FPV Disposable Camera & Events
FPV Disposable Camera & Events is a unique mobile application that blends nostalgia with modern social experiences. It allows users to create events, share them with friends, and collectively gather images in one place. Additionally, the app utilizes App Clips for seamless event participation via scanning, eliminating the need for a full app download.
🚀 Enabled event hosts to monetize photo sharing while driving 35% higher user participation and cutting support requests by automating guest onboarding and content distribution.
Problem
Event organizers struggle to engage attendees in photo sharing while managing complex upload, privacy, and distribution workflows.
Research & Insights
Through market research and user interviews, we discovered:
Users enjoy sharing event photos but find it tedious to collect them from different sources.
There is a growing interest in vintage aesthetics and delayed gratification in photography.
Event-based media sharing should be quick and easy, especially in social settings.
Design process
1. Wireframing & User Flow
I started with low-fidelity wireframes to outline the primary flows:
Creating and joining events
Camera interface (simple, minimal controls, vintage feel)
Viewing & sharing collected photos in one shared album
Integrating App Clips for instant access via scanning
2. Visual Design & Prototyping
I aimed for a design that resonated with disposable cameras:
Muted color palette & film-inspired textures
Intuitive, tap-based interactions mimicking real film cameras
Event-based photo aggregation for collective memories
App Clips integration, allowing seamless event participation
3. Usability Testing & Iterations
After testing with a pilot group, we refined:
Simplified onboarding to quickly explain the concept.
Event invitation flows for better usability.
Optimized App Clips experience for frictionless scanning and participation.
4. MVP Scoping
We prioritized rapid QR-based guest onboarding for v1 to minimize setup friction while deferring more advanced privacy features to later iterations based on user feedback.
5. Technical tradeoff
To ensure real-time photo availability without overwhelming server costs, we optimized photo upload batching and caching mechanisms.
Collaboration
Partnered closely with event organizers to gather real-world pain points, collaborated with PMs to prioritize features, and worked alongside engineers to scope technical feasibility, develop QR integrations, and ensure smooth deployment.
Outcome & Impact
Increased guest photo participation by 35%.
Reduced organizer management time by ~50% via automated workflows.
Enabled new revenue streams with paid customization and branded QR experiences.
Supported over 50 events within the first 3 months.
Reduced guest support issues by simplifying onboarding flows.
What didn't go well and solutions
While the app achieved great engagement, some challenges arose:
User confusion with App Clips: Some users unfamiliar with App Clips had difficulty understanding how to access the event without downloading the full app.
Limited editing features: Users requested basic photo editing tools, which were initially omitted to maintain the disposable camera experience.
Scalability concerns: As event participation grew, backend infrastructure had to be improved to handle a higher volume of uploads efficiently.
Discovery challenges: Many users found the app through word-of-mouth rather than organic discovery in the App Store, indicating room for marketing improvements.
Key Learnings
Simplifying participant entry points (QR, App Clips) dramatically improved engagement. Early stakeholder alignment on monetization and privacy tradeoffs ensured technical constraints didn’t block rapid delivery.
Follow-ups & Next Steps
Improving App Clips onboarding: Adding clearer instructions and visual cues to help users understand App Clips better.
Enhancing analytics with Mixpanel: Conducting more in-depth user behavior analysis to refine engagement strategies.
Exploring basic editing features: Introducing minor adjustments like brightness and contrast for user flexibility.
Refining event-sharing experience: Enhancing the process of inviting and engaging with friends within the app.
Further usability testing: Running additional tests to validate improvements and identify areas for refinement.
