileiOSGoProUX ResearchUsability Testing
dark-styled mobile screens showing a magic movie flow for the gopro app

GoPro App Redesign

making gopro fun and easy for all

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Project Scope & Constraints

Brief: I developed an iOS app concept for GoPro that addresses current app limitations and appeals to millennials—differentiating from instagram, vsco, snapchat.

Constraints: must be iOS-compatible; suggested tech must exist now or within 12 months.

Opportunity: go beyond photo viewing/editing to boost creativity and engagement while aligning to GoPro's adventurous ethos.

Target Audience: millennials interested in capturing, editing and sharing photo/video.

Critical pain points to address:

  • Limited dynamic features that push creative boundaries
  • Weaker engagement than rival photo platforms

The Problem

Creating an auto-movie felt slow and opaque (vs QUIKSTORY); overall usability, feature clarity and usefulness needed to improve to encourage in-app editing.

The Solution

A redesigned magic movie flow with clearer entry points, faster assembly, stronger feedback, and supportive features (e.g., cloud import, learning content, social/shop). The hi-fi prototype achieved SUS 84.25 (≈ 80th percentile, graded A) with positive feedback on intuitiveness and usefulness.

Design Process

I followed the Double Diamond model: 1) Discover → 2) Define → 3) Develop → 4) Deliver.

Discover

Goals: understand action-cam user needs, language and workflows; compare competing apps; identify opportunities.

Methods: surveys (Q2), 1:1 interviews (Q1), contextual enquiry (Q1), competitor analysis, desk research.

Targets: 20+ survey; 3–5 interviews/contextual; 1–3 competitors.

Contextual enquiry (task: insta story from fresh GoPro footage):

Selected research highlights:

  • Surveys (n=5): 75% did not use the app to edit/create; average GoPro use ~2.4 times/month; largest group 25–34.
  • Interviews: frequent outdoor use (diving/surf/skate/family); common connectivity issues ("NoGo" nickname); misconceptions about app capabilities.
  • Contextual task: end-to-end ~25 minutes with rising frustration—clear scope for simplification.
  • Competitors: most free/freemium; auto-movie features present elsewhere; value in third-party cloud import, music options, video/music editors; overlap with hardware-linked apps (DJI GO 4, Dive+).
  • Market notes (timeline excerpt): 2004 first 35-mm HERO; 2015 revenue peak $1.62b; 2016 Karma drone failure/layoffs; 2018 >100 countries; 2020 ReelSteady acquisition & pandemic cuts; 2020 HERO9; 2021 underwater camera growth projected.

Define

Hypothesis: adventurers (20s–30s) are motivated to create/share video narratives.

Key concepts: home hub; global navigation; faster auto-movie; cloud storage (Drive/Dropbox/iCloud); social & shop.

Develop

Lo-fi wireframes → tests (maze + face-to-face); iterative fixes:

  • Checkboxes instead of swipes
  • Explicit loading indicators
  • Consistent back placement (top-left)

Deliver

Success criteria: faster than QUIKSTORY; new features with familiarity; practical usefulness that encourages in-app editing.

Hi-fi prototype overview
View Interactive Hi-Fi (Figma)

Testing & Results

Heuristic Review (Selected)

  • No clear home (user control & freedom)
  • Missing in-app guidance (help & documentation)
  • Unclear workflow (consistency & standards)
  • Misaligned priorities vs core task (aesthetic & minimalist design)

Design Principles

  • Consistency with GoPro language/labels/colour
  • Deference to content (iOS HIGs)
  • Useful feedback and reduced cognitive load
  • Accessibility targeting WCAG AA/AAA contrast
  • Direct manipulation with familiar gestures

Testing Methods & Metrics

  • Methods: lo-fi (maze + in-person) → hi-fi (useberry + figma).
  • Hi-fi participants/metrics: n=10; age 26–41; gender 50/50; 90% native English; 16 Qs; desktop; avg 13:52; 100% completion.
  • SUS: industry avg 68; redesign 84.25 (≈ 80th percentile, "A").

Satisfaction Snapshots

  • Creating a movie: 80% happy/very satisfied; 20% neutral
  • Adjusting volume: mixed → improvement area
  • Sharing a movie: 100% happy/very satisfied

Interface Optimisations (from testing)

Checkboxes for selection; loading states between steps; consistent back button; added frames for logical continuity; pruned non-essential buttons.

Outcomes

  • Faster, clearer magic movie flow and stronger feedback loops.
  • Quantitative improvement (SUS 84.25) with supporting qualitative comments.
  • Roadmap foundation: cloud import, learning content, social/store.

Challenges & Learnings

  • Remote testing quirks (mouse vs touch; prototype clickability).
  • Early question bias—importance of neutral task phrasing.
  • My first extensive use of Figma + remote testing platform; value of SUS as a simple comparable measure.

Future Iterations & Ideas

  • Rotate/edit in landscape; prioritise most valuable mobile editing tools; explore a GoPro social channel; refine QuikStory → Magic Movie onboarding; continue accessibility checks.

Interested in the process behind the polish?

I can walk you through research artefacts and test recordings on request.

Contact me