At Meta, I was part of a cross-functional team tasked with designing engaging 3D avatar stickers to enhance user expression, primarily targeting teenagers and young adults. These stickers aimed to encourage users to create personalized avatars and use the stickers across various Meta platforms.

One of the most successful outcomes of this project was the “Plank Sticker,” which garnered over 125M+ impressions in 2 weeks, becoming the most-viewed/received sticker of all time.

Project Overview

The main challenge was to create stickers that felt relevant, fun, and engaging to younger audiences while motivating them to design and use their avatars. This required deep insights into audience preferences and a seamless collaboration between UX researchers, 2D artists, and 3D animators.

Challenge

The UX Research team played a crucial role in identifying the preferences and needs of the target audience. Their process included:

• Focus Groups: Interviews with teenagers and young adults to gather qualitative data about their preferences for avatar stickers.

• User Feedback: Testing early designs and identifying which concepts resonated most with users.

• Trends Analysis: Researching cultural trends, popular memes, and other influences to align with user interests.

These insights guided the design team in brainstorming ideas that appealed to the target audience.

Research & Insights

Design Process

As the 3D Animator, I collaborated with the team to select the most promising concepts. I brought these ideas to life in 3D, ensuring each sticker was vibrant, dynamic, and expressive.

• I focused on making poses and movements fluid and engaging to amplify the fun factor.

• One standout sticker was the “Plank Sticker,” where I emphasized exaggerated motions to make it humorous and memorable.

The 2D artists explored diverse themes and created multiple sketches based on the research findings. These sketches were reviewed to identify concepts with the most potential for engagement.

1. Brainstorming & Sketching

2. 3D Animation Development

User Engagement

Outcome & Impact

The stickers were tested in the Dogfooding process and then launched successfully, with the following highlights.

Plank Sticker’s Success

• Over 125M+ impressions in 2 weeks.

• It became the most viewed and received avatar sticker in Meta’s history.

• Many users created new avatars just to access and use this sticker.

• The stickers increased avatar creation rates and overall user engagement across platforms.

• Users praised the stickers for their fun and expressive nature, aligning with the target audience’s preferences.

Positive Feedback

• Collaborative Work: This project underscored the importance of collaboration between UX research, design, and animation teams to create products that resonate with users.

• User-Centric Design: Leveraging user research early in the process ensures the final product aligns with audience needs and trends.

• Creativity in Animation: By incorporating humor and exaggeration into the stickers' poses and animations, I was able to create stickers that stood out and drove significant engagement.

Key Learnings

This project demonstrated how animation could significantly impact user engagement when paired with user research and design. It was rewarding to see my work resonate with millions of users and contribute to Meta’s goal of enhancing digital self-expression. Moreover, it introduced me to the world of User Experience and its influence on the final design.

Reflection