Strap

Simplifying Film Photography for Modern Events

I joined Strap from its inception, taking on responsibilities in branding, UI/UX design, and onboarding flows. The mission was to create a seamless experience for disposable cameras that would deliver digital scans of photos directly to users' phones.

The challenge

As Strap gained popularity for its ease of use and nostalgic appeal, we encountered challenges from new use cases. Through interviews and observational studies at real events, we uncovered critical user behaviors: ‍

  • Admins wanted more control when configuring their cameras, specifically over permissions with photo sharing. Admins of large events (weddings, clubs, parties, etc.) wanted better control over cameras and photo sharing.
  • Guests at events interacted with cameras by posing for or taking photos, but not all guests scanned the camera's QR code. Those who did, often didn't realize that scanning a single camera wouldn't grant them access to all event photos.

Our goal

‍Given user feedback, our goal of the redesign was to keep the same simplicity of the core product that was working —While also empowering admins to manage events seamlessly and make it effortless for event guests to participate in photo sharing. 

Admin needs

  • Effortless onboarding. 
  • Ability to configure private/public photo sharing.
  • Options to connect and manage multiple cameras.

Guest needs

  • A way to join all cameras at the event without having to scan each camera individually. 
  • A simple way to invite friends that didn't scan the QR code.

Prototyping the onboarding flow ‍

When talking to users, we discovered that camera owners were usually the first to scan the QR code during unboxing. Based on this insight, we designed the system to automatically assign admin rights to the first user who scans the QR code.

Privacy settings‍

After entering their information, the next step in the onboarding flow is to configure privacy settings. This allowed the admin to enable or disable the scan-to-join photo sharing feature for friends.

‍Linking cameras‍

I designed a simple solution for connecting multiple cameras by incorporating a step into the onboarding flow that prompts users to connect additional cameras. If they opted to connect another camera, they were prompted to enter the unique ID associated with each QR code. Just like that, multiple cameras are linked to the same event with the same configuration. We also displayed the number of connected cameras so that admins could confidently know which cameras were connected.

Now, admins could simply connect multiple cameras into a single event, enabling guests to join all cameras with one scan.

Setup complete

‍Once the user had gone through the steps of the admin onboarding, it was time to go capture photos. But we wanted this experience to feel different and exciting. 

Rather than immediately landing a user on a connected screen, I added a loader animation and a slight wait time to add labor illusion to this step. The wait time and animation added a magic touch that almost made it feel like your phone was actually connecting to the camera via bluetooth.

Admin dashboard‍

Previously, users hit a dead end after joining a camera. I designed a dashboard to give admins better insights to their photo sharing, camera tools, and a link that they could re-visit. Strap had a list of users that had joined each camera, but the user had no insights to this data. So I came up with a design that showcased which friends had joined the camera. I am especially proud of this because it was a way to use data that Strap already had, but wasn't being utilized. 


Dashboard info


Dashboard controls

Testing with users

We tested prototypes with users and got really good feedback. Admins loved the additional control over their cameras with private and public settings. But some users had unique use cases where they needed to add or edit admins. 

Revised dashboard functionality

To keep admin controls flexible, we added the ability to add and edit admins from the dashboard.

I came up with a way to enhance the cameras' sophistication and give users more control. Previously, setting a camera to private disabled the scan-to-join feature, creating a dead end for users. I thought, why stop there? Instead, I proposed allowing users to see that the camera was private and send a friend request to the admin. My assumption was that while admins wanted privacy, they might still want to give selective access to others.
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So I designed and prototyped what that experience would look like for guests trying to join a private camera. As well as how admins could view and manage friend requests. 

‍Guest onboarding

Results

User feedback

We conducted surveys across events like weddings and club nights. Admins reported higher satisfaction with streamlined tools for managing photo sharing permissions. Users enjoyed the “magic” moment when they were connecting to their cameras which made it feel like there was an element of bluetooth connection. Guests loved the social aspect of inviting friends and appreciated the convenience of one-scan access.

Impact

Reflection

I am especially proud of this product because it reinforced the value of UI/UX design. By being creative, I was able to find new ways for Strap to add value to their product by utilizing data that they already had. Using a disposable camera that was no different than any others, we were able to create a truly memorable experience. By empathizing with user needs and staying true to Strap’s mission, we created a product that perfectly aligns with Strap's mission “Because Moments Matter.”