Skype iOS
UI Designer / Lead (2011-2014)
Overview
Entrusted in evolving Skype’s iconic brand and redesigning the iOS app after Microsoft’s multi-billion dollar acquisition. Modernising messaging and calling for a mobile-first audience.
Challenge
The app had complex features and inconsistent UI across devices, leading to usability issues and inconsistent brand proposition.
Process
Conducted usability tests, solidified messaging strategy, created a unified design toolkit (“Modern Kit”), designed and prototyped new navigation patterns, and iterated. Balancing legacy user expectations of video calling being a primary communication channel with modern mobile patterns whilst standardising design across platforms.
60 million monthly active users, which increased by ~15% in the first few months after the redesign due to the new focus on messaging
Awarded Apple’s ‘Most Downloaded Free App’ of all time award in 2014. Featured and presented on stage by Tim Cook and Craig Federighi during WWDC12
Awarded ‘People’s Voice’ Webby award in 2012
Completely redesigned from the ground up, based upon Microsoft’s iconic Metro design language
Created an entirely new way for Microsoft to launch iOS apps after building a componentised design system matched in code. This enabled other app launches such as Lync iOS