Organize your chats better with Tabs
Organize your chats better with Tabs
Organize your chats better with Tabs
Ever felt frustrated keeping up with all the different chats on Whatsapp? Presenting a new way to find, organize and manage your chats so you never have to worry again.
DISCLAIMER: This was a personal project published on 11th January, 2023 and a similar version actually got implemented on the real app in 2024. (I Hope they read my article)
Ever felt frustrated keeping up with all the different chats on Whatsapp? Presenting a new way to find, organize and manage your chats so you never have to worry again.
DISCLAIMER: This was a personal project published on 11th January, 2023 and a similar version actually got implemented on the real app in 2024. (I Hope they read my article)
My role
My role
Product Designer
Product Designer
Project
Project
Personal project
Personal project
Timeline
Timeline
14 days (Jan 2023)
14 days (Jan 2023)
Tools used
Tools used
Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Miro
Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Miro
Overview
Overview
Design process
Design process
Design process
Initial Thinking
Initial Thinking
Initial Thinking
Target Users
Target Users
Target Users
Frequent WhatsApp users
Business users
Users that chat with different groups of people
Frequent WhatsApp users
Business users
Users that chat with different groups of people
Research Methods
Research Methods
Research Methods
Online Survey
In-person interviews
Secondary online
Online Survey
In-person interviews
Secondary online
How Might We Questions
How Might We Questions
01
01
How might we improve the overall experience of organizing chats?
How might we improve the overall experience of organizing chats?
02
02
How might we allow users to have more control over their chats?
How might we allow users to have more control over their chats?
03
03
How might we introduce new chat functionalities without hampering the existing user experience?
How might we introduce new chat functionalities without hampering the existing user experience?
Overview
Overview
Background Research
Background Research
Background Research
Research goals
Research goals
Analyze how current users are using WhatsApp
Identify the pros and cons of the existing system
Figure out who many chats an average user on WhatsApp has
Look at other chat/messaging apps to figure best practices for organization and customization
Determine the optimal method to tackle the feedback gained from insights and user interviews
Analyze how current users are using WhatsApp
Identify the pros and cons of the existing system
Figure out who many chats an average user on WhatsApp has
Look at other chat/messaging apps to figure best practices for organization and customization
Determine the optimal method to tackle the feedback gained from insights and user interviews
Qualitative questionnaire
Qualitative questionnaire
Qualitative questionnaire
How chaotic is it to manage your chats in WhatsApp?
How chaotic is it to manage your chats in WhatsApp?
How chaotic is it to manage your chats in WhatsApp?
8.5
8.5
Out of 10 average
Out of 10 average
How many people/groups do you enagage with daily on average
How many people/groups do you enagage with daily on average
How many people/groups do you enagage with daily on average
7-10
7-10
Average out of 45 respondants
Average out of 45 respondants
Have you ever felt lost looking for a chat in WhatsApp
Have you ever felt lost looking for a chat in WhatsApp
Have you ever felt lost looking for a chat in WhatsApp
67%
67%
felt lost using WhatsApp regularly
felt lost using WhatsApp regularly
Research Findings/Pain Points
Research Findings/Pain Points
Research Findings/Pain Points
01
01
It’s very challenging to keep a track of all the chats. Especially since most users converse with a large variety of people everyday.
It’s very challenging to keep a track of all the chats. Especially since most users converse with a large variety of people everyday.
02
02
Most users felt the need for more control over their chats.
Most users felt the need for more control over their chats.
03
03
Users felt they spent too much time searching for the chat they want.
Users felt they spent too much time searching for the chat they want.
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
The solution should be aimed to help all user typologies on WhatsApp and easy to learn and use. It is also important to make sure the solution does not rock up the existing app and should be easy to access when a user needs it.
The solution should be aimed to help all user typologies on WhatsApp and easy to learn and use. It is also important to make sure the solution does not rock up the existing app and should be easy to access when a user needs it.
The solution should be aimed to help all user typologies on WhatsApp and easy to learn and use. It is also important to make sure the solution does not rock up the existing app and should be easy to access when a user needs it.
