In the highly competitive web browser market, Brave, a relatively new browser, prioritizes speed and privacy over everything. With its built-in privacy and security software, Brave is able to load web pages faster than other browsers by carrying no cookies or trackers between addresses and tabs. To circumvent the abolishment of all ads and trackers, Brave offers private ads directly through the browser as an opt-to-view model. However, Brave needs to find a way to increase its market share in a market dominated by Chrome. In this project, the aim was to design a strategy that would enable Brave to disrupt the browser market and improve its usability and UX. Using a human-centred design approach, insights were gathered and synthesized throughout the design process.
Outcome
Through research and user insights, it was discovered that users prioritize speed, convenience, and interconnected functionalities/ecosystems in web browsers. Privacy and transparency are also important, but often viewed as less trustworthy. Users abuse the multi-tasking tab functionality, and basic browser organization features are not utilized due to the cluttered behaviours of browsing the web. Category-based browsing, such as 'browsing the news,' makes up between 30% to 60% of user traffic depending on the user segment category.
Brave, a privacy-focused browser, lacks user engagement and drivers of community growth, leading to stagnation in the market. The outcome of this project was a prototype that creates a greater incentive for users to switch to this platform and ensure it fosters community growth. The current model of earning rewards and tipping creators could be leveraged as the foundation for an ecosystem. The browser could serve as a platform that connects content creators and users while maintaining privacy and speed, allowing users to follow creators and sites through a personalized feed.
I’ve learned that convenience is crucial for users, and minimalistic designs are often preferred over complex ones. Ecosystems that allow users or developers to create value for the product can lead to more scalable and successful products. Finally, understanding and identifying unique selling points (USPs) is key to evaluating the value proposition of a design solution and its feasibility in the market.
