Google Duo (Meet) Product Feature

Problem Statement

A common user pain point with video conferencing platforms like Google Duo arises when reminiscing or sharing stories with a friend or family member. If another person becomes relevant to the conversation, seamlessly adding them to the ongoing call is currently impossible. The existing workflow of ending the call, creating a new group, and reinitiating the conversation disrupts the conversation flow and spontaneity of shared memories

To address this user experience gap, a feature is needed that allows for effortless mid-conversation participant addition. This would enable intuitive inclusion of anyone mentioned in the conversation, preserving the momentum and intimacy of shared recollections. Such a feature wouldn't just improve user experience, but also foster more dynamic and engaging video interactions, particularly when reminiscing or storytelling.

User Research

Common Questions for all respondents

Would you describe yourself as a beginner, intermediate, or advanced smart-phone user?

How frequently do you use video calling apps for making personal calls?

Q2

Q1

Q3

Q4

What is your primary app to use for personal video calls?

In the past 7 days, roughly how many hours have you spent on personal video calling?

What other apps have you used for video calling?

Q5

Questions targeting existing Duo users

Did you know you cannot add new participants in an ongoing video call with a single person?

How do you make personal calls with multiple people?

Q2

Q1

Q3

Have you ever disconnected a call with a single person because you wanted to talk to a larger group or add more people to the conversation?

Questions targeting non-Duo users

How do you make personal video calls with multiple people?

Have you ever used the "Add Participant" feature from within an ongoing video call?

Q2

Q1

FINDINGS FROM USER RESEARCH

1. User Preference: Google Duo consistently ranks as one of the top choices for personal video calls, highlighting its user-friendly design and established user base. Out of all the participants, 62% use Google Duo as their top 2 choice of apps for video calling.

2. Frequent Engagement: A significant portion (~68%) of video call users engage in calls lasting 1-3 hours weekly, demonstrating a growing reliance on video communication for extended periods.

3. Desired Functionality: 92% of all video call users, use add participant feature. Users clearly value the ability to add new participants to ongoing calls, with a high percentage utilizing this feature when available.

4. User Journey Gap: Despite the high demand for mid-call participant addition, a majority of Google Duo users remain unaware of its absence, 50% of users did not know that this feature does not exist, leading to unexpected frustration.

5. Pain Point Identified: Nearly 50% of Duo users have unknowingly experienced the disruptive scenario of having to end and restart calls to add new participants, illustrating a clear need for improvement.

6. Impactful Opportunity: Addressing the lack of mid-call participant addition directly addresses a pain point experienced by all Duo users, presenting a significant opportunity to enhance user experience and satisfaction.

Putting on the PM Hat :
Why has Duo not implemented this feature?

Technical Challenges:

Complexity: Adding participants mid-call could be technically challenging, requiring significant changes to the underlying architecture and infrastructure. Balancing real-time performance with seamless integration might be complex.

Security: Ensuring secure and encrypted communication with new participants joining an ongoing call requires robust security measures, adding to development time and complexity.

Device compatibility: The feature needs to function smoothly across diverse devices and operating systems, which requires thorough testing and adaptation.

Product Prioritization:

Focus on core features: Google Meet might prioritize improving core functionalities like call quality, stability, and accessibility before introducing new features.

Market research: The feature might not be seen as a high priority based on user research or market competition. Other features might be deemed more impactful or in line with user needs.

Resource allocation: Development resources might be allocated to other ongoing projects or features based on strategic priorities.

User Experience Considerations:

Disruption of flow: Joining a call mid-conversation might disrupt the flow and coherence of the discussion, requiring careful UI/UX design to minimize interruption.

Impact on existing users: Introducing a new feature might require educating existing users and ensuring a smooth transition without hindering their current experience.

Alternative Solutions:

Existing solutions: Google Meet already offers workarounds like ending and restarting the call with the new participant, which might be considered sufficient for current needs.

But if I were to launch this feature.... How would I do it?

I am FAR from a design student, but I still gave FIGMA a try :-)

A/B Testing Plan for Feature Launch

Objective: To test the effectiveness of a new feature that allows users to add participants to an ongoing video call compared to the current experience of ending the call and restarting with the new participant.

Target Audience: All users of the video calling app.

Sample Size: Calculate the minimum sample size needed to detect a statistically significant difference between the variations with a desired power and effect size. Aim for at least 1% of the active monthly user per variation.

Metric:

• Primary:

  • Avg duration of calls where the "add participant" feature is used.

  • Overall number of calls per week.

• Secondary:

  • Weekly call minutes Call duration

  • Number of Group calls per week

  • User satisfaction rating

  • App rating

  • Qualitative feedback from users

Variations:

• A (Control): Current experience where users need to end the call and restart with the new participant.

• B (Treatment): New "add participant" feature: Simple search and invite interface within the call.

UX Options:

1. Add Participant button near the top of the call screen - follows competitor (whatsapp / instagram) UX .

2. Add Participant button near the bottom of the screen - follows Duo group call UX.

Hypothesis:

Adding a "add participant" feature will reduce call drops to create a group, and increase the number of calls with multiple participants and improve user satisfaction.

Test Duration: Suggested for at least 4 weeks

Implementation:

• Randomly assign users to either the control or treatment group for the duration of the test.

• Ensure clear instructions and user interface design for the "add participant" feature.

• Track usage data and user feedback throughout the test period.

Analysis:

• Compare the primary and secondary metrics between the control and treatment groups.

• Use statistical tests to determine if the differences are significant. (Z test, T test and ANOVA for mean and Chi-Square for comparing proportions of the two samples).

• Analyse qualitative feedback to understand user experience and preferences.

Additional Considerations:

• Technical feasibility and development timeline of the "add participant" feature.

• User education and communication about the new feature.

• Potential impact on call performance and quality.

• Privacy and security concerns related to adding new participants.

By carefully planning and executing this A/B test, we can gain valuable insights into how users would respond to adding participants mid-call and make informed decisions about improving Google Duo video calling app's functionality and user experience.