YouTube Shorts Features Save to Watch Later | Save to playlist | Download | UX UI Case Study |Micro Flow

Sheron G Gabriel
6 min readJan 26, 2023

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Let me take you through my Microflow design challenge. I have chosen to focus on YouTube and specifically on the “YouTube Shorts” feature.

The reason to select this Microflow project

I have chosen a microflow for my Microflow design challenge and intend to improve it to create a more effective version.

I have selected the YouTube Shorts platform to add new features such as “Save to Watch Later,” “Save to Playlist,” and “Download” as part of my Microflow design challenge.

A small change can have a significant impact on user experience and business outcomes. A larger project may encompass multiple microflows, and improving one microflow can be equivalent to enhancing a bigger project.

I am enthusiastic about working on the microflow of YouTube Shorts as it will have a great impact on the user experience and business outcomes

Figure out the area to enhance the user experience in the Existing design

I select the microflow on YouTube.

Select the “YouTube Shorts -> Save to Watch Later, Save to playlist and Download”

Problem

On YouTube, users can also “Save to Watch Later, Save to playlist and Download” regular videos, but users couldn’t “Save to Watch Later, Save to playlist and Download” the YouTube Shorts.

YouTube is the second most searched platform in the world.

Currently, most social media platforms provide Shorts videos. In the current trend, more people will watch Shorts videos. In secondary research data, more users will be interested the Shorts videos mention data in below.

➡️https://influencermarketinghub.com/short-form-video/85% of marketers say that videos are an effective strategy to grab people’s attention online

➡️https://www.entrepreneur.com/science-technology/shorter-videos-are-in-demand-heres-how-different-social/393036 — Shorter Videos Are In Demand.

➡️https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/short-form-video-trends — HubSpot Blog’s 2022 Marketing Industry Trends Survey, we found that more than half of marketers (51%) who use short-form video plan to increase their investment in 2022.

Short videos are a powerful form of content that can convey a lot of information in a short period of time. While many of these videos are used for future reference, there currently isn’t an option for users to save them on YouTube.

Currently, to use a video in the future, users can like the video and then find it in the “Liked Videos” section. Another option is to search for the video by title, but this may not be effective if the user cannot remember the proper title. The user can also check the history page to locate the video again.

These options can be quite time-consuming and challenging for the user.

Solution

At present, users are increasingly consuming more Shorts videos, and social media platforms are placing a greater emphasis on this form of content.

In Jacobs laws “Users spend most of their time on other sites”

On other social media platforms, there is an option for users to save videos for future reference.

YouTube’s regular videos already have the functions of “Save to Watch Later, Save to playlist and Download” available. To enhance the user experience, it is proposed to include the same functionality in YouTube Shorts. These 3 features, “Save to Watch Later, Save to playlist, and Download” will aid users in saving videos for future reference or watching them during their free time.

Benefits to the user and Business Impact

The new design incorporates user control and freedom, providing flexibility and efficiency of use, which will assist users in feeling that they have a level of control over the platform at all times.

It will decrease the session duration on the platform.

Adding the features of “Save to Watch Later, Save to playlist and Download” to YouTube Shorts will provide users with the ability to easily save videos for future reference or watch them during their free time, which will improve their overall experience on the platform.

The inclusion of these features will lead to an increase in the amount of time spent on YouTube. As the time spent on the platform increases, so will the revenue generated.

With the added features of “Save to Watch Later, Save to playlist and Download”, users will be able to easily save videos for future reference or watch them during their free time. The “Save to Playlist” function will assist users in creating specific lists of videos for specific categories, making it easier for them to find and access the videos they want to watch. The “Download” feature will also benefit users by allowing them to watch videos even in areas with no network coverage.

My Process

The process I used for this UX problem was the design thinking process.

This process has 5 main processes:

1. Empathise

2. Define

3. Ideation

4. Prototype

5. Testing

After Brainstorming I find some ideas and choose an appropriate idea to create a low-fidelity design. This low-fidelity design has led to the main design.

Draw the low-fidelity make prototype. The low-fidelity Prototype was possible with the help of “The Marvel app”.

https://marvelapp.com/prototype/2i1hd28g?

After completing it I went on to make a High-fidelity prototype in Figma.

After completing the design. Assign a task to the user, it helps to validate the design. The design is fine if the user performs the task quickly. If the user has faced any difficulty, then the design should be redesigned again and checked.

The task for the user

👉🏻 Can you “Save to Watch Later” the YouTube Shorts videos?

👉🏻Can you “Save to playlist” the YouTube Shorts videos?

👉🏻 Can you Download the YouTube Shorts videos?

Observe the user

➡️Does the user easily complete the task?

The user expresses great excitement at the prospect of the “Save to Watch Later, Save to playlist and Download” functions being added to YouTube Shorts videos.

Before — Users couldn’t “Save to Watch Later |Save to playlist | Download” the YouTube Short videos

After — the user will “Save to Watch Later |Save to playlist | and Download” the YouTube Short videos.

✅Key Learnings

A problem should be identified and make a solution to the problem, should be found within a short period. To brainstorm to find possible solutions for the problem.

To make the founded solution in a real working model. First Draw the low-fidelity and convert it into a high-fidelity. Check this design with the user. The user is not satisfied and works again. Find a better solution.

A full project will include many microflows. Improving a microflow is equal to a bigger project.

The change in the “microflow” design process is equally valid to the full-fledged app.

🚩Learning from existing design

Every design is a several days designer’s effort. Find how the designers design a user-centric model. How the designer uses the “Heuristic Evaluation”. How to diagnose the problem with “Heuristic Evaluation”.

It helps to improve design thinking and find the proper solution to the problem.

🚩Learning in Usability testing

Find a problem and make a solution to the particular problem. It’s work? Is the right solution so user can easily complete their task.

Checking the solution with real users is very interesting and finds the user behavior to the particular task. If the user isn’t satisfied again, work with the problem and find a solution.

🙏🏽Thank you for your valuable time to read this article! 😃

Comment 💬your feedback

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