Nokia's multi-platform (mobile & web) instant messaging service.
Client:
Nokia
Original Solution for Web & High-end Devices:
Nokia Boston
API Development (Conversations Framework):
Nokia
Concept for Low-end Devices:
Mauricio Sá Ribeiro
UX Design for Low-end Devices:
Mauricio Sá Ribeiro
Visual Design for Low-end Devices:
Glaubert Oliveira (eventually, Nara Silva & then Wesley Silva)
Low-end Devices' Design Leadership:
Mauricio Sá Ribeiro
Development & Testing:
Nokia Institute of Technology
Platforms:
Symbian S40 in all 4 formats: Full Touch, Touch and Type, Non-touch Portrait & Non-touch Landscape
In 2011, Nokia began the design and development for their new instant messaging service and needed to bring the solution to their most used platform at the time, Symbian S40, to all available formats.
Issue:
Partially defined service still in development and, following many ongoing usability tests, under constant changes.
Solution:
Create a direct channel with the team responsible for the project and synchronize as much as possible with the base project's ongoing changes.
Value Proposal:
Bring a "smartphone" experience to a "feature phone" user with a simple solution that has as few changes as possible between the platforms, still maintaining the full service and platform experiences.
The first step to create a central hub for all communication, involving both high-end and low-end devices alike
Good feedback from client, with great trust buildup resulting in constant scope increase for the team.
There was plenty of international conferences and travels to align all applications.
However, Nokia's strategy was deeply changing and, prior to the Nokia-Microsoft partnership, the entire Conversations ecosystem being built with the teams in Finland, United States and Brazil was canceled to open way for other projects better aligned with the company's new vision.