This case study focuses on enhancing the user experience for two types of Skype users: daily active users (including business users) and monthly active users (mainly for social networking). The study includes user research, interviews, surveys and competitor analysis. The main challenge identified was improving Skype's chat tool.

Insights revealed that users were generally satisfied with Skype's video call feature but faced issues with its chat functionality. Based on this, a range of ideas were generated for chat and video call improvements. User feedback helped prioritize these features.

Prototypes were developed to improve chat features such as muting, searching, replying and voice messages in a chat and foldering for chats. Video call enhancements included various type of recording and custom gridding. Usability tests validated these prototypes, leading to refinements in design.

We would like you to propose feature improvements that the user experience of two types
of users in Skype application.

• Type1: Daily active users, Business users, Users who use Skype for work purpose
• Type2: Monthly active users, Users who use Skype for social networking

Skype, introduced in 2003, is a versatile telecommunications software enabling free video and voice calls, instant messaging, and file sharing in both individual and group contexts. It has grown into a vital tool for virtual communication, particularly accentuated during the global pandemic.

Skype's revenue model encompasses two key streams: subscription revenue from international calls to non-Skype users and a "pay-as-you-go" credit system. This structure supports its continued provision of services.

With an impressive monthly user base of nearly 40 million worldwide, Skype has cemented its status as a widely used communication platform. Notably, a majority (65.8%) of its users fall between the ages of 18 and 49, reflecting its popularity among a diverse age group.

Data reveals that by 2021, Skype usage was more prevalent among married individuals (52.8%) and parents (45.8%), suggesting a prevalent use for familial communication rather than predominantly professional purposes. Skype is third after Zoom and Adobe Connect when it comes to business use of video conferencing apps.

In summary, Skype's rich history since its inception in 2003 has positioned it as a multifunctional telecommunications software. It has thrived as a preferred choice for personal communication among families while also making significant inroads into the corporate realm due to its comprehensive capabilities and continued usability.

They’re using Skype for:

• online meetings
• online classes

They’re using Skype for:

• talking to family members and friends
• online social events

My asssumptaion was that the major problem with skype is technical issues and ind it is slow.
But I have to validate it.

First of all, I needed to know more about user’s interaction with Skype, and how they feel about it.
So I conducted a user interview with 13 users, both type 1 and 2. They were from 20 to 60, and I reach to them through my instagram account, asking who is using Skype? and then I set up a phone interview.

Set their meeting somewhere else!

Also, there were some complaining about their experience with Skype, organized in 3 groups:

Both of these group were complaining about Skype ID

Most of the users didn’t use Skype for chatting, and arrange their meeting somewhere else!

Because of some cultural reasons, most of the targeted users get used to Telegram and WhatsApp.

So based on these findings, I noticed that users were mostly satisfied with Skype video call, actually that was the reason they use Skype, but they were not happy with the chatting tool. So I did a competitor analysis to find out what did users like about them mostly.

I’ve redesigned the whole space to be more user friendly. The improvements were:

• Adding “mute” and “search” to each conversation
• Playing a voice with speed control and the ability to forward or backward
• Reply in a smooth way
• Reduce the options for sending in order to minimize user confuseness

I’ve added foldering feature for organizing chats.

The feature improvements included:

• Redesign the reaction part and add more emojies
• Redesign th bottom sheet in order to take less of space
• Adding custom gridding
• Adding the feature of pin a speaker
• Adding the option of recording video and audio, or audio only

And the problem with finding Skype Id that has been reported by both groups.

I’ve added the part “share Skype ID” in different ways, to find out which will work for user better.

Considering time limitation, I’ve designed the flow for creating and managing folders in order to organize the chats.

As a result of this process, I’ve redesigned the parts that users have most problem with.

• Chat
• Foldering
• Video Call
• Share Skype ID

I conduct a usability test with 9 person.I break the test to 2 parts.

For these 2 scenarios, I asked users to do the instructions and measure their faults.

• Create a folder named “Friend” and move the chat “Anna” to it

• Create a folder named “Friend” and move the chat “Anna” to it

The results showed that users were ok with foldering, but in a video call, going to chats were confusing, and 2 of them could’t make it without a help and one of them could’t do it at all.

I’ve tested the scenario “please send your Skype ID for me”, and showed each users one of the designs below (each deisgn with 3 differen people). Then measured the time and count the faults. The results were:

So I’ve decided to go with the winner, but I have to consider that it will effect on discoverability of “My Microsoft account”. I didn’t have access to this section data (obviously), so I assume that it can be OK to move it to Manage part, considering that is actually for managing your account!
But if the stakeholders wouldn’t agree with this solution or data prove me wrong, I’m going with the 2nd, which has the best result (13 seconds for discoverability).

During the usability test, I’ve noticed that there is still a problem with going to chat from video call. Based on user behavior (using the back button of phone), I’ve changed the design and test it with 4 again. No failure had been observed.

After launching these feature, I recommend measuring these metrics in order to see how well (or bad) things go out.

If I was a part of Skype team, I consider designing two version of product, for business and personal use. Separating the experience by asking user at first what purpose do you have, showed them the customize feature, but make it easy to switch between these two.
But I believe it’s a part of a bigger problem, that needs to be done in collaboration with Product and Business team, since there is already a version for Skype business.