Project Overview
Signal is a widely used messaging platform known for its strong privacy and security features, making it a top choice for both personal and professional communication. However, one key functionality is missing: the ability to schedule messages (Missing in iOS only, at the moment). The absence of this feature creates friction for users who need to send time-sensitive messages but cannot always be available to do so manually. This limitation leads to missed opportunities, delays in communication, and the added mental load of remembering to send messages at the right moment. By introducing a message scheduling feature, Signal can enhance user convenience, improve communication efficiency, and provide a seamless way to plan messages in advance without compromising security or privacy.
Time Frame
3 Weeks
My role
UX + UI Design, Visual design, Branding, User flow, Research, Testing
Tools
Figma, Fig jam, Zoom, Google FormsFigma, Fig jam, Zoom, Google Forms
Problem Statement
Signal iOS lacks a feature to schedule messages for future delivery
Users of Signal often struggle with coordinating message timing, especially when communicating across different time zones or managing work schedules. Without a built-in scheduling feature, they must rely on memory or third-party solutions, which adds unnecessary complexity and frustration. This gap in functionality disrupts the seamless messaging experience that Signal aims to provide, making timely communication more challenging and less efficient.
Objective / Goal
Conceptualize, design, and prototype a message scheduling feature for Signal. This feature will allow users to schedule messages to be sent at a specific time or date, enhancing flexibility and convenience while maintaining Signal’s strong commitment to privacy and security.
Design Process
Research
Competitor market analysis
I conducted a competitive market analysis of other messaging apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger, all of which offer message scheduling features. This analysis focused on evaluating the strengths and limitations of these implementations to identify opportunities for designing a more seamless and privacy-focused scheduling experience within Signal.
User interviews
To gain a deeper understanding of user needs, I conducted user interviews with 5 Signal users, including professionals, students, and general users.
The interviews focused on their communication habits, the challenges they face with coordinating message timing, and their expectations for a scheduling feature that aligns with Signal’s commitment to privacy and security.
Key insights
Time management
75% of users expressed a need for a scheduling feature to manage communications without relying on real-time availability.
Users want to pre-plan messages, such as reminders or updates, to avoid forgetting important communications.
Timezone Coordination
Regular communication across different time zones is challenging for many users. A scheduling feature would allow them to send messages at appropriate times without needing to calculate or remember time differences.
Recurring Reminders
Professionals and group admins noted the value of scheduling recurring reminders for tasks like meetings, deadlines, or announcements. Automating this process would significantly reduce their workload.
Privacy and Security
Seamless Integration
Users stressed that the scheduling feature should blend naturally into Signal’s simple and intuitive interface. They want it to be easy to find and use without compromising the app’s minimalistic design.
User personas
With the knowledge and insights gained from the interviews, personas were created to understand the unique qualities, preferences and behaviours of the people most likely to benefit from the added feature.
Alex Carter
Project Manager
Name
Age
Occupation
Location
Alex Carter
34
Project Manager
Sydney, Australia
About
Alex is a project manager who frequently coordinates with teams across different time zones. They rely on Signal for its privacy and security but often forget to send messages at optimal times due to a packed schedule.
Goals
Communicate Effectively with international team members. Save time by automating repetitive tasks like sending reminders or updates. Maintain privacy and security while using advanced messaging features.
Frustrations
Difficulty remembering to send messages outside work hours. Manual effort required to coordinate communication across time zones. Lack of message scheduling leads to missed deadlines or delays.
Behavior
Tech-savvy and values efficiency. Uses Signal for both professional and personal conversations. Frequently plans tasks in advance to stay organized.
Priya Mehta
Tech Savvy Student
Name
Age
Occupation
Location
Priya Mehta
22
University student
Bangalore, India
About
Priya is a university student juggling coursework, internships, and social commitments. She uses Signal to stay connected with friends and organize group projects.
Goals
Coordinate group assignments without the hassle of real-time messaging. Schedule birthday wishes or reminders for personal milestones. Stay on top of multiple commitments with minimal effort.
