Reboxed Project Story

Inspiration

While discussing our own Instagram feeds, we realized how stuck we were in repetitive content. We were missing out on interesting topics simply because we were consuming the same types of posts over and over. For example, if nobody had told us about Designathon, we would never have participated. This made us realize: to explore the world, we first need exposure to it. That inspired Reboxed — a way to help users effortlessly discover new ideas without feeling overwhelmed. Through a survey we conducted, we also discovered that users often struggle to differentiate facts from opinions, which affects critical thinking. This made us realize: to explore the world and think critically, we first need exposure to diverse perspectives. That inspired Reboxed — a way to help users effortlessly discover new ideas without feeling overwhelmed.

What it does

Reboxed is a social media extension designed to break your algorithmic bubble. Its key feature is the Mystery Box, which introduces content outside your usual feed. Users open the box daily, and the new topic appears in their feed, blending 20% Mystery Box content with 80% comfort content. This approach helps users explore new ideas, perspectives, and experiences while keeping the feed enjoyable and familiar.

How we built it

• Conducted a survey: 52.6% of users reported seeing similar content repeatedly.
  
• Designed the Mystery Box to introduce new topics gradually, based on survey insights.
  
• Focused on balance and interactivity, so users get exposure without feeling overloaded.
  
• Planned future features like gamification, fact-checking, and content dashboards to enhance engagement and insights.
  

Challenges we ran into

• Balancing content: Too much new content overwhelms users; too little fails to break the bubble.
  
• User engagement: Ensuring users interact with new topics without feeling forced.
  
• Visual and verbal clarity: Explaining the Mystery Box in a short 6-minute pitch required careful design and wording.
  
• Survey collection: Gathering enough user data to validate feed ratios was time-consuming.
  

Accomplishments that we're proud of

• Created a unique, interactive solution to a common social media problem.
  
• Designed a balanced feed system based on real user data.
  
• Developed a concept that’s scalable and future-ready with gamification, dashboards, and fact-checking.
  
• Successfully articulated the idea in a relatable and compelling story for a designathon pitch.
  

What we learned

• Algorithms shape perception and can create echo chambers.
  
• Exposure to new ideas is essential for growth and critical thinking.
  
• User experience design must balance familiarity and novelty.
  
• Surveys and user research are critical for validating design decisions.
  
• Storytelling is key to communicating technical concepts effectively.
  

What's next for Reboxed "Your Algorithm Needs A Remix"

• Gamification: Spin wheels, earn points, open multiple Mystery Boxes.
  
• Fact-checker integration: Help users distinguish facts from opinions.
  
• Social media dashboard: Track content habits and see how your feed evolves.
  
• Expand to other social media platforms and scale the Mystery Box concept globally.

Built With

• figma