Spriha Kundu
A tasteful graphic designer in need of some salty feedback.
I work across Branding, Strategy, Motion Graphics, Publication Design, UI/UX Design, Illustration, and Typeface Design.
PROJECTS
Nexa | Branding, Publication, UI/UX
Jamie Raskin | Publication
Instagram Feature Extension | UI/UX
How I hate my mother | Poster
Science Snacks | Publication
Outpost | Branding
Weird Words Work | Branding, Exhibition, Publication
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Instagram Feature Extension
This project explores how Instagram could strengthen its networking potential by introducing a ‘Saved Profiles’ feature, allowing users to curate lists of creators, professionals, or collaborators for easy reference.
UI/UX Design Agency: Self
Instagram has evolved into one of the most influential creative and networking platforms, especially for professionals in design, photography, and media. However, despite its social nature, the platform has become increasingly content-centric rather than network-centric. While users can save posts, there’s no intuitive way to save or categorize people.
UNDERSTANDING THE USER
I mapped the workflows of three user archetypes:
- Creative Professionals (art directors, stylists, designers) who use Instagram as an informal talent directory
- Students and Emerging Creators who save references for inspiration and learning
- Recruiters, Brands and Agencies who scout talent and collaborate frequently
PAIN POINTS- Losing track of creators
Users often come across inspiring creators but forget their names later. Without following them or saving a post, there’s no way to easily locate their profiles again. - Disorganized inspiration
Instagram allows saving posts but not profiles, forcing users to save random content as a workaround for remembering creators. This leads to cluttered, content-heavy collections with no structure. - Inefficient collaboration workflow
For professionals like art directors or brand strategists, finding and referencing potential collaborators becomes time-consuming. There’s no quick way to revisit a roster of talent or categorize them by project needs. - Limited network visibility
Instagram’s interface prioritizes the feed over connections. Users interested in networking intentionally and not just consuming content struggle to build meaningful, searchable lists of people within the app.
USER NEEDSAcross the mapped user groups, the key needs were organization, recall, and quick access. They wanted a seamless way to categorize people, not just content, and retrieve profiles easily when planning collaborations or projects.
DESIGN SOLUTIONI introduced three access points for the new “Saved Profiles” feature:
- Saved Tab Extension: Adds a “Profiles” section alongside “Posts” to the slide-in overlay which will help in organizing profiles into categories
- Lists: Accessing profiles as lists will help recall of the creators
- Profile Page Icon: Allows direct saving of a creator’s profile through the down chevron in their profile to quickly categorise a new discovery
The design language borrows from Instagram’s established visual system to ensure familiarity. Microinteractions, transitions, and iconography were designed to feel native, maintaining the platform’s minimalist and fluid user experience.
Here’s how you would save a profile in to a new collection and an illustration of how the collections get saved as lists.
CONCLUSIONThis extension reframes Instagram as a relationship-building tool, not just a content feed. By enabling users to save and categorize profiles, the feature encourages intentional networking, discovery, and collaboration — particularly for creative professionals who rely on Instagram for inspiration and connection. Ultimately, it reinforces the platform’s original ethos: bringing people closer together through what they create.
CREDITS
Mentor: Steph Kotula