Bringing memories
to life with AI
HP Photo AI · A research-backed concept for rediscovering memories and creating printed keepsakes.
ESTIMATED READING TIME
7 mins
ROLE
UX Design Intern
GXD team
SKILLS
End-to-end Design
AI Experience
Mobile App Design
User Research
TIMELINE
12 Weeks
01 · PROJECT OVERVIEW
Helping people turn buried photos into printed memories.
As a GXD UX Design Intern at HP, I researched and designed an end-to-end photo experience that turns scattered memories into editable photobooks, collages, and prints. Over 12 weeks, I explored how AI could help users rediscover and organize memories, then turn them into customizable photo projects to print at home or have delivered through Shutterfly.
The result was a tested concept and recommendations that HP planned to carry forward into the next phase of development.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Digital memories get buried.
70%
of photos are never looked at again.
50%
have more than 1,000 photos.
44%
have lost photos that mattered.
People are capturing more than ever, but meaningful moments are becoming harder to revisit.
Before we dive in, I have a question for you!
How many photos do you have in your camera roll?
THE COUNTERPOINT
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Physical memories still matter.
Digital libraries keep growing, but people still value tangible ways to preserve the moments that matter.
48%
feel a stronger emotional connection to physical prints.
53%
create or purchase photo projects multiple times a year.
The design opportunity: remove the effort between a meaningful memory and something people can hold.
So whats getting in the way?
Participants surfaced three blockers.
59%
struggled to choose between similar photos.
55%
struggled to find the photo they wanted.
43%
felt photo projects took too much time.
Survey · 51 participants · Median camera roll: 7,500 photos. Cost was another barrier, reported by 39%.
AI SENTIMENT
Users wanted AI,
but on their terms.
94%
see value in AI-assisted rediscovery
51%
expressed privacy concerns
What ai efatures people wnated
Create
Automatically create themed projects.
Enhance
Improve color, cropping, and layouts.
Organize
Group photos by people, places, and occasions.
Select
Filter duplicates and blurry images.
Where can AI remove effort while preserving trust and control?
PERSONAS SYNTHESIZED FROM RESEARCH
I created three behavioral personas from the research.
Emily
Young professional · Digital-first. 10K–50K photos across everyday life and travel. Needs help rediscovering forgotten moments.
28 · MEMORY EXPLORER
Daniel
Working parent · Frequent creator. Captures family milestones, but limited time turns meaningful projects into unfinished tasks.
42 · FAMILY MEMORY KEEPER
Patricia
Retired · Keepsake-focused. Values albums, calendars, prints, and gifts, but advanced creation tools can feel difficult to navigate.
67 · KEEPSAKE CREATOR
I grouped patterns across photo-library size, printing habits, time constraints, and comfort with digital tools. These personas helped turn broad findings into distinct design priorities.
02 · USER RESEARCH
From scattered tools to one connected journey.
Across five competitors, I found an opportunity to connect photo discovery, curation, and print creation.
COMPANY
DOES WELL
CAPABILITY REVIEWED
Google Photos
Finds the memory
Detects people, trips, and relationships to resurface meaningful memories.
photobook.ai
Picks the photos
Uses AI to select photos, remove duplicates, and group memories.
Mixbook
Tells the story
Turns photo collections into personalized stories with themes and captions.
Canva Print
Crafts the design
Provides AI-assisted layouts, templates, and creative assets.
Shutterfly
Ships the order
Offers personalized photo products and handles fulfillment.
The design shift: start with a memory, not a product.
CURRENT Photo printing EXPERIENCE
Select photo → Set up paper → Edit → Print
Manual and product-first.
NEW EXPERIENCE
Connect → Rediscover → Select → Create → Personalize → Print → Re-engage
Memory-first, AI-assisted, and editable.
04 · IDEATION & SOLUTION
A memory-first co-pilot, from discovery to print.
The proposed experience
A proposed end-to-end flow—not just a faster photo editor.
01
Connect & discover
Connect photo libraries, then review suggested memories or start a project.
02
Select & curate
Find photos with a prompt or category. Review AI selections and choose a book length and style.
03
Create & personalize
Generate a photobook, then edit its photos, text, layouts, and theme.
04
Print & return
Save a draft, print at home, or order a book. Rediscover other moments through recommendations.
KEY INSIGHT
AI shouldn’t just make creation faster. It could make getting started easier.
06 · FEEDBACK & ITERATIONS
30 participants shaped the next iteration.
I tested the journey and associated screens with 30 participants. Their feedback highlighted five priorities for future iterations: clearer discovery, creative control, transparency, familiar editing, and editing scope.
RECOMMENDED ITERATIONS
What people needed → What to improve next
Memory discovery
Focus: AI-generated memories.
Feedback: Make the origin of suggestions clearer and let people review photos first.
Next: Explain suggestions and add people, places, pets, and event filters.
Story creation
Focus: Themes and stories.
Feedback: People wanted more say in tone and story length.
Next: Preview themes and set story preferences before generation.
Editing
Focus: Editing controls.
Feedback: Familiar interactions mattered even with AI assistance.
Next: Support swipe, zoom, drag, and rearranging.
Trust
Focus: Price and privacy.
Feedback: People needed to understand costs and data storage earlier.
Next: Explain pricing and privacy upfront.
07 · OUTCOME & NEXT STEPS
The outcome: a clearer product direction.
Research and resonance testing shaped the concept—not post-launch performance. The next step is validating the direction against feasibility and product requirements.
The next phase: from research to roadmap.
ITERATE & VALIDATE
Test with a broader audience, explore a desktop concept, and prioritize product requirements.
ASSESS FEASIBILITY
Partner with product and engineering to assess technical constraints, privacy needs, and implementation effort.
PRIORITIZE ROADMAP
Balance user value and build cost to define an MVP and phased roadmap.
08 · REFLECTIONS
Designing assistance, not autopilot.