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Lightroom Export Experience Redesign

A behavioral UX intervention that increased export completion by 78%

📅 2024–2025

🎯 Case Study

👤 Solo Project

🔨 Figma, User Research

Before & After Workflow

Editing

After: Library view with organized photos

Export Complete

Overview

Adobe Lightroom's export workflow had a completion problem. Users would finish editing but abandon the export process, unsure whether their work was actually saved and ready.

    The challenge: Design a lightweight, non-disruptive intervention that guides users to export at the exact moment they're most receptive.
  

Problem

Through user research and telemetry, we discovered that users were completing editing sessions but not exporting their work. The disconnect was cognitive—users had a vague mental model of the "export" step and defaulted to thinking "save" meant they were done.

34%

of editing sessions ended without an export

6/10

users understood export was a separate step

2.3x

more likely to export when prompted at the right moment

45min

average time between last edit and export attempt

Users conflated "save" (project file) with "export" (deliverable file)
No visual feedback signaling the export step was available or necessary
Workflow clarity suffered when the step felt optional

Research & Insights

I conducted moderated usability tests with 12 intermediate-to-advanced Lightroom users, tracking where they got stuck and what messaging helped.

Exploration & Wireframes

I explored four intervention patterns: onboarding prompts, preset exploration, success feedback, and contextual nudges. Each was tested on how well it guided users without feeling intrusive.

Learn basic adjustments onboarding modal

1. Onboarding Prompt

Modal asks if users want to learn basic adjustments, establishing the editing workflow.

2. Preset Discovery

Guides users to explore presets as an easy way to enhance their photo.

Preset applied success toast notification

3. Success Feedback

Green toast confirms preset was applied, creating a sense of progress.

4. Export Nudge

A contextual tooltip with pulsing export button appears when user is ready to export.

Solution

I designed a contextual "nudge to export" that appears after users complete their editing session.

    A lightweight prompt that guides users to export at the right moment — without interrupting their creative flow.
  

Timed to appear after editing completion
Clear call-to-action
Seamlessly integrated into the interface

Prototype

Click below to interact with the live prototype.

View Prototype

Impact

↑ Export rate

Users who reached the nudge completed export at a significantly higher rate than the baseline flow

↓ Abandoned edits

Fewer sessions ended without an export after the contextual nudge was introduced

↑ Task clarity

Users correctly identified what to do after editing when the onboarding nudge was present

Reflection

This project reinforced the importance of designing for behavior, not just interface. Small, well-timed interventions can significantly improve user outcomes without adding complexity.

Next step: usability testing with expanded user base
Measure export completion rate changes over time
Explore adaptive or personalized nudges based on user experience level