Discord

Context

Discord is a popular communication platform primarily used for gaming communities. It offers features like voice and video chat, text channels, server creation, role management, and bots. While widely used by gamers, Discord has applications in various communities, including education, hobbies, and businesses. But it is observed that many user face usability issues in the app.

My Role

Usability Tester and Observer

Informal review, Heuristic evaluation, Affinity mapping

3 weeks

Team project

Tools

Figma, Notion, OBS studio

About test

Informal review

Heuristic evaluation

About Usability test

Goals

  1. To understand the effectiveness and experience of the entire app

  2. To evaluate the onboarding experience

  3. To understand user pain points and initial learning curve

Objectives

  1. Understand how users currently go about chat on discord

  2. Evaluate pain point customers are experiencing in using discord

Preparation

Before diving into the testing, our team planned the test scenarios, user tasks, and set up the testing environment. Discord was the canvas, and we were eager to explore how users would navigate and interact.

Participant Diversity

We engaged six participants, deliberately including two individuals unfamiliar with Discord. This mix aimed to capture diverse perspectives, from seasoned users to newcomers.

Usability issues

Usability issues:

Complex Onboarding: New users sometimes found Discord's onboarding process to be overwhelming. Creating a server, inviting friends, and understanding the various features and settings could be confusing for those not familiar with the platform.

(Severity rating: 7/10)*

Complex Onboarding: New users sometimes found Discord's onboarding process to be overwhelming. Creating a server, inviting friends, and understanding the various features and settings could be confusing for those not familiar with the platform.

(Severity rating: 7/10)*

Complex Onboarding: New users sometimes found Discord's onboarding process to be overwhelming. Creating a server, inviting friends, and understanding the various features and settings could be confusing for those not familiar with the platform.

(Severity rating: 7/10)*

Server Management: Server management can be challenging, particularly for users who are members of multiple servers. Finding specific channels or settings within a server, as well as managing notifications and roles, could be confusing.

(Severity rating: 9/10)*

Server Management: Server management can be challenging, particularly for users who are members of multiple servers. Finding specific channels or settings within a server, as well as managing notifications and roles, could be confusing.

(Severity rating: 9/10)*

Server Management: Server management can be challenging, particularly for users who are members of multiple servers. Finding specific channels or settings within a server, as well as managing notifications and roles, could be confusing.

(Severity rating: 9/10)*

Notification Overload: Discord can generate a lot of notifications, especially in busy servers. Users sometimes found it challenging to customize and manage their notification settings effectively to reduce noise.

(Severity rating: 6/10)*

Notification Overload: Discord can generate a lot of notifications, especially in busy servers. Users sometimes found it challenging to customize and manage their notification settings effectively to reduce noise.

(Severity rating: 6/10)*

Notification Overload: Discord can generate a lot of notifications, especially in busy servers. Users sometimes found it challenging to customize and manage their notification settings effectively to reduce noise.

(Severity rating: 6/10)*

Navigation: Primary and secondary navigation in discord is complex and confusing

(Severity rating: 9/10)*

Navigation: Primary and secondary navigation in discord is complex and confusing

(Severity rating: 9/10)*

Navigation: Primary and secondary navigation in discord is complex and confusing

(Severity rating: 9/10)*

*Severity rating is given on the following factor:

  • Area of maximum frustration

  • Point where people exit/avoid using it.

  • Utility and usability of the feature and how well it is executed

*Severity rating is given on the following factor:

  • Area of maximum frustration

  • Point where people exit/avoid using it.

  • Utility and usability of the feature and how well it is executed

*Severity rating is given on the following factor:

  • Area of maximum frustration

  • Point where people exit/avoid using it.

  • Utility and usability of the feature and how well it is executed

Selected Tasks

  1. Create a server

  2. Invite a friend to your server

  3. Join a voice/video channel

  4. Delete your server

Selected Tasks

  1. Create a server

  2. Invite a friend to your server

  3. Join a voice/video channel

  4. Delete your server

Informal review

Heuristic Evaluation

Conclusion

To Sum up the takeaway of this usability testing on Discord, and the usability issues that users are facing, this is the cause we have found…


Complex initial learning curve and user’s different mental working model than the other streaming and messaging apps

To Sum up the takeaway of this usability testing on Discord, and the usability issues that users are facing, this is the cause we have found…


Complex initial learning curve and user’s different mental working model than the other streaming and messaging apps

To Sum up the takeaway of this usability testing on Discord, and the usability issues that users are facing, this is the cause we have found…


Complex initial learning curve and user’s different mental working model than the other streaming and messaging apps

My reflections

Usability Testing Journey on Discord

As an observer in our usability testing team, the journey through the Discord usability testing was an new and fun experience to me.

Observing User Interactions

As an observer, witnessing the users' interactions with Discord, I had to be akin to not just their digital interaction but also their body language and expression. The diverse approaches, from effortless navigation to hesitant clicks, provided valuable cues about the platform's user-friendliness.

The unexpected challenges tested not only our technical prowess but also our patience through the repetition of the introduction due to reshooting

Overall the project was the most fun experience for me🤗

Overall the project was the most fun experience for me🤗

Other Works 👉

Prarth

Prarth is a Unified ticket booking app for famous temples of India along with excellent storytelling and immersive AR experience. It will help streamline you spiritual trip.

Research

Research

Research

B2C

B2C

B2C

Aggregate model

Aggregate model

Aggregate model

Storytelling

Storytelling

Storytelling

UI

UI

UI

AR

AR

AR

@2025 | Made with 💜 by Kranti Bhagat

☝️

Create a free website with Framer, the website builder loved by startups, designers and agencies.