Date: June 21, 2026

Team

UXR/UXD: Margie Pignataro

App Usability Study

• Executive Summary
• See Something Say Something
• Section 1 Study Details
• Section 2 Themes
• Section 3 Insights & Recommendations
• Appendix

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Table of Contents

• Almost all users believe this app exploits the victims of crimes.
• The most users believe the posts are trustworthy.
• A minority of users feel the navigation is “a bit clunky” and “not intuitive” for their needs.
• All users did not have trouble making a post.

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• An app built for the victims of crimes
• Nancy Guthrie and the $1,000,000+ reward
• True crime apps and safety and “car crash” spectators

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See Something Say Something

Study Details

Project Background

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I’m creating an app for my Google UX Design Certification course. The project is to create an app which will be for social good. See Something Say Something is designed as a forum for the victims and families. Posts by law enforcement and citizens can solicit the public for information leading to the solving of crimes.

Research Questions

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Are users able to navigate the app easily?

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Are users able to make a post?

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Are users knowledgeable about true crime and law enforcement?

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Do users believe the app exploits the victims of crime?

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Will users feel the posts in the app are trustworthy?

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Participants

5 participants

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3 men, 2 women

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Ages 18-45

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Methodology

15 minutes

Online

Unmoderated Usability study

Users manipulated a lo-fi prototype

Study Details

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susanearlam

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• Woman
• 30-45
• I don't look for true crime to watch, but will only if it's interesting.
• I enjoy the investigative aspects. I like trying to solve mysteries.
• Submitted a tip to law enforcement
• Knows someone or was a victim of a crime

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goodluckjaz

morgankuth

Participants

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danielmusyoka

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karimicharity

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• Male
• 30-45
• True crime is a major interest.
• I enjoy the investigative aspects. It educates about safety.
• Submitted a tip to law enforcement
• Knows someone or was a victim of a crime

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• Woman
• 18-29
• True crime is a major interest.
• Enjoys the gore of true crime and the investigative aspects.
• Knows someone or was a victim of a crime

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• Man
• 18-29
• Actively investigates true crimes.
• Enjoys the investigative aspects.
• Submitted a tip to law enforcement.
• Knows someone or was a victim of a crime

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• Man
• 30-45
• True crime is a major interest.
• Enjoys the investigative aspects, the gore, and watches for the “car crash” appeal.
• Submitted a tip to law enforcement.
• Knows someone or was a victim of a crime

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Prototype / Design Tested

LINK to prototype���

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Themes

The app was easy to navigate.

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• It was observed that 4 out of 5 participants found the app extremely easy to navigate.

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• This means that almost all users will find the app extremely easy to navigate.

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“What really standout was user interface. It's was very easy to navigate” (Karmicharity)

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Everything on the home screen without scrolling

No overlay menu required

All users will have knowledge of true crime.

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• It was observed that 5 out of 5 participants have a significant amount of knowledge of true crime.

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• This means that all users will have a large knowledge of true crime events and its practices.

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One person in five described themselves as an active true crime investigator.

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All users prefer the investigative aspects of true crime.

Most users found the posts trustworthy.

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• It was observed that 4 out of 5 participants found the posts trustworthy.

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• This means that most users will find the posts trustworthy.

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“What stood out is this app make it's to solve crimes unlike other apps" (morgankuth)

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No additional verified symbols required.

Users successfully and easily made a post.

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• It was observed that 5 out of 5 participants found making a post was easy.

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• This means that all users will not have trouble making a post.

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“Creating a post was very easy for me” (goodluckjaz)

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Minimal questions asked. Ample room for the story to be told in the user’s language. Pics can be uploaded.

Users believe this app exploits crime victims.

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• It was observed that 4 out of 5 participants believe this app exploits the victims of true crime.

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• But results from other questions make this answer problematic.

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• Conservatively speaking, we may assume that all users will have complicated feelings about the app.

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80% believe the app exploits victims of crime.

No one rejects true crime because it exploits victims and families.

No one watches True Crime to empathize with the victims of crimes.

Insights & Recommendations

The app is easy to navigate.

Participants had a good knowledge of crime.

Users found the posts trustworthy.

Users believed the app exploits the victims of crime.

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No other action needs to be taken, though it can be revisited if there is time.

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No further explanations are necessary in order to clarify law enforcement practices and procedures.

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Additional means of providing verification is a best practice.

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Researching ethical true crime practices and further user research is necessary.

Research insights

Recommendations

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• The home screen could be reorganized to prioritize the app features. The call-to-action button for making a post should be the main focus.
• The search screen should have instructions: “Search by location, name, etc.”
• Consult ethical true crime practices.
• Emphasize in the post-making instructions that no graphic, gory language is permissible, nor is any language that glorifies the criminal.
• Add check boxes that allow users to verify that the crime happened and report the post as violating rules.
• Add a button to submit a tip directly to the app.
• The mission statement must emphasize that this app is not designed to glorify crime nor spread paranoia and fear: it is to help victims gain justice and closure.
• Additional forms of verification should be available in the form of ID or email verification.

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Thank you!