Voice messages are annoying… so I made them better
Voice messages are annoying… so I made them better
Role
Product Designer
Timeline
7 days
Responsibilities
User research
UI Design
Prototyping
User testing
Tools
Brain
Figma
Jitter
Project background
Project background
I've gotten pretty annoyed many times with voice messages, especially long ones. Turns out, a lot of people feel the same way. So, that got me thinking ...
How can we make voice messages less annoying?
How can we make voice messages less annoying?
How can we make voice messages less annoying?
Research
I began by conducting desk research, exploring articles, Reddit threads and utilizing AI tools to gather insights. Then, I interviewed a mix of individuals to understand pain points they were experiencing with (long) voice messages.
WhatsApp's current efforts to make voice messages less annoying
Exploring initial ideas
WhatsApp's current efforts to make voice messages less annoying
Exploring initial ideas
WhatsApp's current efforts to make voice messages less annoying
Exploring initial ideas
Solutions
AI summary
AI summary
An obvious approach is leveraging AI for quick summaries. However, this doesn’t come without it’s challenges. To maintain end-to-end encryption, all data must remain on the device, meaning the AI needs to run locally. This requires significant storage and processing power, which not every phone can support.
But the biggest problem is: users simply DO NOT trust Meta with their data. As a result many might not even use the feature at all. That’s where the next solution comes into play ...
An obvious approach is leveraging AI for quick summaries. However, this doesn’t come without it’s challenges. To maintain end-to-end encryption, all data must remain on the device, meaning the AI needs to run locally. This requires significant storage and processing power, which not every phone can support.
But the biggest problem is: users simply DO NOT trust Meta with their data. As a result many might not even use the feature at all. That’s where the next solution comes into play ...
Solutions
Taking notes: a simple solution
Taking notes: a simple solution
This approach actually addresses a couple issues that AI summaries don’t:
First, you only take notes on the parts that matter to you, rather than relying on an AI to summarize the entire message.
Second, you can quickly write down your own thoughts or responses as you listen, so you don’t lose track while preparing your reply. That’s where this solution really makes a difference.
Another great advantage of this solution is ...
This approach actually addresses a couple issues that AI summaries don’t:
First, you only take notes on the parts that matter to you, rather than relying on an AI to summarize the entire message.
Second, you can quickly write down your own thoughts or responses as you listen, so you don’t lose track while preparing your reply. That’s where this solution really makes a difference.
Another great advantage of this solution is ...
… by adding notes, you can effectively “tag” voice messages and make them searchable. This means you’ll always know what a message was about at a glance and you can quickly find specific voice notes just by search for keywords in your notes.
… by adding notes, you can effectively “tag” voice messages and make them searchable. This means you’ll always know what a message was about at a glance and you can quickly find specific voice notes just by search for keywords in your notes.
Voice message labeling
Voice message labeling
To help users quickly understand the privacy or importance of a voice message, I’ve introduced a labeling feature. Senders can label a voice message to indicate how private the message is, how important the message is or any other context the user wants to add.
This gives the recipient a clear heads-up, so they know whether to listen right away or wait for a private moment. Or you know, senders use the label to convey anything else the feel is important before the recipient listens to the message.
To help users quickly understand the privacy or importance of a voice message, I’ve introduced a labeling feature. Senders can label a voice message to indicate how private the message is, how important the message is or any other context the user wants to add.
This gives the recipient a clear heads-up, so they know whether to listen right away or wait for a private moment. Or you know, senders use the label to convey anything else the feel is important before the recipient listens to the message.
Digital Design, Editorial Design, Web Design
Next Project
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A collection of my work at easyApotheke
A collection of my work at easyApotheke
A collection of my work at easyApotheke
Currently exploring new opportunities
Any questions?
Reach out to me.
hello@tomjcb.com
hello@tomjcb.com
Copied
© 2025 Thomas Jacobowitz.
Designed and developed by me.
tomjcb
Currently exploring new opportunities
Any questions?
Reach out to me.
hello@tomjcb.com
hello@tomjcb.com
Copied
© 2025 Thomas Jacobowitz.
Designed and developed by me.
Currently exploring new opportunities
Any questions?
Reach out to me.
hello@tomjcb.com
hello@tomjcb.com
Copied
© 2025 Thomas Jacobowitz.
Designed and developed by me.