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Chapter 3 · Aperture

Research & User Insights

Research approach and the qualitative and quantitative insights that shaped priorities.

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Research Approach

To understand why users were disengaging, I combined:

  • Qualitative feedback (user comments and themes)
  • Quantitative data (exit surveys and usage patterns)

Methodology

  • Synthesized qualitative insights to identify friction in the editing flow
  • Analyzed churn and engagement data to pinpoint drop‑off moments
  • Used rapid prototypes and usability checks to validate early assumptions

Key Qualitative Insights

Recurring themes from user feedback included:

  • Too many ads disrupting creative flow
  • Feature overload causing confusion
  • Difficulty discovering advanced filters
  • Concerns around app reliability and trust

Quantitative Findings

Exit survey analysis revealed:

  • Younger users (18–24) cited feature confusion as a primary reason for leaving
  • Older users (35+) reported ad fatigue and perceived lack of value
  • A majority of churned users had never used filters, despite filters being a top engagement driver

Key Insight

The problem was not the lack of features, but the lack of clarity and discoverability.