New Skype UX (awful – Microsoft have even framed their login form into Skype – so lazy and typically unstylish). Up until now I wondered why every single chat I received from someone and vice versa had a smiley face… This is the typical reaction from people complaining to Skype: “It’s hugely inappropriate even for personal use. I have been talking to a friend about my cancer treatment and he tells me that all my messages have ended in smiley emoticons, which is not at all an appropriate emotion to cover the unpleasant treatments I’ve been having.” Investigating the issue, it seems Skype has a problem with Semiotics and UX: Most text apps have a smiley face to open their collection of Emojis – granted – but they are in a place where it feels like they are part of the process of sending a text. Isn’t it fascinating that it’s the place Skype have decided to put the smiley face ‘button’ is on the end of a text message. The result is tonnes of people including myself misunderstanding the intent of a message. Well done Skype for messing up a globally accepted piece of UX. The importance of positioning a button, the shape and it’s colour is integral for maximum potential impact – I’ve said this for years and it’s always proven in A/B testing.
