Facebook Avatars
In 2017 I participated in a 2 week hackathon to create an Avatar builder using Facebook’s AR software. We succeeded, leading to a green light to build the first Avatar product for Facebook, which we launched globally in 2020. Our team created both the Avatar system and the expression content which was launched in FB, Messenger, and Instagram. The launch was one of the most successful new product launches in FB history. The ground work we did on this product was used to help build the 3D Avatars that are now available across Meta and this is the project I spent the most time on during my tenure there.
My role on this team began as Art Director, and I was promoted to Creative Director in 2019. I oversaw the visual design of the Avatar system and the expression content, and then provided support for the conversion of the 2D system to the 3D system developed by Reality Labs for the Metaverse.
Style Development
Avatar System
Diversity and inclusion were our driving principles, and through development of the system we continued to circle back and create Avatars that represented a variety of people. We worked around multiple constraints, developing tools and tricks to push on a very simple system (ex; one rig for the entire system) and conducting research and testing throughout development to ensure the people who would use this can create something that felt true to how they wanted to express themselves.
Avatar Expressions
The intended use of FB Avatars was to enhance and encourage communication on our apps. When we launched, we began with stickers, strategically developing regionally specific content for our target markets: the USA, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and India. Our art team worked with researchers as well as local teams and artists to ensure the content felt relevant and accurate.
Over the next couple of years, we added to our expression formats, developing text backgrounds and profile backgrounds that leveraged your Avatar, animated Avatar content, multi-character content, leaning into the idea of showcasing your personality. All of these launches of new expression content incrementally brought millions of new daily users and expanded engagement across platforms including Instagram and Messenger.
Avatar Reactions
During one of our early hackathons, the idea of Avatar Reactions was presented, and over the next couple of years we continued to circle around it until we finally got the backing to build them. They were designed as an extension the Avatars system to be used at a small scale, in places like “How Are You Feeling” or Reactions. We worked with the Iconography team to develop a system of simplified assets based on the Avatar system, using hair styles, skin tones, glasses, facial hair and headwear to create an emoji style Avatar that could be leveraged in any surface that used an emoji or Reaction. The launch was more successful than expected, pushing our team over the threshold to exceed our goals for that year.
