Giving new life to one of Discord’s most overlooked features
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Role
Product Designer
Scope
Design audit
User research
Prototyping
User testing
Tools
Figma
Claude Code
Year
2025
/* Problem */
Discord serves more than 656M users globally, with over 32.6M active servers and a significant share of usage happening on mobile (39.76% in the U.S. alone). As servers grow, managing their structure becomes increasingly complex - especially within an interface originally designed around desktop-first workflows.
The challenge was to reorganize a key area of friction within the server management flow that exposed a structural UX issue, while working within Discord’s established architecture and interaction patterns.
/* Solution */
I developed a solution that restructured how server management is accessed and organized on mobile by improving feature visibility and giving users direct control over grouping and customization.
By making organizational actions explicit and user-driven, the feature turns server management into a deliberate, system-level interaction, where structure, scope, and available actions remain clear and consistent as servers scale.
A platform audit revealed two potential areas of focus: servers in the sidebar (top-level navigation) and channels within individual servers (inner-level)
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User interviews key findings
Taking into consideration that the largest segment of Discord users consists primarily of Gen Z and Millennials, I conducted an in-depth study of users aged 22–42 who have been using the platform for two or more years.
Server organization issues are more frequent and emotional. In almost all interviews, participants described or mentioned frustrations with how Discord servers are displayed and managed in the sidebar.
/* Insight 01 */
Users rely on memory and visual cues to identify servers in the sidebar, turning navigation into a recall-based experience.
/* Insight 02*/
Users cope with complexity by avoiding it. Muting or leaving servers becomes a substitute for structural control.
/* Insight 03*/
Existing organizational tools are either undiscoverable or cognitively inaccessible (many users didn’t even know folders existed), especially on mobile.
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Ideation
The ideation process involved several rounds of sketching. Through user interviews, it became clear that color in Discord is a functional element that users actively rely on.’
Because of this, I chose to avoid grayscale wireframes. Instead, I used Discord’s core brand colors and familiar visual language to make early testing more efficient and easier for users to interact with. Each iteration was followed by quick user testing and feedback sessions.
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User test findings
During concept testing, users often described a grid/list toggle as appealing and logical. However, follow-up questions revealed that visual layout was not the core concern.
Users prioritized speed, clarity, and visibility over visual presentation, indicating that structural improvements mattered more than layout changes.
The testing showed that the value of the solution lay in improving navigation efficiency and users’ sense of control, regardless of visual presentation.
Feature 1
/* Creating a folder */
A clear and visible “Create Folder” flow enables a high level of customization through color and emojis. Emojis act as visual markers, similar to map markers, helping users emotionally associate servers within a group.
Feature 2
/* Using folder */
A broader set of functions supports faster interactions, greater user control, and a more consistent overall experience.
This is just a snapshot of the entire design process
Reach out to e.astapable@gmail.com for the full story
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