INTEREST- BASED ONBOARDING FLOW
CENTRALIZED PRIVACY DASHBOARD
SMARTER SHOPPING INTEGRATION
Create a single, accessible privacy center with toggles and clear explanations.
→ Increases trust and encourages safer app usage.
Replace intrusive pop-ups with subtle, context-aware product suggestions.
→ Keeps user focus on content while still enabling monetization.
Let users select interest categories at signup to guide the algorithm early.
→ Builds control and relevance from Day 1.
UX Researcher
"I mainly use TikTok or Twitter... My main social media platforms would be TikTok and Twitter. Snapchat too."
"Well, I’m looking at the top here and I see a search thing... I would type in ‘cooking a pizza’ and look at the videos. Looks pretty straightforward."
WHAT USERS SAID
Mythiresh
Sophia Harris
Abena Gyimah
February – March 2025
UX Research
Ethnography
Usability Testing
Competitive Analysis
Affinity Mapping
Figma
Canva
Zoom
Miro
Google Forms
TikTok UX Case Study.
ROLE
TEAM
TIMELINE
SKILLS
TOOLS
Overview
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Synthesizing Insights
After conducting interviews, usability testing, and desk research, we clustered our findings using an affinity mapping process. This helped us uncover patterns in user behavior and emotions related to TikTok’s onboarding, personalization, and privacy features.
No option for preference setting; users immediately dropped into algorithm
Scattered settings, unclear data usage, trust issues reported
Feeds feel random or irrelevant for new users
Shop pop-ups are intrusive and disrupt browsing flow
New users feel confused and skeptical about how the algorithm works
Uses YouTube watch history to suggest content early
Centralized dashboard with clearer controls and language
Content better aligned with prior behavior; more predictable
No integrated shopping; user experience remains video-focused
Offers more visible structure and explanations, building confidence
Competitive Analysis
How Might We Questions
Key Insights
LACK OF ONBOARDING CLARITY
HIDDEN AND UNCLEAR PRIVACY SETTINGS
OVERWHELMING CONTENT FEED
SHOP DISRUPTS EXPERIENCE
YOUTUBE SHORTS BUILDS MORE TRUST
Users couldn’t find controls or felt unsure what data TikTok collects and how it’s used.
Without early personalization, content feels irrelevant or chaotic for first-time users.
TikTok Shop pop-ups break flow and feel disconnected from the user’s intent.
Competitor teardown revealed that Shorts offers a more predictable, user-controlled experience for new users
New users don’t understand why they’re seeing certain videos; there’s no guidance or preference setup.
Recommendations
Research Questions
This project focused on uncovering the usability and trust issues faced by new TikTok users. Working in a 3-member team, we conducted multi-method UX research to explore how TikTok could improve its onboarding, personalization, and privacy experience. The final outcome included key insights and actionable design recommendations.
New TikTok users are first-time social media users or switchers from other platforms who need a clear, personalized, and transparent onboarding experience because it helps them quickly understand the app, build trust, and feel in control of their content journey.
We compared TikTok with YouTube Shorts to understand how both platforms support new users through onboarding, content discovery, and privacy.
Based on these insights, we proposed 3 key solutions to improve TikTok’s new user experience:
Before we began our research, we defined key questions to guide our investigation and focus our methods:
What factors contribute to a positive first-time experience on TikTok?
How do new users perceive TikTok’s content personalization and algorithm?
What concerns do users have around privacy and data use?
How does TikTok compare to platforms like YouTube Shorts in clarity, safety, and usability?
How might we help new TikTok users feel more in control and confident during their first-time experience?
How might we make privacy settings and personalization feel transparent and trustworthy from the start?
Initial research
Target Users
Primarily Gen Z (18–25 years old)
Users concerned about privacy and data transparency
Passive content consumers and non-creators
New users unfamiliar with TikTok’s content algorithm
Research Methods
Desk Research (1P/3P sources)
Ethnographic Observation (Buff Bus riders)
Usability Testing (new, frequent, and infrequent users)
In-Depth Interviews (3 non-users)
Competitive Teardown (TikTok vs YouTube Shorts)