Jessica Chou

Instagram

Tackling Suboptimal Calling Experiences

Role

Product Designer

Timeline

May - Aug 2022

Team

PM, Engineer, UXR

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Background

On the Remote Presence team, I led the design of a new "snooze" feature from 0-1, from identifying the problem to designing for implementation. "Snoozing" brings users greater control over call notifications and reduces the number of failed calls. The feature is shipped globally— check it out on your Instagram!

Problem

4% of all initiated calls (5 million calls a day) fail because thread call notifications are muted. This is a frustrating experience for both callers and callees as it leads to missed connections and delayed responses.

Outcome

I shipped the "snooze" feature, giving users control over call notifications by allowing timed thread mutes. This reduced missed calls, improved call connect rates, and enhanced user satisfaction and product perception.

Instagram Documentation: Mute

See other cool projects that shipped

See other projects that shipped

See other cool projects that shipped

You can now snooze calls and/ or messages for limited time by tapping the bell icon.

You can also snooze calls and/ or messages by swiping on a thread.

Grounded in data

The feature opportunity lies in meeting user needs and improving product performance.

User Goal

I want greater control over my notifications, including calls.

Business Goal

We want to drive increases in call connect rate, daily active users, and talk time.

Encouraging shorter mutes

Offering time durations for muting thread notifications will result in fewer people muting notifications indefinitely,

Problem Statement

5 million calls a day are missed because of muted threads. How might we reimagine the muting experience?

Finding the problem

Competitive Analysis

I audited four calling apps to analyze call notifications and settings, focusing on how users mute calls from thread conversations and the granularity of notification controls.

Validating the problem

I worked with UX researchers and data scientists to analyze past research and size the opportunity, confirming the problem's significance.

1 People are missing calls.

Getting too many notifications has forced some to turn off notifications completely.

2 People need customized notifications.

Users mentioned a need around receiving Instagram notifications from the people they actually care about.

3 People want greater control.

Users are open to having greater control over their privacy. They also expect to be able to enact control over who can call them.

Most choose to mute indefinitely, with 24 hours and 1 hour as common alternatives.

Looking to Messenger as a Proxy

Most Valuable Time Durations

Working with data scientists, I pulled Messenger data to inform how I designed this feature on Instagram.

Messenger snoozing experience allows for 5 options.

86% of muters silence both calls and messages, suggesting they prefer silencing all notifications.

Most choose to mute indefinitely, with 24 hours and 1 hour as common alternatives.

Messenger snoozing experience allows for 5 options.

86% of muters silence both calls and messages, suggesting they prefer silencing all notifications.

Iterations and Testing

I designed three muting options with varying effort and customization, putting them through a UX research test to explore user preferences and motivations— validating that users want more granularity and control.

Participants

US Teens & Young Adults (13-24)
Uses Instagram direct daily
Uses Instagram calling weekly
Mixed household income, gender, ethnicity

Results

Users were split on whether muting should be whether muting should be one tap for everything or more customized with time options.

01 One Tap

PROS

Extremely simple to mute everything with just one tap.

CONS

Limits flexibility without snooze options.

02 Snooze

Preferred

PROS

Simple and quick with just one action sheet.

Focused on muting all notifications, which some users prefer.

CONS

May not appeal to users who want more granular control.

03 Select & Snooze

Preferred

PROS

Offers granular control over specific notification types.

CONS

Multiple bottom sheets may feel cumbersome to some users.
Requires multiple taps, potentially increasing friction.

Shipped!

Option 3 Live Today

Option 2 balanced effort and customization, but dependencies with other teams led us to test and develop option 3.

This feature is only on mobile, and not on web FYI :(

Removed call icons from unapproved and blocked threads, showing them only once approved. This prevent users from entering failed calls, improving connection rates.

Other Projects That Shipped

Call Controls

Callers can enter the calling experience even when a call doesn't connect. The call rings for 60 seconds, then shows a ‘No Answer’ screen, with no push notification to the callee. 4% of calls fail due to unapproved threads and 5% fail due to callability, partly from blocked relationships.

Instagram Documentation: Calls

Learnings

I’ve grown so much in my time at Meta! I was challenged to identify areas of improvement within a mature product, pitch those ideas, and work within a well-developed team and design system. Importantly, I’ve become a designer who can work effectively across multiple cross-functional and product teams to reach a common goal. My favorite takeaways, though, are things I’ve picked up in between 1:1’s, design crits, office hours, and reviews that remind me of why I design— and how important communication and storytelling are for ideas to come to life.

As I look back, I’m proud to say that I’ve left my mark on Instagram by working on a couple impactful SOCs. Thank you to all who have pushed me to keep improving!

There are 8 sections on this page. It’s a bit to scroll through.

A dialog communication why call cannot be made to a verified user.

Removed call icons from unapproved and blocked threads, showing them only once approved. This prevent users from entering failed calls, improving connection rates.

Verified User Calling

I designed the experience's edge cases and error states, minimizing risk, upholding transparency, and ensuring secure interactions for Instagram's 3 million verified users.

Instagram Documentation: Verified Calling

A dialog communication why call cannot be made to a verified user.

Notification Settings

Research shows users see calls and messages as distinct, yet our current settings combine both.

Instagram Documentation: Settings

There are 8 sections on this page. It’s a bit to scroll through.

Splitting out call and message notification settings, as well as grouping settings aligns with user understanding and makes it easier to control notifications.

Learnings

As I look back, I’m proud to say that I’ve left my mark on Instagram by working on a couple impactful SOCs. Thank you to all who have pushed me to keep improving!

Problem Statement

5 million calls a day are missed because of muted threads. How might we reimagine the muting experience?

More Work More Work

YouTube

Kickstarting the New YouTuber Journey · 2020

YouTube

Kickstarting the New YouTuber Journey · 2020

Glassdoor

Shipped

Redesigning Career Pages for Engagement · 2021

Glassdoor

Shipped

Redesigning Career Pages for Engagement · 2021

More Work See

YouTube

Kickstarting the New YouTuber Journey · 2020

Glassdoor

Shipped

Redesigning Career Pages for Engagement · 2021

Validating the problem

I worked with UX researchers and data scientists to analyze past research and size the opportunity, confirming the problem's significance.

1 People are missing calls.

Getting too many notifications has forced some to turn off notifications completely.

2 People need customized notifications.

Users mentioned a need around receiving Instagram notifications from the people they actually care about.

3 People want greater control.

Users are open to having greater control over their privacy. They also expect to be able to enact control over who can call them.

Validating the problem

I worked with UX researchers and data scientists to analyze past research and size the opportunity, confirming the problem's significance.

1 People are missing calls.

Getting too many notifications has forced some to turn off notifications completely.

2 People need customized notifications.

Users mentioned a need around receiving Instagram notifications from the people they actually care about.

3 People want greater control.

Users are open to having greater control over their privacy. They also expect to be able to enact control over who can call them.

Validating the problem

I worked with UX researchers and data scientists to analyze past research and size the opportunity, confirming the problem's significance.

1 People are missing calls.

Getting too many notifications has forced some to turn off notifications completely.

2 People need customized notifications.

Users mentioned a need around receiving Instagram notifications from the people they actually care about.

3 People want greater control.

Users are open to having greater control over their privacy. They also expect to be able to enact control over who can call them.

Instagram