Privacy Blur Redesign
ROLE
Visual Designer
TIMELINE
April - May 2022
TEAM
VXD, UXPM, IXD, PM,
UX Writing, UX Research
PLATFORM
Echo devices
STATUS
Shipped Q4 2022
TOOLS
Sketch, Figma
Introduction
Privacy Blur addresses a key aspect of a drop-in (video) calls; a protective blur which safeguards users from being recorded without their consent. It displays for 10 seconds, unless manually dismissed.
Overview
Customer feedback identified the prior design as a flaw. I redesigned the visuals to empower users with the ability to either retain or dismiss the privacy screen, placing control firmly in the hands of the user. As the Visual UI/UX Designer, I collaborated with Interaction Designers & Researchers, influenced UX Writing, presented key findings and explorations to cross-functional teams, and scaled the delivery of specifications. This ensured a cohesive visual representation across all Echo devices, resulting in a more user-centric and intuitive privacy feature.
Design Solutions
Caller: Replaced blur with a 60% scrim overlay, collaborated with UX Writing to clarify privacy delay ownership and control, and enabled users to dismiss the feature by tapping their video display.
Receiver: Transformed the "slashed eye" icon into a tappable element for instant privacy delay (viewing restriction) changes.
Results
Communications customer complaints decreased by 86% in 5 months post-implementation
Improved CTA clarity through collaboration with UX Writing, resulting in a perfect satisfaction and understanding score from customers tested (20/20)
Design Solutions
Caller Delayed
Customers were confused by the privacy blur feature, mistaking it for poor network connectivity (lagging) or subpar media quality. My design choices involved adding a dark scrim overlay and collaborating with UX Writers to build trust. Clear, plain language ensured callers were informed about their privacy blur delay settings.
Receiver Delayed
Leveraging customers' preference for tapping on controls, my solution grouped related elements (icon and copy) and transformed the Picture-in-Picture (PIP) into a button, harmonizing with users' mental models. The visual affordance indicates to users they can manually dismiss the default privacy (blur) settings.
Interaction CX
Caller
Receiver
Customer Insights
Trap Analysis Report
Based on a trap analysis report researchers found 4 main categories of existing traps in the proposed designs. These traps included participant user frustration, where tapping the "slash" eye icon resulted in no visible action, the term "Privacy delay" was a misunderstood word, and the absence of possessive nouns made it challenging for users to grasp who controls the blur and the distinction between those shown and not shown. Additionally, the static "10 seconds" text, assumed to indicate a countdown, was misleading when the status failed to update.
Slow or no response
Uncomprehended Elements
Feedback Failure
Poor Grouping
“... what didn’t go well so far [is that] there’s some delay whenever you try to view the video of that particular person or like my dog, there’s some buffering or there’s some waiting time for everything to come... loading...I believe it’s... part of the platform or the technology, but I wish it’s even faster. As soon as you drop into someone, the video or the person that you’re going to talk to could easily hear you and could easily see you.”
Uncomprehended Element
UI element - a control, label, symbol, etc. - critical to achieving a goal, is not comprehended by the user. The user notices the element, but does not recognize it as the action they need to take.
Feedback Failure
When the system fails to provide noticeable, comprehensible, and actionable feedback in response to user actions. Using a static “10s” or “soon” does not provide sufficient feedback to let customers know when their Drop In will begin
Poor Grouping
A critical relationship between two or more noticeable cues is not obvious.
Slow or no response
When the user is prevented from achieving a goal in a timely manner because of actual or perceived poor system performance.
Impact
Perfect satisfaction and understanding score from customers tested (20/20)
- Research Findings
“Customer complaints decreased by 86% in 5 months post-implementation “
- Research Findings