Shared Gallery App By

Unlocking Expand Mode Feature

What Is Shared Gallery App?

Wix’s Shared Gallery app enables site members to contribute images to shared folders, creating a collaborative space for everyone to view and enjoy.
Initially, gallery management was available only through the site editor. Later, Wix expanded this functionality, allowing site admins to manage galleries directly from the dashboard.

Through user voice, we discovered a key need: admins wanted the ability to view and manage images in full size directly from the dashboard, rather than switching back to the editor.
In response, I designed and implemented the Expand Mode feature, enabling admins to access, navigate, and manage images in full detail seamlessly within the dashboard, improving efficiency and the overall user experience.

- Shared Gallery Dashboard -

Beyond the Thumbnail:
Enabling the Next Level of Shared Image Experiences

The existing Shared Gallery product allowed site members to upload, view, like, and comment on media, while admins could manage galleries in the back-office to improve key metrics such as engagement, descriptions, and Alt-text usage. The business goal of the project was to enhance engagement and improve content management efficiency by enabling admins to view media in Expand Mode and perform actions directly from the dashboard. When a user clicks on a thumbnail, a modal opens to display the media in a larger format. Videos can be played or paused directly within the modal, and forward/backward arrows allow users to cycle through the gallery seamlessly, creating a smooth, efficient, and more accessible media browsing experience.

- Shared Gallery Editor -

User voice

By analyzing user support tickets alongside behavioral data, we identified a clear recurring need: site admins repeatedly expressed the need to view images in full size and manage them directly within the dashboard. This recurring request highlighted a workflow gap and reinforced the opportunity to streamline media management without requiring users to switch back to the site editor.

- Segmentation of Shared Gallery uploads -

- User Feature Requests -

It’s All About the Data

Before diving into the specifics, let’s take a look at how the Shared Gallery app is being used and why enhancing it with Expand Mode matters:

We can see that photo upload behavior changes with the new Shared Gallery Backoffice

"Create an album" flow was also affected by the addition of the Backoffice

The data revealed that users who opened the Backoffice clicked the ‘View on site’ button 42% of the time.

BI Insights: What We’ve Learned

The majority of media uploads originate from the live site, which is expected since only site members can upload there, whereas site owners have access to the back-office. However, recent trends show that more users are creating albums directly through the back-office.

Additionally, the high percentage of clicks on “View on site” highlights a clear need for Expand Mode within the dashboard, allowing admins to view media in full size without leaving the back-office.

Photos Are Meant to Be Seen

The data highlights why Expand Mode was a priority for users. Feedback from site admins showed a clear demand for full-size media viewing directly in the dashboard, rather than switching back to the editor.

In addition, overall dashboard usage trends indicated that admins were increasingly managing galleries in the back-office, reinforcing the need for a more seamless experience. Analyzing segmentation of Shared Gallery uploads also revealed that images typically fell into common categories, such as events, trips, celebrations, and team activities, helping us understand how users interact with content and guiding the design of Expand Mode to support these use cases effectively.

Beyond Our Gallery

Wix’s Own Products

Within Wix, Expand Mode already exists in other media-related products, allowing users to view content in full size and interact with it more efficiently. Shared Gallery, however, did not offer this functionality in the dashboard, limiting admins to thumbnails and requiring them to switch back to the editor for detailed management. Adding Expand Mode to Shared Gallery’s dashboard aligns the product with Wix’s broader ecosystem, enhances admin efficiency, supports better content management, and strengthens overall user engagement.

Other Players in the Market

We examined leading media management platforms to understand how they handle content viewing and admin workflows. These platforms offer full-size viewing and navigation features, which inspired ideas for making Shared Gallery’s Expand Mode more intuitive and efficient. By studying their approaches to browsing, cycling through media, and managing albums, we identified opportunities to adapt best practices for our dashboard while maintaining the unique collaborative features of Shared Gallery.

Project Plan

The project plan outlines the roadmap for Q2 and Q3, highlighting key initiatives and feature developments for the Expand Mode modal within the Shared Gallery app:

KPIs

We set clear goals for the first 6 months following the launch of Expand Mode, focusing on adoption, efficiency, content quality, and user satisfaction. By keeping interactions within the dashboard and aligning with Wix’s design ecosystem, We aim to provide measurable value for admins while strengthening the value of Wix’s Shared Gallery.

Increase usage

Ensure that at least 70% of site admins use Expand Mode within the first month of launch.

Improve Efficiency

Reduce the average time spent managing a gallery by 30–40%.

Boost Content Quality

Increase the number of images and videos with descriptions and Alt-text by 20%.

Reduce Dependency on Live Site

Minimize the need for admins to switch to the live site for media viewing and management, keeping interactions directly in the dashboard.

High Fidelity Wireframes

With the project plan clearly defined, we translated the concept of Expand Mode into high fidelity wireframes. These wireframes follow Wix’s design language, illustrating the visual hierarchy, interactive elements, and detailed user flows. They allow us to validate the design while ensuring a seamless and familiar experience for admins managing media directly from the dashboard.

Main Dashboard of Shared Gallery featuring new hover interactions

Expand Mode modal triggered upon the first click on a thumbnail

Tooltip associated with the info icon, explaining the required action for the field

Expand Mode view with video placeholder

Admins’ New Lens

On a personal note...

Working with the 'Wix Labs' team on this feature made me an active part of the product development process. I gained a clear view of how decisions are made and how different perspectives influence the final result. I was able to contribute my own ideas and approach the work from both a design and product standpoint, as we turned an idea into a meaningful feature together. This experience gave me a deeper understanding of collaboration across teams and strengthened my ability to shape ideas into practical, valuable outcomes.

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