💻 Too Many Tabs – From Tabocalypse to ZenTabs
(Double Diamond UX Case Study
1
🔍 DISCOVER (Research & Explore Problem)
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Browsers allow 50+ open tabs → interface not designed for scale.
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Tabs shrink → only favicons visible, titles truncated.
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Hard to recall which tab has which content.
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Time wasted switching between tabs (2–3 sec per switch).
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Risk of accidentally closing important tabs → stress.
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Fear of losing information → tab hoarding.
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Clutter creates visual stress + fragmented attention.
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Students keep 30+ reference tabs while studying.
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Professionals juggle work tools, emails, calls → exponential tabs.
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Casual users open multiple shopping, travel, entertainment tabs.
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Remote work multiplies tool use → tab overload worse than pre-remote.
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Favicons = low information → users can’t quickly scan.
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Chrome has tab groups, Safari compact strip, Firefox containers → but underused.
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User quotes:
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“If I close it, I’ll lose it.”
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“It’s like a messy desk, but digital.”
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“I can’t find my Zoom tab when I need it most.”
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2
🎯 DEFINE (Problem Statement & Insights)
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Problem Statement:
Users who open 20+ browser tabs experience cognitive overload, wasted time, and stress because tabs lack clear grouping, previews, and safety mechanisms. -
Key Insights:
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Tabs = external memory → but humans can’t manage too many.
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Users naturally cluster (work vs personal).
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Need both visual cues (color, preview) + spatial structure (groups).
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Safety vs clarity = core design tension.
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Features like pinning/grouping exist but are hidden and underused.
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HMW (How Might We) Questions:
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HMW make many tabs feel less overwhelming?
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HMW give users confidence to close/archive without fear?
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HMW visualize tab content at a glance?
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HMW reflect natural user clustering (work/personal)?
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HMW add playfulness so decluttering feels rewarding?
3
💡 DEVELOP (Ideas & Concept Exploration)
Solution Direction A: Visual Organization
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Automatic grouping into categories (Docs, Social, Shopping, Video).
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Color-coded groups for quick scanning.
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Collapsible clusters → declutter without deleting.
Solution Direction B: Context Previews
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Hover thumbnails for recognition.
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Snapshots of last activity inside tab.
Solution Direction C: Task & Mode Management
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Toggle “Work Mode” vs “Personal Mode.”
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Session save/restore → continue later without fear.
Solution Direction D: Decluttering Helpers
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Archive idle tabs into a safe folder.
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AI “Close Suggestions” for unused tabs.
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Search bar → type “email” to instantly find tab.
Playful UX Touches:
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“Zen Mode” hides everything except focus tabs.
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Confetti 🎉 when user reduces to <5 tabs.
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Friendly mascot: “Tab Monk” guiding declutter journey.
4
✅ DELIVER (Prototype & Test)
Low-Fi Prototypes (Figma):
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Browser UI with grouped tabs (colored clusters).
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Hover preview → shows thumbnail + page title.
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Toggle switch for Work vs Personal mode.
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Archive button → saves all open tabs into a “Session Box.”
Prototype Flow:
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Open 20 tabs → auto-grouped.
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Collapse personal tabs during work hours.
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Hover → see preview without switching.
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Archive session at day end → restore tomorrow.
Testing Goals:
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Can users find target tab faster?
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Does declutter reduce stress/anxiety?
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Do users feel confident archiving/closing?
Iteration Cycle:
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Gather feedback → refine grouping labels, colors, preview clarity.
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Ensure discoverability of features → test onboarding cues.
Final Deliverable:
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Figma prototype: Before (chaotic tabs) vs After (ZenTabs grouped UI).
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FigJam board: Double Diamond story → Problem → Insights → Ideas → Prototype.
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Quirky branding: ZenTabs – From Tabocalypse to Tab Nirvana.
5
OUTCOME
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Clear, structured UX process → professional credibility.
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Relatable problem → universal empathy.
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Solutions are practical, testable, and doable in Figma.
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Fun/quirky storytelling → makes the case study memorable.
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Demonstrates ability to balance behavioral research, design theory, and playful UX.