Zoom Fatigue
What is Zoom?
An American communications technology company that provides videotelephony and online chat services through a cloud-based peer-to-peer software platform and is used for teleconferencing, telecommuting, distance education, and social relations. Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars.
Zoom has become increasingly popular for meetings and classes, but the social aspects of the software are still limited. The larger the group, the more difficult and restrictive discussion can become.When people begin to talk over one another and interrupt, there may need to be ground rules where participants use the “raise hand” feature and wait to be recognized. Another silent feedback option is “reactions” where an icon will temporarily appear in the corner of your window box, then disappear.
The most commonly used non-verbal option is to type in the collapsible side window to a specific person or “everyone.” And that is it. Apart from unmuting or speaking over fellow participants, there are no other options to interject.
Users
Below you will find the persona of Susan, a young professional who had to adapt quickly to a digital working environment during a pandemic.
Additional users could include students, government officials, and special interest groups. Even friends and families have relied on Zoom for long distance communication during a difficult time.
Journey Map
For such a widely used platform for communication, the interface is actually quite limiting. I propose that the chat should have additional interactive options that build off of similar multi-user social platforms, like Slack and Instagram.
The following prototype incorporates the reaction emojis into the chat options so that users can respond to specific individual posts. This is important and useful because if the chat log is moving quickly then you lose the opportunity to interact with a statement or question that resonated with you. It can also be intimidating and awkward to post in the chat, but no one responds because the only way to do so would be to type a message. Instead, a quick reaction emoji on a comment would be a convenient way to agree, disagree, or really express any emotion at all. This would also allow a convenient way to simply acknowledge and reaffirm that the message was seen or received.
In addition to the emoji response reaction, Zoom could also integrate the very popular giphy function and an image upload feature. These options would have standard icons below the chat box for clear expectations of standard use. Once the meeting ended, unless recorded, all chat items would be deleted in order to minimize storage requirements.
Increased permission options should be included with the update so that chat participation could be toggled on or off at the presenter’s discretion in order to preserve the meeting flow and prevent harmful or disruptive behavior.
Prototype:
The first stage of the prototype incorporates the reaction emojis into the chat options so that users can respond to specific individual posts.
The second stage could also integrate the @ function, emoji keyboard, an image upload feature, and the very popular giphy function.
Recognizable icons below the chat box would make each feature easy to use. Chat uploads would be deleted at the end of the meeting to minimize storage requirements. This update could be expanded over time to include even more interactive features from other popular apps.
Increased permission options should also be included with the update to prevent harmful or disruptive behavior.
Chat features could be toggled on or off at the presenter’s discretion to fit the needs of the meeting.
Chat settings would also be available to the host while the meeting is in progress in order to preserve the flow and quality of discussion.
When put into practice, these updated features should improve nonverbal communication overall, and maybe even provide a little relief from Zoom fatigue!