Wireframing
Wireframing
Wireframing
01
01
Explored various ways of tacking the problem: Folders, Accordians, Menus, Tabs, etc
Explored various ways of tacking the problem: Folders, Accordians, Menus, Tabs, etc
02
02
Most users preferred the Tab approach and even the secondary research suggests that is the best way to solve the problem
Most users preferred the Tab approach and even the secondary research suggests that is the best way to solve the problem
03
03
Design decision: Solve the problem using Tabs approach
Design decision: Solve the problem using Tabs approach
High-Fidelity design
High-Fidelity design
Introducing Chat Tabs
Introducing Chat Tabs
Introducing Chat Tabs
01
01
Default chat list icon: This tab is pinned as the first tab in the carousel with the entire chat list
Default chat list icon: This tab is pinned as the first tab in the carousel with the entire chat list
02
02
Created chat tabs: To the right of the default chat list icon are the created chat tabs as per the user’s choice
Created chat tabs: To the right of the default chat list icon are the created chat tabs as per the user’s choice
03
03
Tap to create Tab: The + button allows the user to create a new Tab
Tap to create Tab: The + button allows the user to create a new Tab
Different states of a Tab
Different states of a Tab
Different states of a Tab
01
01
Creating a new Tab
Creating a new Tab
Creating a new Tab
A new tab can also be created by long pressing on any tab and pressing the ‘plus’ button in the options at the top of the screen. You can select and add contacts from your list and give the tab a name.
A new tab can also be created by long pressing on any tab and pressing the ‘plus’ button in the options at the top of the screen. You can select and add contacts from your list and give the tab a name.
02
02
Pin more chats
Pin more chats
Users want to be able to pin more chats
Users want to be able to pin more chats
Now pin a maximum of three chats in each Chat Tab. This increases the number of pinned chats overall, while also maintaining the same pinning limit principle in each Chat Tab.
Now pin a maximum of three chats in each Chat Tab. This increases the number of pinned chats overall, while also maintaining the same pinning limit principle in each Chat Tab.
03
03
Mute notifications from a Tab
Mute notifications from a Tab
In order to mute a chat, a user is presented with 3 options: To mute for 8 hours, 1 day, or always. With Custom mute, a user can now mute a Tab for any time period they choose.
In order to mute a chat, a user is presented with 3 options: To mute for 8 hours, 1 day, or always. With Custom mute, a user can now mute a Tab for any time period they choose.
Set Time and frequency: Set the desired period of time between which messages will be muted. Switch on the ‘All-day’ option if the desired duration if for the entire day. Next, select the ‘Repeat’ option if the mute action has to repeat with a desired frequency.
Set Time and frequency: Set the desired period of time between which messages will be muted. Switch on the ‘All-day’ option if the desired duration if for the entire day. Next, select the ‘Repeat’ option if the mute action has to repeat with a desired frequency.
PSA: WHATSAPP Actually Added this feature!!
PSA: WHATSAPP Actually Added this feature!!
In 2024, roughly 1.5 years after I published this case study on Medium.com, WhatsApp integrated a similar tab feature in their real app. You do not have the flexibility of customizing notifications and pinning chats. But it certainly helps to quickly filter through chats efficiently and I use it quite often.
In 2024, roughly 1.5 years after I published this case study on Medium.com, WhatsApp integrated a similar tab feature in their real app. You do not have the flexibility of customizing notifications and pinning chats. But it certainly helps to quickly filter through chats efficiently and I use it quite often.
User testing feedback
User testing feedback
Target Users
Target Users
It’s convenient to find all the chats when organized in Tabs
Helps to organize chats as per user’s preference
Easy to stop receiving unnecessary notifications
Users found it much faster to find chats
The pinning feature was hihgly appreciated
Key takeaways
Key takeaways
Learnings
Learnings
In a sample of 2 billion active users, there are both general and niche user groups. But the size of niche groups is so large that it’s important to design features keeping them in mind.
You can learn a lot by observing how a user interacts with an app, sometimes the best answers to your questions are unspoken ones.
When designing a new feature for an already established app, it is very important to retain familiarity for the user.
Challenges
Challenges
Even after many iterations, sometimes you feel stuck and waver from the original intent. Addressing the core problems is absolutely essential.
Days after designing a feature, sometimes I thought of a much better solution and wondered why it never dawned on me earlier. This resulted in going back to the drawing board multiple times.