Web/Mobile App Critique
We were required to research and write reviews of an online or mobile app that we were already familiar with during Week 2 of TEC 101: Foundations of Information Technology & Literacy, we will assess the usability, design, and operation of the app. Utilize screenshots to demonstrate the functionality of the app and to offer at least three suggestions for enhancements.
If you didn't already know, Instagram is an app where you can post photographs, videos, and stories to share with your friends and family or complete strangers. I will be reviewing Instagram for its usability, design, and functionality. Instagram is an app that enables commenting and liking, as well as syndicating these uploads to other social media platforms like Facebook.A social networking site, as mentioned in chapter 6, links people together based on shared interests, histories, relationships in real life, etc. (Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S., 2019).
Instagram is estimated to have” 2 billion active users, placing it fourth among the world's largest social media platforms as of 2022, according to the Demand Sage blog.” (Ruby, 2022). 4 of the top 6 social networks are owned by the parent company Facebook (Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram).
Usability: I think Instagram is really simple to use and browse. Instagram's layout is incredibly simple and clean, which makes it easier for users to find the important features to interact with and keeps the focus on the content. The majority of the icons have clear explanations ( as shown below). Instagram does an excellent job of assisting new users in getting started by offering helpful prompts. The app could be viewed on a desktop, laptop, any phone or tablet but depending where you view the app it layout might look different but all the functions are the same. Instagram makes getting support and help really easy since they have blogs and blogs for any questions or tips you might need to get started on the app.
Design:
I think Instagram's design is straightforward, and I adore how the add photo button is centered so it's simple to press—especially for people using Apple phones, since the button is closest to my thumb when holding the device. The design of Instagram is among its greatest benefits. You would anticipate it to be clumsy and slow with so much graphic stuff. Instagram, on the other hand, is incredibly tidy and ordered.
As you can see, each indicator's function is explained by its icon. For example, clicking the house button returns you to the home page or main dashboard where you can browse your followers' posts. Clicking the micro glasses icon opens the search bar, where you may look up users and hashtags.You can view your likes, follows, and notifications by clicking the heart button.
Setting up your profile and its appearance on your own profile is rather simple. On Instagram, your settings, photographs, and videos can all be found under your profile. You may view your shared content as well as a list of the users you follow and their followers here. You can also alter your profile information and change your account settings there.To access your profile, click the image of your profile on the left.
Functionality:
As I've mentioned a few times already, Instagram's functionality is very straightforward. It offers reels, QR scan codes to help you find friends and add them to your following list, the ability to mute stories and posts from followers, and filtering word comments that prevent people from posting offensive language in your comment sections.
Instagram makes it simple to comment, like, and communicate all with a single click or tap. Therefore, nothing is out of reach, and finding commands doesn't need digging into settings.I am very happy of Instagram for making the data helpful for observing community outreach. Thanks to my business, I have connected with people I never would have otherwise met.
https://about.instagram.com/features
Three recommendations:
One recommendation I have is that Instagram could provide a built-in prompt for adding a brief description of the image, along with a brief explanation or an example of best-practice alt text.
As a user, I have well over 100 ghost or scam accounts in my notifications, thus my second recommendation is to solve the bots and phony accounts. There are many spam accounts out there that either pose as someone or a company they are not, or both. There are occasionally phony profiles that spam you, although this is not very common.
My final suggestion is to cut back on the advertisements and correct the dashboard time line since sometimes I don't even see what my friends are posting, and the feed isn't chronologically arranged to display posts in the order that they were most recently made. It converted to an algorithm-based feed that displays articles it deems to be most relevant to you.
My final thoughts and review
I think Instagram is a fairly good tool that works well for what it's intended to do and they make content creation so enjoyable and simple. What Instagram should give its users is crystal clear. Additionally, you can exchange stories, which vanish after a day. Since I use the app so frequently and it has become a part of my daily life, I would suggest it.
References
Deshkulkarni. (2017, October 2). Logo [Reflection point: Usability, Accessibility, and Ethics of Instagram]. https://medium.com/@dharti.47/reflection-point-usability-accessibility-and-ethics-of-instagram-4627418cb23b
Ruby. (2022, December 21). https://www.demandsage.com/. https://www.demandsage.com/instagram-statistics/#:~:text=With%202%20billion%20active%20users,networks%20globally%20as%20of%20202
Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2019). Computing technology for all. zyBooks.
https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/new-ways-to-control-what-you-see-on-instagram/
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