Convay Whiteboard
The Convay Whiteboard feature allows meeting participants to collaborate in real time using a shared virtual whiteboard. Only the meeting host can initiate the whiteboard, while other participants can join the session and contribute once it’s started. This tool supports brainstorming, sketching, and note-taking, enhancing the collaboration experience during virtual meetings.
CATEGORY:
Web Design,
Product Design
ROLE:
UX Designer,
UI Designer
TOOLS:
Figma
About Convay
Convay is an innovative video conferencing platform that redefines virtual collaboration by integrating tools for seamless communication and teamwork. Designed with the needs of modern businesses in mind, Convay goes beyond traditional video calls by offering a unified platform that manages all aspects of meeting lifecycles—from preparation and execution to post-meeting follow-ups.
The platform provides enterprise-grade security, ensuring data privacy with end-to-end encryption and secure cloud storage. Key features include high-quality audio and video conferencing, automatic transcription, real-time collaboration tools, and centralized file management through Convay Cloud. Users can organize meeting files, access chat logs, and navigate through media and documents effortlessly. Additionally, Convay supports complex requirements with scalable architecture, making it suitable for organizations of all sizes.
With specialized solutions like AI-powered transcription and summarization, cloud storage for document management, and an intuitive interface for navigating content and activities, Convay aims to create a truly cohesive virtual meeting experience that enhances productivity across teams.
For more details, visit Convay.
Feature Overview
The Convay Whiteboard feature allows meeting participants to collaborate in real time using a shared virtual whiteboard. Only the meeting host can initiate the whiteboard, while other participants can join the session and contribute once it’s started. This tool supports brainstorming, sketching, and note-taking, enhancing the collaboration experience during virtual meetings.
Goal
The goal of the Whiteboard feature is to facilitate real-time collaboration by enabling participants to visualize ideas collectively. By incorporating a range of drawing tools and options to minimize, maximize, and close the whiteboard, the feature aims to create a smooth, interactive experience within the meeting panel, adding versatility to Convay’s virtual meeting platform.
My Role and Responsibilities
As the UX Designer, I was responsible for designing the user flow and interfaces for the Whiteboard feature in Convay. This included creating intuitive interactions for both the host and participants, ensuring easy access to tools, and making collaboration straightforward. I focused on providing a clean, distraction-free interface while integrating essential functionalities like minimizing, maximizing, and error handling.
User Interface Designs
Meeting Panel
Meeting Panel for Host
Whiteboard Start Button: The host initiates the whiteboard session through a dedicated “Start Whiteboard” button. This button is accessible only to the host, ensuring control over when collaboration begins.
Whiteboard Start Button
Whiteboard Started
Convay Whiteboard
Error Handling (Whiteboard Failed to Start): If the whiteboard session fails to initiate, an error modal appears with a retry option. This error handling helps the host quickly resolve any issues.
Error Handling (Whiteboard Failed to Start)
Whiteboard Controls: Once the whiteboard is started, the host can maximize, minimize, or end the session as needed. These controls help manage the whiteboard’s presence during the meeting, allowing for a flexible user experience.
Whiteboard Maximized
Whiteboard Minimized
Whiteboard Open Button while Minimized
Whiteboard Close/end
Meeting Panel for Participants
Whiteboard Notification: When the host starts the whiteboard, participants receive a notification that the whiteboard session has begun.
Whiteboard Started
Convay Whiteboard
Minimize, Maximize, and Close Options: Participants can choose to minimize or maximize the whiteboard for their convenience, ensuring the feature adapts to their preferences during the meeting.
Whiteboard Maximized
Whiteboard Minimized
Whiteboard Open Button while Minimized
End Session Notification: When the host ends the whiteboard session, all participants are notified, indicating the conclusion of the collaborative session.
Whiteboard Ended
Challenges and Solutions
Challenge 1: Ensuring Seamless Collaboration Without Overcrowding the Interface
The whiteboard needed to offer rich collaborative tools without overwhelming users or cluttering the meeting panel.
Solution: To keep the interface simple, essential drawing and editing tools were arranged in a minimalistic toolbar at the top of the whiteboard. By keeping the rest of the meeting panel clear, we maintained focus on the collaboration area without sacrificing functionality.
Challenge 2: Managing Control for Hosts and Participants
Only the host should be able to start and end the whiteboard session, while participants need flexible options to join and leave as they please.
Solution: We designed a “Start Whiteboard” button available exclusively to the host, ensuring control over the session’s initiation. Participants, on the other hand, could choose to minimize, maximize, or exit the whiteboard, giving them flexibility in how they engage with the feature during the meeting.
Challenge 3: Handling Technical Errors Smoothly
Occasionally, whiteboard sessions may fail to start due to technical issues. To avoid disrupting the flow of the meeting, clear error handling was necessary.
Solution: An error modal was added with a message that the whiteboard failed to start, along with a “Retry” button. This clear feedback allows the host to quickly attempt a restart, minimizing disruptions to the meeting.
Outcome and Impact
The Convay Whiteboard feature successfully enhanced the collaborative experience within virtual meetings by providing a versatile tool for real-time brainstorming and visual sharing. Here are the key outcomes:
Increased Engagement: The whiteboard’s interactive tools encouraged active participation, allowing users to sketch, annotate, and contribute ideas in a shared space. This led to more dynamic and productive meetings, with teams able to express ideas visually.
Enhanced Control and Flexibility: By giving control of the whiteboard to the host and providing participants with options to minimize or maximize the feature, we achieved a balanced experience that caters to various user needs. Feedback indicated that users appreciated the option to personalize their view during collaborative sessions.
Reduced Friction During Technical Errors: The addition of error handling minimized disruptions when technical issues arose. The retry option allowed hosts to quickly address any failed starts, leading to a smoother, less frustrating user experience.
Takeaways
Designing the Whiteboard feature for Convay was a valuable experience in creating a tool that enhances collaboration without overwhelming the user. Balancing the needs of hosts and participants required careful consideration, especially in managing control and flexibility for different user roles. Ensuring a clean, accessible interface with robust error handling taught me the importance of designing for both functionality and user experience resilience. This project reinforced the need for clear error messaging and adaptable features that cater to various collaboration styles, making virtual meetings more engaging and efficient.