Qually is part multimedia journal, part cherished album, and part lifelong conversation. Users add whatever they want - pictures, video, and words - and choose who they want to invite to a group. But at its heart, Qually is about what’s behind the photograph...the context that imbues images with personal meaning.
So what's lacking with the way
we create memories now?
It's about relationships,
not a news feed
Users create groups for anything they want, and pick the people they want to invite to the group... a spouse, best friends, an important mentor, or they create a personal album just for themselves.
Direct sharing,
not indirection
"Indirection" is about how many steps you have to take to get what you want.
Qually's mobile interface at the point of sharing is absolutely simple, and follows the natural swipe of your thumb - so you can share with your important groups almost as quickly as thinking it.
Your notes live with the video or image in a meaningful way, so the experience is that much better.
When albums are added to, group members are alerted, and can add to the conversation.
Context makes a photo worth more
FEATURES
Playtime for your memories: a digital sandbox and handwritten gestures
Share to the right people, right when it matters
Sharing moments while retaining privacy
HereNow mode allows group members to share moments into an album, knitting together a collaborative story of their experience. It balances automation with privacy by prompting group members when other members are in photos or nearby.
"In-and-out privileges" to gain customer reach
EQ (Emotional Quality!): Exercises that create memories in a mindful way
More from the deck
(slideshow)
PROCESS
Rough prototypes, user flows, sketches
The Qually logo
A carousel slideshow of your life's moments
Qualitative research, mindful insights
I conducted initial interviews with prospective users about how they communicated and shared moments with people close to them.
I then took insights from that research and prompted a group of 15 participants to document a meaningful moment once a day for a week.
The prompt, sent via text, suggested starting points on what to write about a photograph or video, though they could also make their own.
Participants captured moments and thoughts in a range of subject matters, from inspiration to humor, from quiet reflection to grief.
The major take-aways from the majority of participants were:
"I don't love being reminded by a machine, but I would love do this with someone else."
"I love the idea of a time capsule, I just haven't started one yet."
"I like having prompts, as long as I get to choose if and when I do them."
Memories as assets
Key white papers that influenced the project:
"Awe Expands People’s Perception of Time,
Alters Decision Making, and Enhances Well-Being" - Pyschological Science [link]
Taking Time Seriously" - American Psychologist [link]
"Memories as Assets: Srategic Memory Protection in Choice over Time" - Journal of Consumer Research [link]
"Productivity Orientation and the Consumption of Collectable Experiences" - Journal of Consumer Research [link]
"Happiness from Ordinary and Extraordinary Experiences" - Journal of Consumer Research [link]
"The Intensity of Emotion" - Annual Reviews [link]
"Recalling Mixed Emotions: How Did I Feel Again?" [link]
"The Shifting Meaning of Happiness" - [link]
Visual cues, past and future