Frustrations
Frequently forgets to send reminders to group members. Struggles to balance academic and social life efficiently. Needs a feature to manage communication without adding to her mental load.
Behavior
Digital native, constantly multitasking
Uses Signal for its secure and distraction-free interface Prefers apps with user-friendly, intuitive features.
Maria Gonzales
Homemaker
Name
Age
Occupation
Location
Maria Gonzales
45
Homemaker
Madrid, Spain
About
Maria uses Signal to communicate with family and friends while ensuring her conversations remain private. She often needs to send messages at specific times, like reminders for children’s activities or checking in with relatives in different countries.
Goals
Ensure timely communication with family across different time zones. Schedule recurring reminders for personal and family tasks. Use a privacy-focused app to protect her family’s data.
Frustrations
Difficulty keeping track of all her responsibilities and reminders. Frustrated by the lack of scheduling functionality within Signal. Wants to avoid using multiple apps for scheduling and messaging.
Behavior
Moderately tech-savvy, values simplicity in apps.
Relies on Signal’s security features to protect family interactions. Seeks tools that reduce mental load and improve daily efficiency.
Points of view
Busy professionals and individuals need a way to schedule messages on Signal to ensure timely communication without the hassle of managing messages in real time. Their packed schedules and the challenges of coordinating across different time zones make it difficult to send messages at the most appropriate times, all while relying on Signal’s trusted privacy and security features.
How might we
How might we design a message scheduling feature on Signal that allows users to efficiently plan and send messages at the right times, reducing their mental load and enhancing communication efficiency while maintaining Signal’s core values of privacy, security, and real-time interaction appeal?
Project goals
The feature set Venn diagram helps streamline decision-making in UX design by providing a clear, visual representation of how different features relate to each other and to user needs or market offerings.
User flow
To map out how Signal users would utilize the new message scheduling feature, I created a detailed user flow chart. This helped identify all crucial steps and interactions necessary for designing wireframes and prototypes, ensuring the feature delivers a smooth and intuitive experience while staying true to Signal’s core values of privacy and simplicity.
Legend
Flowchart
Low - mid fidelity
wireframes
I went ahead with drafting annotated low fidelity frames that would help visualise how this new feature would fit in Signal’s existing interface.
High fidelity
wireframes
Below are the annotated high fidelity frames that would help visualise how this new feature would fit in Signal’s existing interface.
Usability testing
I tested 5 users remotely to gather feedback on the Signal message scheduling feature. I sent them the prototype link, explained the project background, and presented them with the following
Scenario:
Schedule a reminder message for your partner to pick your child up from school at 15:00.
Sub Tasks
Navigate to the Signal app and locate the chat with your partner in the recent chat list.
Write a clear message reminding your partner to pick up your child from school.
Access the scheduling feature in the chat options.
Set the time for the message to be sent at 14:45.
Task 1
All users were able to open the
prototype and felt that the interface
was very familiar. They completed
the scenario independently and
with minimal friction.
Task 2
All users could easily type a message and spotted the scheduling tooltip prompt.
Task 3
All users could schedule the message to be sent 15 minutes before school dismisses at 15:00
User feedback:
This is so simple to use. I was done typing my message and scheduling it in less than 60 seconds!
"This is a great feature hopefully in the future it could schedule attachments too, such as photos, videos, and documents."
“Love the fact that I can use it for text, photos and videos! I’m going to use this to schedule birthday messages so I don’t forget!”
Future impact
For future iterations, I recommend adding more customisation options, such as allowing users to set their own presets for recurring messages. This would give users even more control over their communication. Secondly, I would recommend exploring the integration of the scheduling feature with WhatsApp's existing functionalities, such as group chats and media sharing, could further enhance its utility and appeal. Lastly, to ensure users are aware of the new feature, implementing tooltips or a brief onboarding tutorial within the app could help users discover and use the scheduling feature.