Formalizing Whatsapp

A micro-interaction level intervention to recontextualize whatsapp for formal communication

Formalizing Whatsapp

A micro-interaction level intervention to recontextualize whatsapp for formal communication

About Whatsapp

Whatsapp’s USP is seamlessly binding geographical distance through conversation without building profile identities other than what is known to the ones conversing. WhatsApp’s founder and CEO Jan Koum explains that they wanted to build Whatsapp with these specific values – 

“be simple to use, intuitive, fast and always work, and to connect people”.  “We are driven by mission to ensure people can stay in touch” said Koum.


Whatsapp for formal settings...

Contrary the Whatsapp’s UPS of connecting people over long distances, formal setting function over proximity and distance. All formal setting are social Institutions with titles holding an identity and social hierarchies. 



How might we create identities over Whatsapp for formal communication? 

I approached this with a mission to preserve the efficiency and the vision of Whatsapp and build on it, through the lens social structures around me (like my college).


About Whatsapp
Platforms like Facebook and Instagram let users build their online identities.
All formal settings are social Institutions. Here, the titles represent their identity and the social hierarchy.
More about Identities...
Social Structures All institutions are social structures, Ex. A college, a workplace
Social Status with all its players having various social statuses Ex. tutee to my tutor, student to my teacher and a friend to my friend,
Status Set which together forms one’s status set. Ex. tutee + student + friend
Identity Every social status of a person has an associated identity that ever-evolving.  Identity is the expectation one has from a person with an associated social status.
All formal settings are social Institutions. Here, the titles represent their identity and the social hierarchy.
More about Identities...
Social Structures All institutions are social structures, Ex. A college, a workplace
Social Status with all its players having various social statuses Ex. tutee to my tutor, student to my teacher and a friend to my friend,
Status Set which together forms one’s status set. Ex. tutee + student + friend
Identity Every social status of a person has an associated identity that ever-evolving.  Identity is the expectation one has from a person with an associated social status.
Literature and Insights
Platform needs to accommodate institution hierarchy through the hierarchy in

social status.

A person holds social statuses and performs a role. Every social status comes with a behavioural expectation towards its role.

Role confusion

is when a person addresses one out of the usual social context. How do we incorporate formal communication without role confusion?
Between formal & informal relationships lies
personal information
How should we restrict personal information to prevent role confusion?
Language and Metaphors.
Any sentence that does not bring with itself becomes a metaphor. Metaphors allow interpretation which is not a viability for formal communication.
Breaking of messages caused due to no maximum & minimum​

word limits

causes sentences losing its context. It also causes confusion in understanding the tone of the conversation.
In earlier times geographical proximity meant moral proximity.

The blue tick

blurs the line between presence and social availability. Is the blue tick a consequence or an acknowledgement of reading a message?
Can i read and not be expected to answer right away?
How do we ensure that
heartwarming personal conversations and stressful official tasks
dont mix up?
Goal Icon
Enabling Whatsapp to seamlessly create identities and roles in a specific Social Structure through learning and applying efficient communication and context understanding.

Expanding the design principles

WhatsApp designs and builds its product with specific principles in mind. These principles are at the core of the decision-making process.

  1. The interface should feel native to the device the person is using
  2. The app should be lightweight and require as little storage as possible
  3. The interface should be simple
  4. User actions and animations should be quick to respond
  5. Features should provide an obvious utility so they require little introduction.

To change the context a few design principles needed to be added. The existing principles remain to be the foundation of the platform. Hence, making this a micro-interaction study to introduce features without changing what Whatsapp currently offers.

  1. The platform should suggest formal communication not impose.
  2. Context is supreme for the kind of communication formal or informal.
  3. Additional complexity should not induce cognitive overload.
Ideating around the micro-interactions
Scamper
Ideation Notes
Ideation Notes
Bizarro World
Bizarro World
Ideation Sketches
Scamper
Scamper Mapping
Scamper
Ideation Notes
Ideation Notes

A Micro-Interaction Intervention

Building Identities

Within whatsapp, is embedded a communication aid, building identity groups for the different social statuses of the user.

The Blue Tick controversy

Also, changing the dynamic of obligatory reply brought in by the read mark, here, marking read is embedded it seamlessly within the platform as a gesture while opening the chatbox.

The Formalness for a Formal Conversation

The direct profile, status, number brings out the informalness, whereas the letter format is used for a formal exchange. Using the groups interface of Whatsapp, A formal format could be replicated with Subject, recipient, content and signature with only indirect links to the recipients profile.

Discussions vs Group-Talks

Not all conversations are on-going, hence the discussion feature for specific and directed conversation which closes as soon as the discussion dies.